Vortex Cold Air Gun Drawing/dims needed

[ahidley]

Hi All,
Being a home shop machinest I am interested in making a Cold Air Gun. I just refuse to pay $400 for one and actually couldn't justify paying $75+ for a new one on ebay! Heck, I could make it out of scrap laying around the shop for free + my time, thats what this forum is all about.. My problem is finding actual dimensions to machine to. I really dont want a lot of scrap. It appears to be a really simple design and easily done on a lathe.

Here are a few sites. The first link has a cut away view of how one works.

http://www.terhorst.com/PDF%20Website/vortex_tubes_en.pdf

http://www.exair.com/en-US/Primary%20Navigation/Products/Cold%20Gun%20Aircoolant%20Systems/Pages/Cold%20Gun%20Aircoolant%20Systems.aspx

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3214923.pdf

for referance http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5265801.html

So, any help would be much appreciated.
Anybody use them at work? Are they good/bad?

[dp]

They're rather simple devices and easy to build. This should get you started.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Hilsch-vortex-tube/

[noah katz]

I was looking into these a few months back but IIRC lost interest because they they consume >10 cfm of air.

[MichaelP]

I'd be very interested to see the actual drawings too.

I only wonder how strong the cold air stream is. I wouldn't like it to blow the chips all over the place.

[MichaelP]

Double post.

[Void]

There are lots of sources for actual dimensions on the Hilsch. If you go to your local public library and do a search through old copies of Scientific American (before 1970) in the Amateur Scientist column there is a pretty good writeup and some suggested experiments for building several styles. You can make one that will work out of pipe nipples, a Tee, and washers.

The Hilsch has a few advantages and many disadvantages when compared to other cooling (or heating) methods. The number one disadvantage is the inefficiency.
It uses huge amounts of air and you waste half of it depending on whether you are heating or cooling.
It is noisy. It makes a high pitched howl which may not even be in your hearing range. Do not be surprised if little girls and puppies run away.
It will run your air compressor down and your energy bill up.

Advantages are:
Simple compact design that can be scaled to fit the job.
No moving parts.
Simple to make.
Reliable operation.
Cheap to make the actual device.
Ideal for small area cooling or heating that uses a non-toxic (air) especially in areas where electricity or sparks may be a problem.

I have the one made by Vortec and sold to me by Snap-On. I bought it back in the mid-1980s for about $100. Still works fine because there is nothing to break.

-DU-

[Evan]

When building one the precise shape of the parts is very important. They are very finicky and the efficiency varies tremendously with only very minor changes in the dimensions. It would be much more efficient to pass air through a heat exchanger in a super cooled brine bath using a regular refrigeration unit. Quieter too.

[Black_Moons]

I learned the hard way, Try and make the inside as smooth and 'one piece' as you can get it, Any ledges or interuptions in the surface seems to totaly screw over the efficency..

[Liger Zero]

I have two commercial units, $250 a piece. Each came with a set of link-tubes and nozzles so I can split the airflow and move it where it is needed.

Watching this thread with interest, these units have 10,000 + uses in plastics manufacturing. If I can make 'em in the machine shop I'll be very happy.

[dp]

Here's a vendor that provides external dimensions.

http://www.newmantools.com/vortex.htm#vortex

[mochinist]

just some stuff I found googling.

http://www.thaiscience.info/Article%20for%20ThaiScience/Article/3/Ts-3%20investigation%20on%20the%20vortex%20thermal%20separation%20in%20a%20vortex%20tube%20refrigerator.pdf

http://vortex.etailcentral.com.au/index.html

http://ottobelden.blogspot.com/2009/09/diy-homemade-ranque-hilsch-vortex.html

[bborr01]

I used one for grinding punches and the like. Cold air gun in front and dust collector pickup in back. No big mess.

They get below freezing. If I used one continuosly for an hour or maybe less, it would frost up.

I had heard that they were rather expensive but never thought much about making one.

Brian

[ahidley]

Ok, great info.. I started making parts for it. I'll post next weekend with temperture readings and if I feel its practicle to utilize. I tried to make it approx 4CFM, we'll see, I dont want chips blowing all over the room. Hopefully it'll still put out enough cold to do some good.................

[Evan]

Here is a page full of plans for the vortex tube including the original patents.

http://www.rexresearch.com/ranque/ranque.htm

[ahidley]

Well I got one finished and it turned out to be an air HOG, like others have said. I have a 3 hp compressor (one that runs on 220 not an overrated craftsman or HF) and it would only hold 50 lbs of air. The nozzle into the chamber was two holes .046 dia.
I'll have to look more in to the site that evan sent.