Best Vortex tube from Streamtek
Our Vortex Tube use solid brass generators as their standard generating unit for a longer life expectancy. In higher temperature environments, many competitors will charge an additional fee for this feature. Streamtek Vortex Tubes convert compressed air supply into cold airflow at one end (up to 46 °C – 115 °F temperature drop) and hot airflow at the other end (up to 93 °C – 200 °F temperature increase). They are typically used for spot cooling or spot heating, cooling electrical controls, gas samples, machining operations and more.
Contents
- Best Vortex tube from Streamtek
- What is a Vortex Tube?
- Which Vortex Tube size will best suit my needs?
- Vortex tube models
- Benefits of Streamtek Vortex Tube
- Buy Now
- How to select a Vortex Tube
- 7500 Series Vortex Tube specifications
- 7700 Series Vortex Tube specifications
- Vortex Tube Specifications
- Vortex Tube performance data
- Vortex tube applications
- Streamtek Vortex Tube FAQs
Information
What is a Vortex Tube?
The Vortex Tube is an effective, low-cost solution for a wide variety of industrial spot cooling and process cooling applications. Compressed air enters the Vortex Tube and spins at a rate of up to 1,000,000 RPM inside the air chamber. The air travels towards the hot end of the Vortex Tube and once it reaches the end, a small amount is exhausted through a control valve. The remainder of the air is forced back towards the opposite end of the Vortex Tube and it exhausted as cold air. A Vortex Tube can decrease air temperatures by ~115°F (46°C) and raise temperatures by ~200°F (93°C) from the initial air temperature.
Which Vortex Tube size will best suit my needs?
Our Vortex Tubes are available in two sizes (small and medium) as well as two material constructions (stainless steel and aluminum). Small Vortex Tubes have a capacity ranging from 2 SCFM to 8 SCFM and are available in stainless steel. Medium Vortex Tubes have a capacity ranging from 10 SCFM to 40 SCFM. They are available in both stainless steel and aluminum. Aluminum offers a cost saving option, while the durability of stainless steel, as well as its resistance to corrosion and oxidation, assures that Streamtek Vortex Tubes will provide years of reliable, maintenance free-operation.
Vortex tube models
Streamtek offers two models of Vortex Tube. 7500 Series Vortex Tubes are engineered to provide optimal temperature drop while maintaining strong air flow. 7700 Series Vortex Tubes are engineered to provide the maximum possible temperature drop while sacrificing some airflow. 7700 Series Vortex Tubes should only be used in special applications where the temperature requirement is below 20°C.
Material
BTU rating
Air consumption
Stainless Steel
145 – 560 BTU/Hr.
2 SCFM – 8 SCFM
Stainless Steel
700 – 2800 BTU/Hr.
10 SCFM – 40 SCFM
Aluminum
700 – 2800 BTU/Hr.
10 SCFM – 40 SCFM
Did you know? Streamtek Vortex Tubes use a generator and valve made of brass and sealed with viton o-rings to allow their use in the widest range of environments. Others use plastic generators and standard Buna N O-Rings and charge extra for brass and viton!
Our Vortex Tube design or also know as a Vortex Cooler, has the ability to enhance overall functionality of the equipment it is installed with. The assurance of quality and raw materials can be obtained only at Streamtek and we never let our customers go unsatisfied. The company maintains a huge inventory to serve its customers on time. The complete research in the field of vortex tubes allows Streamtek to have a well-defined, systematic approach. This satisfies customers and improves the client retention rate to a great extent. Feel free to get in touch with us and we shall be more than pleased to assist you.
Benefits of Streamtek Vortex Tube
With the finest technology and high-end practices, Streamtek offers the best Vortex Tube to watch out for. Made with the highest quality raw materials and extensive engineering, the product is efficient and powerful.
- Reduces total cost of ownership
- Enhances reliability and durability of equipment
- Saves cost
- Achieves optimal outcome
- Improves productivity
- Minimizes effort
- Delivers high return on investment
Specifications
How to select a Vortex Tube
When selecting the right vortex tube, it is important to consider the application of use. Achieving the coldest possible temperature does not always produce great results. The balance between optimal temperature and air flow is the most important factor. Not sure which cooling capacity is needed? Our vortex tubes have interchangeable capacity generators. Small vortex tubes interchange between 2, 4 and 8 SCFM while the medium vortex tubes interchange between 10,15, 25, 30, and 40 SCFM. That means one vortex tube can be used for different capacities simply by changing the capacity generator. Additional generators can be purchased in our Accessories section.
