On the scoop heating effect of a gas centrifuge in numerical simulation

Abstract

The withdrawal scoops in a gas centrifuge generate heat due to frictions and shock waves from the interaction between the scoops and the gas at a high speed motion. The heat changes the flow field in the centrifuge and influences the separation performance, giving rise to the heating effect. In the study of the flow field in a gas centrifuge with the two-dimensional axisymmetric approximation, the effects of a scoops are modelled by momentum and energy sources/sinks, or by a rotating disk with an angular speed different from that of the centrifuge rotor. The scoop-gas interaction is very complicated, and it is important to ensure to have the heating effect appropriately considered. Numerical simulation shows that, if the heating effect is not properly taken into account, the gas temperature around the scoops decreases, which is inconsistent with the real physical process. Some approaches dealing with the heating effect are discussed to avoid making incorrect modelling. Simulation results reveal that the scoop heating effect has a significant influence on the separation performances of the gas centrifuge.