ELECTRICAL VORTEX APPARATUS

About ELECTRICAL VORTEX APPARATUS

Specification:

ELECTRICAL VORTEX APPARATUS

A low-voltage, variable-speed motorrotates the vessel about its vertical axis. A speed-control unit (included),sited away from the main apparatus, controls the speed of rotation.

Vortex Apparatus enables students toproduce both free and forced vortices, and measure the vortex water surfaceprofile.

To produce a free vortex, studentsplace a smaller, perforated transparent cylinder inside the main vessel. Thisforms an annulus into which a continuous water supply is directed. When thevessel rotates, water passes through the perforations and spirals slowlyinwards to a small hole in the centre of the base of the vessel. The surfacefalls rapidly towards the centre and produces an air core. Students measure thesurface profile using the traverse probe.

The equipment consists of atransparent vessel on a support frame, which mounts on a hydraulic bench(Gravimetric or Volumetric Hydraulic Benches, H1 or H1D - availableseparately). It may also work with another suitable clean water supply anddrain.

To produce a forced vortex, studentsadd water to the rotating vessel until it is about half full. A forced vortexforms. After a few minutes the vortex becomes constant, and students canmeasure the surface profile using the traverse probe. The traverse probe canmove both horizontally and vertically, and both axes have linear scales.Students can also measure distribution of total head by replacing the traverseprobe with a Pitot tube.