Noise/Muffling
Both small and medium Vortex Tubes operate at approximately 70 dB of noise, depending on size. We offer optional Cold End Mufflers which reduce the noise level by approximately 10 dB. Our Hot End Muffler reduces the noise level by approximately 4 dB. Please visit our Accessories section for optional mufflers.
Mounting
We offer optional Magnetic Base mounts for our Vortex Tubes. Please visit our Accessories section for more information.
Filtration
It is very important to maintain a clean and dry source of compressed air when operating a Vortex Tube. If water is present in the air lines, the Vortex Tube will freeze and its performance will be reduced. We recommend using a Streamtek 5-Micron Air Filter to remove dirt and moisture from air lines to maximize the performance of our Vortex Tubes. Please visit our Accessories section for filters.
Back Pressure
A low back pressure of up to 2 PSIG (0.1 BAR) will not affect the performance of the Streamtek Vortex Tube. However, any back pressure above this level will result in a performance reduction.
7500 Series Vortex Tube specifications
The 7500 series Vortex Tubes are used in most industrial applications such as: electrical control panel cooling, tool cooling, and parts cooling. These Vortex Tubes optimize airflow and temperature drop to produce maximum cooling power or Btu/hr. (Kcal/hr.).
| Size | Model No. | Air Consumption | BTU/Hr. @ 100 PSIG | Watts / Hr. @ 6.9 BAR |
| Small | 7502 | 2 SCFM (57 SLPM) | 145 BTU/Hr. | 43 |
| Small | 7504 | 4 SCFM (113 SLPM) | 275 BTU/Hr. | 80 |
| Small | 7508 | 8 SCFM (227 SLPM) | 560 BTU/Hr. | 164 |
| Medium | 7510 | 10 SCFM (283 SLPM) | 700 BTU/Hr. | 204 |
| Medium | 7515 | 15 SCFM (425 SLPM) | 1100 BTU/Hr. | 322 |
| Medium | 7525 | 25 SCFM (708 SLPM) | 1800 BTU/Hr. | 528 |
| Medium | 7530 | 30 SCFM (850 SLPM) | 2060 BTU/Hr. | 603 |
| Medium | 7540 | 40 SCFM (1133 SLPM) | 2800 BTU/Hr. | 821 |
7700 Series Vortex Tube specifications
The 7700 series Vortex Tubes are used in applications that require extreme cold temperatures such as circuit board testing, and lab sample cooling. These Vortex Tubes provide the lowest cold air temperatures, but at a low cold airflow (when less than a 50% cold fraction is used). The 7700 services Vortex Tubes should only be used when temperatures are below 0° (-18°C).
| Size | Model No. | Air Consumption | BTU/Hr. @ 100 PSIG | Watts/Hr. @ 6.9 BAR |
| Small | 7702 | 2 SCFM (57 SLPM) | — | — |
| Small | 7704 | 4 SCFM (113 SLPM) | — | — |
| Small | 7708 | 8 SCFM (227 SLPM) | — | — |
| Medium | 7710 | 10 SCFM (283 SLPM) | – | — |
| Medium | 7715 | 15 SCFM (425 SLPM) | — | — |
| Medium | 7725 | 25 SCFM (708 SLPM) | — | — |
| Medium | 7730 | 30 SCFM (850 SLPM) | — | — |
| Medium | 7740 | 40 SCFM (1133 SLPM) | — | — |
Vortex Tube Specifications
| PSIG | Cold Fraction | ||||||||
| 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% | |
| 20 | 63F | 35C | 62F | 34C | 60F | 33C | 56F | 31C | 51F | 28C | 44F | 24C | 36F | 20C | 28F | 15C | 17F | 9C |
| 7F | 4C | 15F | 8C | 25F | 14C | 36F | 20C | 50F | 28C | 64F | 36C | 83F | 46C | 107F | 59C | 148F | 82C | |
| 40 | 91F | 51C | 88F | 49C | 85F | 47C | 80F | 44C | 73F | 41C | 63F | 35C | 52F | 28C | 38F | 21C | 26F | 14C |
| 9F | 5C | 21F | 11C | 35F | 19C | 52F | 29C | 71F | 39C | 92F | 51C | 117F | 65C | 147F | 82C | 220F | 122C | |
| 60 | 107F | 59C | 104F | 58C | 100F | 56C | 93F | 52C | 84F | 47C | 73F | 41C | 60F | 33C | 45F | 25C | 29F | 16C |
| 10F | 6C | 24F | 13C | 40F | 22C | 59F | 33C | 80F | 44C | 104F | 58C | 132F | 73C | 168F | 93C | 236F | 131C | |
| 80 | 119F | 66C | 115F | 64C | 110F | 61C | 102F | 57C | 92F | 51C | 80F | 44C | 66F | 36C | 49F | 27C | 31F | 17C |
