Improved Efficiency and Power Density for Thermoacoustic Coolers
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Authors
Hofler, Thomas J.
Subjects
Thermoacoustic
Refrigeration
Heat Exchange
Heat Transport
Refrigeration
Heat Exchange
Heat Transport
Advisors
Date of Issue
1996-06-11
Date
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Work continues on building a thermoacoustic heat driven cooler having no moving parts, with cooling power in the 0.5 to 1.0 kW range. Previous work dealt with numerical modeling of a new engine topology used in the above engine and various work on improved heat exchangers. Recently, morn modeling suggests that cooling powers in the range of 35 kW (10 ton) may be possible with an engine having a longest dimension of 4 ft. and that efficiency improves significantly with size. Also, we have solved some fabrication problems with our high temperature nickel heat exchangers. The major work this year has been on the high temperature thermoacoustic stack structure. A common Stirling engine regenerator structure consisting of stacked disks cut from stainless steel wire mesh was tested in an apparatus previously used for high amplitude heat exchanger measurements. Stacks are very easy to construct in this fashion and longitudinal thermal conduction is greatly reduced. Results show that amplitude performance is very good and within 10% of the usual spiral roll structures. More impressively, the efficiency of the mesh stack is as much as 30% higher than for spiral rolls stacks. We are also conducting measurements on pure carbon random structures that could be used at extremely high temperatures.
Type
Technical Report
Description
Technical Report - 01 Jun 95 - 31 May 96
Series/Report No
Department
Physics
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
NPS-PH-96-004
Sponsors
Office of Naval Research
Funder
Format
14 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.