Hey Guys-

Has anyone ever attempted to install a Hilsch Tube (Vortex Tube) in an
aircraft for environmental controls?

The setup I see would be very light, a 3 foot long PVC vortex tube (no
more than 5 lbs) with a small exhaust turbocharger force-feeding it.
Yes the Hilsch tube is not a particularly efficiant cooling mechanism,
but exaust-gas pressure is essentially 'wasted energy' anyways.

It strikes me that controlling such a mechanism would be trivial
(baffle the hot-cold ends of the tube to a controllable valve, and then
into the cabin), lightweight, and relatively inexpensive...

IT seems to perfect, why hasn't anyone done it before? (Hilsch tubes
are already used as cooling mechanisms elsewhere.

quick wiki reference- plenty more can be found online-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortex_tube

-Scott