| 11F | 7C | 25F | 14C | 43F | 24C | 63F | 35C | 86F | 48C | 113F | 63C | 143F | 79C | 181F | 101C | 249F | 138C | |
| 100 | 127F | 71C | 123F | 68C | 118F | 66C | 110F | 61C | 99F | 55C | 86F | 48C | 71F | 39C | 53F | 29C | 33F | 18C |
| 12F | 8C | 26F | 14C | 45F | 25C | 67F | 37C | 91F | 51C | 119F | 66C | 151F | 84C | 192F | 107C | 252F | 140C | |
| 120 | 133F | 74C | 129F | 72C | 124F | 69C | 116F | 64C | 104F | 58C | 91F | 50C | 74F | 41C | 55F | 31C | 34F | 19C |
| 13F | 8C | 27F | 14C | 46F | 26C | 69F | 38C | 94F | 52C | 123F | 68C | 156F | 87C | 195F | 108C | 257F | 142C | |
Vortex Tube performance data
The cold fraction is the “percentage flow” of airflow at the cold end. So a 60% cold fraction means 60% of airflow comes out cold end and 40% goes out the hot end.
The above table is for the 7500 Series (10-15 SCFM) Medium sized Vortex Tubes. The performance can significantly change for higher flow designs. With that said, it’s not generally important to get such “low” temperatures and in most applications, the Vortex Tube is “preset” to produce a specific temperature drop.
The cold fraction table above is ONLY for the Streamtek 7500 Series Generators, or as some competitors like to call (‘H’ Generators). The 7700 Series Vortex Tube (‘C’ Generators), produce very cold temperatures but with a lower cold end flow. The 7700 Generators are not designed for high BTU/Hr (or watt) cooling effect.
Temperature drops and the cold end airflow vary inversely as the “cold fraction” changes. The cooling effect is a balance and combination of both outlet flow and temperature drop. Colder temperatures do NOT always mean the absolute highest cooling effect will be produced.
Vortex Tube Video
(A) Compressed air, normally 80 to 100 PSIG (5.5 – 6.9 BAR) enters the Vortex Tube through a standard NPTM inlet and tangentially through a generator into the vortex spin chamber.
(B) This air stream spinning at up to 1,000,000 RPM travels in one direction along the small (hot end) tube and then is forced back through the center of this outer vortex.
(C) The brass control valve on the hot end allows for quick n’ easy adjustment of the “cold fraction”; see specifications for what this means.
(D) As the center column travels towards the opposite end, it gives off kinetic energy in the form of heat to the outside stream of air and exits the vortex tube as cold air.
Vortex tube applications
Streamtek Vortex Tube products use innovative compressed air technologies to improve productivity, increase equipment efficiency and deliver enclosure and spot cooling, conveying, and blow-off. If you don’t find a solution and/or idea for your application, or if you want additional details, call our factory at 1-705-770-4455 or email an Application Engineer at support@stream-tek.com.
Applications
- Cooling electronic controls
- Cooling machining operations
- Setting hot melts
- Cooling soldered parts
- Cooling gas samples
- Electronic component cooling
- Cooling heat seals
- Cooling environmental chambers
Advantages
- Maintenance free (No moving parts)
- Cools without costly electricity or refrigerants
- Reliable, compact and lightweight
- Low cost application
- Durable – Stainless Steel
- Adjustable temperature
- Instant cold air
Application Examples from our Customers!
Vortex Tube Keeps Module Cold
Application: Cooling
A local laboratory is performing various tests on the mechanical properties of select materials. Most of these materials are needed to be cooled to -2 Celsius. The customer ultimately choose a Model 7530 (Stainless Steel Air Conveyor) for their cooling requirements. The customer now no longer has to use costly liquid C02 to cool their material and chambers! The Vortex Tube will produce just under 2100 Btu/hr of cooling capacity within the test enclosures.
