A Novel Vortex-Tube-Based Combined Cycle for Simultaneous Power and Cooling Production

A Novel Vortex-Tube-Based Combined Cycle for Simultaneous Power and Cooling Production | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A Novel Vortex-Tube-Based Combined Cycle for Simultaneous Power and Cooling Production Giuma Fellah This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9088387/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In this work, a vortex tube is integrated to a combined cooling and power cycle. The vortex tube is a passive thermofluidic device that induces thermal energy separation in a compressed gas stream, producing two outlet flows at substantially different temperatures. The phenomenon occurs in the absence of moving components and is governed by complex turbulent swirling flow, pressure gradients, and viscous dissipation. The internal flow structure facilitates the redistribution of kinetic and thermal energy, leading to concurrent temperature rise in the peripheral region and cooling in the core region. The combined cycle is simulated by using carbon dioxide as the working fluid. A parametric study is conducted to examine the effects of vortex tube inlet pressure, vortex tube inlet temperature, and vortex tube internal pressure on the net power output, cooling capacity, combined performance factor (CPF), and exergetic efficiency. In addition, a normalized sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the most influential parameters. The results show that vortex tube inlet pressure and temperature strongly affect system performance, whereas the internal pressure has a relatively minor impact within the investigated range. Under optimal operating conditions, the system delivers 367 kW of net power, 561.5 kW of cooling capacity, a CPF of 18.70%, and an exergetic efficiency of 9.929%. The proposed configuration demonstrates strong potential for efficient and low-emission energy. Vortex tube Combined cooling and power Cooling load Combined performance factor Exergetic efficiency Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9088387","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":604421914,"identity":"48751eaf-ca8e-4a9d-8829-95896e0a963e","order_by":0,"name":"Giuma Fellah","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3UlEQVRIie3PsQrCMBCA4QsHrYPgWgfpK5wUXATxURIKuogILoKCgYIdu/YxCoJzodAuPkDHTM4dncRWF0FoMwrmJxku8JEEwGT6yZgCtQE+eE8IYHcSJOD1Gkpg8kVQl1CqS9w5MsVptvZKv1CwmwqJfWol4xSROPnbSbkQEq5LDSIHucMJxaVcjSU7ZToE7TunozjHDXloEBfQqv+eicRpiNQghIj1wwoRX28i5vnSO6G1ab8lDFhV7fYiCv20qg7TUWQHSfst2efE621Br+Mv8vvMVq3EZDKZ/q4nkIZCkzuObDIAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"University of Tripoli","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Giuma","middleName":"","lastName":"Fellah","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-11 00:39:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9088387/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9088387/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105563754,"identity":"5b7e24ac-528d-4ddf-a9d9-ef9b85e6beaa","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-27 12:47:43","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":721061,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ANovelVortex2.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9088387/v1_covered_8276c179-dbbc-4158-9832-b8a8233d8e2b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A Novel Vortex-Tube-Based Combined Cycle for Simultaneous Power and Cooling Production","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Vortex tube, Combined cooling and power, Cooling load, Combined performance factor, Exergetic efficiency","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9088387/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9088387/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn this work, a vortex tube is integrated to a combined cooling and power cycle. The vortex tube is a passive thermofluidic device that induces thermal energy separation in a compressed gas stream, producing two outlet flows at substantially different temperatures. The phenomenon occurs in the absence of moving components and is governed by complex turbulent swirling flow, pressure gradients, and viscous dissipation. The internal flow structure facilitates the redistribution of kinetic and thermal energy, leading to concurrent temperature rise in the peripheral region and cooling in the core region. The combined cycle is simulated by using carbon dioxide as the working fluid. A parametric study is conducted to examine the effects of vortex tube inlet pressure, vortex tube inlet temperature, and vortex tube internal pressure on the net power output, cooling capacity, combined performance factor (CPF), and exergetic efficiency. In addition, a normalized sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the most influential parameters. 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