Numerical simulation of tangential inlet configuration for plenum chambers

Swirling fluid motion in enclosed chambers was studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics. Using the tangential inlet configuration as the basic design, 3 swirl generator models was created using Computer Aided Design software. The aim was to see whether a modified design from the original configuration could provide a reduction in the backflow effect that is constantly present in swirling flows. Simulations show that swirl generator inlets at different angles from the original tangential position results in a change in velocity profiles across the flow cross section. From the simulations performed, it was found that the swirl generator model with inlets set to 45 degrees produced the least backflow compared to other models. (paper)