Keeping Camera Lens Clear and Cool
Application: Cooling
A customer in Asia had multiple Boroscope lenses that needed to be kept cool and clear while being inserted into a 1150 Fahrenheit boiler porthole. After successfully using multiple competitive products, they decided to go with the more affordable Streamtek Model 7508 ‘One-Piece Stainless Steel Vortex Tube moving forward. That’s right! The Streamtek Vortex Tube is a one-piece unit with no welded weak point where the cold end meets the smaller diameter hot end tube.
Cooling a Motor
Application: Cooling
An industry leading company manufactures electrically powered blower motors. Many of their customers had no choice but to enclose these blowers in enclosures in order to protect the costly blower from external elements. By installing Model 7515 (Stainless Steel Vortex Tube) directly inside the housing of the motor, heat build-up was quickly reduced and thus eliminated downtime due to past motor failure.
Cooling Turn Rolls
Application: Cooling
In today’s hot rolling mills, realizing the promised longevity of high speed steel rolls depends on one’s ability to successfully implement a system to keep their rolls cool. If these rolls are not kept cool, the ability to maintain product shape and eliminate surface defects is quickly compromised. Rick (our customer) naturally came to Streamtek for an affordable solution that wouldn’t break the bank. We were able to put together a system to blow refrigerated air through the inside of the customers turn rolls with our low cost Model 7530-A Vortex Tube.
Speeding up Cycle Time
Application: Cooling
A manufacturer in Mexico produces molded plastic pedals for bicycles and needed help in finding a solution to cool their molded parts down so they could increase cycle times. Since this customer was unable to provide our application engineer with accurate answers to our questions when trying to determine how much cooling is needed, we were able to provide him with Streamtek Model VTMD-KIT (Medium Stainless Steel Vortex Tube Cooling Kit). By using the cooling kit, he was able to optimize the cold air temperatures and adjust the air demand delivered by the Vortex Tube.
Cooling an Garage Door Seal
Application: Cooling
Before exterior garage door seals can be coated with a color that will match the garage door and its trim, the initial extrusion must be cool. Our Model 7540 (Stainless Steel Vortex Tube) can speed this cooling process up! Need a more affordable solution? Take a look at our equivalent 7540-A (Anodized Aluminum Vortex Tube).
Chilling a Mandrel for Jewelry Crafting
Application: Cooling
A ring mandrel is easily one of the most useful tools for sizing, crafting and re-shaping jewelry. Each of these mandrels is designed for one or more special applications in jewelry crafting. By blowing chilled air, with a Model 7525 Vortex Tube onto the mandrel, thermal expansion of the mandrel was eliminated even as temperatures rose throughout the day.
Cooling Petrochemical Gas Samples
Application: Cooling
A petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia needed to ensure the dew point of their sampled gas was kept constant, which in turn will keep the water vapor proportion also constant. One of our many experienced application engineers (Doug) was quick to recommend a small Model 7704 Vortex Tube to cool down the gas samples before analyzing reports. Our client was able to remove the costly AC system that was currently in-place and as an added perk, the system is now much more portable due to the small size and durability of the Streamtek vortex tube.
Using Cold Airflow to Cool Whipped Butter Closures
Application: Cooling
Tom (our customer) is currently using a 96 cavity mold to manufacture containers for his whipped butter. The US Standards for Whipped Butter is very strict! Unfortunately during the mold process, the pivot points of the enclosure started to wrap very slightly causing a rejection rate of just over 3%. By using a Model 7515 Vortex Tube placed at each pivot point, Tom was able to eliminate the 3% reject rate. Yet another satisfied Streamtek customer!
Cooling Copper Wire on Heat Set Tubing
Application: Cooling
There are many types of Heat Set Tubing in the market today. All the different sizes, lengths, diameters, wall thickness, etc. can make one go bonkers. A heat set tubing manufacturer out of Taiwan contacted us with a unique problem! He was having a great deal of difficulty cooling the tube fast enough due to the heat that was being kept by the flexible copper wire that passed through the ID of the tube. After talking with our very knowledgeable Application Engineer (Jay), the Taiwan manufacturer decided to purchase (4) Model 7530 Vortex Tubes to push the cold airflow through the ID of the Heat Set tubing. Production was increased and cooling time was cut by close to 40%!
Transportation Spot-Welding
Application: Cooling
Spot Welding operations can be cooled with a low-cost affordable Streamtek Vortex Tube. Improve the appearance of your products and virtually eliminate secondary smooth operations. Need to easily point the cold airflow? Then combine a Model TC0SHK (Single Point Hose Kit) with your Vortex Tube.
