Optimization of Bubble Eliminator Through Numerical and Experimental Investigation
Air bubbles in working oil affect the stiffness and efficiency of hydraulic systems; thus it is important for technical issues that air bubbles be actively eliminated from the hydraulic oil. A bubble eliminator is a device that uses a swirl flow to remove air bubbles. The shape of the device affects bubble elimination performance, so the selection of shape is the most important parameter in increasing the performance of the device. The purpose of this study is to design a bubble eliminator with an optimal shape. This paper discusses the validity of numerical simulation by comparing, using various diameters of the vent port, the numerical results with the results of the experimental flow visualization. Moreover, we focus on the length of the inlet tube and tapered tube of the bubble eliminator and establish a method of selecting them.