Vortex breaker
Vortex breaker
(OP)
What is the best design of vortex breaker?
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RE: Vortex breaker
In one case a distallation tower had a sawhorse left in it after turnaround. After the next turnaround the sawhorse was found and removed. Production dropped because it had functioned as a vortex breaker. This was listed in a Kister distillation book.
RE: Vortex breaker
On one particular occasion we were refitting the vessel with some new internals and commissioned some CFD analysis. One of the points that raised was that for the new flowrates a simple 4 section (+) vortex breaker would not suffice as vortices would form in the quadrants. A capped 12 section vortex breaker was installed during the retrofit and working well when I left the company.
I can't remember the velocities or flowrates involved for that particular VB.
Hope that this is of use to you.
Regards
Nosey.
RE: Vortex breaker
RE: Vortex breaker
Take a larger diameter pipe and determine the correct thinner walled tubes that can be installet in the large tiameter pipe. Install the smaller tubes as a bundle in the larger pipe.
Attach the tubes to each other by welding.
We solved many a problem like this.
For better effect install longer section.
Best regards.
Scalleke
RE: Vortex breaker
If I understand you correctly the configuration is similar to:
---
/000\
\000/
---
(apologies for the poor drawing).
Were the gaps between the tubes filled, or were they left as gaps to allow fluid flow?
Do you size the number of tubes etc on hydraulic diameter i.e. an equivalent diameter to the outlet nozzle.
When calculating the pressure drop due to the above configuration do you work out the entrance and exit losses for each tube section installed?
RE: Vortex breaker
Liquid passage should be greater than outlet nozzle.
I would not calcullate pressure loss but make one and test.
RE: Vortex breaker
reference a previous thread 794-29712 from last August for further discussion.
There is another design that is almost as simple, a baffle plate. Place a round baffle plate a distance of d/2 above the outlet pipe of diameter (d). The diameter of the baffle plate would be 4d. This simulates a larger intake area, thereby reducing the vortex and air entrainment.
RE: Vortex breaker
RE: Vortex breaker
The cross should be the same type metal as the pipe. I have even made these with HDPE.
2000 gpm through an 8" pipe is over 12 feet per second. Any way you could go to 10" suction to stay under 10 fps?
RE: Vortex breaker
regard
1562
RE: Vortex breaker
I found this standard when trying to determine significance of vortex control for use in an eductor suction. I have not used either design myself. Hope this reference helps.
RE: Vortex breaker
We put little vertical walls from the floor upwards to the surface, about three of them surrounding the inlet nozzle. This prevents the body of water from swirling. These walls do not have to be tight against the inlet, just in the surrounding area to stop the water from moving horizontally.
PUMPDESIGNER
RE: Vortex breaker
I use S = 0.72*V*(d)^0.5
The 0.72 drops to 0.54 for smooth symmetrical entries.
S is the level of the top of the pipe below water level (or submergence)in metres
V is the pipeline velocity in m/s
d is the pipe diameter in metres.
Havent had a failure - yet.
Cheers
Steve McKenzie