ANN based ternary diagrams for thermal performance of a Ranque Hilsch vortex tube with different working fluids

•Ternary charts are first used to estimate temperature difference of flow in RHVT.•Four different nozzle material with 2 to 6 nozzle numbers as parameters were selected.•ANN and MLR and the actual test results were analyzed with MATLAB for ternary charts. In this study, an artificial neural network-based ternary diagram was used to predict temperature separation in a counter-flow Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube. The working fluid and nozzle materials were selected as the effect parameters, and the temperature difference between the hot and cold outlets was used as the performance indicator. In the multiple regression and neural network analysis programs, some values obtained from the experimental set were used as input parameters, and statistical evaluations were performed. Different algorithms combinations have been attempted to obtain the best estimates. Finally, new equations were developed to estimate the temperature difference in the vortex tube using the values measured in the experimental set. In addition, a ternary diagram was developed for oxygen gas and air using the experimental conditions to evaluate the temperature differences.