Publication

Abstract : Vortex air core formation has prime importance in the area of aerospace, metal casting and hydraulic engineering. Rotational and vibration disturbance will be imparted to draining fluid which is subjected to environmental disturbance. These disturbances trigger the formation of vortex air core in draining fluids. Thus, formed air core vortex can invite serious adverse effects in many engineering applications. Formation of such vortices in propellant tanks of spacecraft and rockets can choke the drain port and thus leads to underutilization of fuel. Feed pumps connected to the propellant tanks are more susceptible to cavitation under the ingestion of such air core vortex. Air core vortices also bring casting defects in casted metal products. Present study is conducted to investigate the influence of newly designed drain port geometries and their aspect ratios on vortex air core formation when a rotated liquid column is drained out from a cylindrical tank. For this, rectangular elliptical and crucifying cross sections were tested for various values of aspect ratios. All the drain ports are concentric to the tank base. Objective of the present study is to identify the geometry and its aspect ratio which gives least critical height and minimum draining time required to empty the tank which indicates vortex suppression. Effect of these geometries on vortexing phenomenon is not reported in the current literature, and hence, this is thought to be a novel investigation.