Single Point Threaded – Metalworking
Application: Cooling
CNC Machinists know first-hand how heat build-up in threading operations will shorten tool life and cause a rough thread. This equates to increase downtime in: changing tools, lost productivity and higher overall cost in tools. By using a Streamtek Vortex Tube Model 7515, clean and dry sub-zero cooling will eliminate tool micro cracking, premature failure and will increase speed.
Dimensions
NO Cheap Plastic parts here! Both the Generator and Control Valve are solid Brass. You choose between a Stainless Steel and Aluminum Vortex Tube.
Small and lightweight – portable.
Easily adjust temperatures with a simple flat-head screwdriver.
Small Vortex Tube / With Muffler
Small Vortex Tube / Without Muffler
Medium Vortex Tube / With Muffler
Medium Vortex Tube / Without Muffler
Streamtek Vortex Tube FAQs
The performance is negatively impacted with back-pressure on the cold end exhaust. A Back-pressure of 5 PSIG will change performance by approximately 5°F. A low pressure up to 2 PSIG will not affect performance.
Compressed air is injected into the vortex tube, flows at a rate of up to 1,000,000 RPM towards the ‘hot’ end of the tube. Once this hot air reaches the end, a small amount is exhausted through a control valve. The rest of the air is forced backwards towards the other end and exits as ‘cold’ air.
Vortex Tubes are a product of Streamtek. Using compressed air as their only power source, cold air is produced on one and hot air on the other. All this is done with no moving parts!
The cold air is typically used for spot cooling and refrigeration applications. The hot air can be used for spot heating applications, but the temperatures are not very high.
The vortex tube was invented in 1933 by French physicist Georges J. Ranque and German physicist Rudolf Hilsch improved the design and published a widely read paper in 1947 on the device, which he called a Wirbelrohr (literally, whirl pipe).
The Vortex Tube has been known as the “Hilsch Tube”, the “Ranque Vortex Tube”, the “Maxwells’s Demon, and the “Ranque-Hilsh Tube”. It’s a reliable, simple and low cost answer to various spot cooling problems within industrial plants.
Streamtek offers Small and Medium sized Vortex Tubes, each with a wide variety of cooling capacities. Vortex Tube Generator Kits allow you to experiment with a variety of temperatures and air flows. We recommend you talk to a Streamtek Application Engineer, as they can aid you in selecting the appropriate Vortex Tube for your application.
No. There are no moving parts, it will never wear out. They may need cleaning from time to time if there is contamination within the air supply. The Vortex Tube is constructed of type 303 stainless steel, brass generators, and a brass control valve.
The Vortex Tube is typically used in spot cooling applications. Use it to cool, molds, machining operations, hot parts, electronics, etc. The hot end could be used to heat glues, shrink wraps, or for drying parts.
No. The Air Amplifier and Air Knife would both restrict the air flow of the Vortex Tube to the point where back-pressure would limit the cooling capacity of the Vortex Tube. The cold end of the Vortex Tube should not be subjected to a backpressure in excess of 5 PSIG.
Yes. However, the hot end exhaust can only withstand pressure up to 30 PSIG (depending on the cold fraction). If backpressure exceeds 30 PSIG, then the performance of the Vortex Tube will deteriorate.
The Vortex Tube Performance Charts give approximate temperature drops (and rises) from inlet air temperature produced by a Streamtek Vortex Tube set at each various cold fraction. Assuming there is no fluctuation of inlet pressure or temperature, the Vortex Tube will reliably maintain temperature within ±1°F.
There two ways to find out what Cold Fraction you are currently using on your Streamtek Vortex Tube.
(1) By using the Performance Data chart found here. You can measure the temperature of cold air exhausting and compare it to the chart. It’s important to note that the air temperature should be taken immediately out of the Vortex Tube as the airflow will quickly warm as it mixes with ambient air.
(2) An air flow meter can also be used to measure the volume of air both coming out of the unit and going into Vortex Tube. Then use these values and compare the cold or hot flow of the unit. By comparing the cold or hot flow rate to the total will give you accurate hot or cold fractions.
The Vortex Tube is rated in BTU/Hr. based on inlet temperatures of 68F and pressure of 100 PSIG. Any change of temperature or pressure will affect the rating of the Vortex Tube. Please contact as Streamtek Application Engineer to determine the effect of pressure and/or temperate changes on the Vortex Tube’s rating.
Produce instant cold air
