Abstract
The work described in this thesis, although primarily concerned with vortex incineration, provides a practical advance in understanding the general field of confined vortex flow. A new approach to a theoretical solution of the aerodynamics of confined vortex flow, based upon classical mathematical solutions of vortices, has been developed. This has been verified and further refined, partly by means of previous work in the field of confined vortex flow, but mostly by the experimental investigations during this study, carried out on a wide range of vortex chambers. The equations developed are, [mathematical equation] which gives in dimensionless terms the transverse velocity (v) as a function of the radius (r) and a constant (a) which is determined by the radius of the peak velocity (r). The constants (m,n,X) are theoretically derived to be (m=2,n=1,X=1.2564), but experimentally values of (m=3,n=[3/4],X=2.3367) were found to be a more accurate reflection of the measured data. Experimentally the radius at peak velocity(r) was found to correspond to the radius of the chamber exit. It is then shown how the equations can be reduced to yield the two part fixed/free transverse velocity solutions of previous workers, and how in contrast to this solution, the previous work fails to define the critical region of peak velocity which occurs at the interface of the fixed and free vortex type flow. From this experimental work it has been possible to quantify the effect that the geometric and operational parameters of the vortex chamber have on the resultant confined vortex flow generated within these chambers. The work is based on the primary geometric and operational data of vortex chambers, carried out over a wide range of absolute values of this data so that the results can be generalised, in contrast to those of previous workers. These experimental results have been combined with the theoretical solution to yield a refined yet concise solution of confined vortex flow, which enables the accurate prediction of the velocity profiles within any arbitrary vortex chamber based solely on that chamber's geometry. It has also been shown how a knowledge of the velocity pattern within the chamber may be used to predict the path and combustion rate of both liquid and solid fuels injected into a vortex chamber, by the solution of the equations governing both the motion and the combustion of the particle. These equations are presented in detail and a computer program for their solution is given. The results of simulations of a real vortex incinerator operating with various fuels are given in graphical and tabular form and their implications discussed. Brief details are also given of the succesful design and operation of an innovative commercial silicate processor, based upon a vortex combustion chamber, for which the computer program and indeed the whole work of this thesis was employed. The subsequent success of this processor shows that the work has passed a critical test of its validity and has already been of condsiderable commercial use.