Timothy J. Corrigan Anthony A. Atchley
Phys. Dept., Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 93943
A previous study of thermoacoustic heat transport phenomena [Atchley et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 88, 251--263 (1990)] reported measurements of the acoustically induced temperature difference (Delta)T generated across short, poorly thermally conducting plates situated in high amplitude acoustic standing waves. That study focused on the dependence of (Delta)T on the position of the plates in the standing wave. Significant discrepancies between the predicted and measured results were observed at high acoustic pressure amplitudes. Moreover, for a given mean gas pressure, there was a threshold acoustic pressure amplitude above which irregularities appeared in the plots of (Delta)T vs kx. There was evidence that some velocity-dependent effect might be the cause of the discrepancies. An investigation of the acoustic velocity field in high amplitude standing waves has been initiated to determine whether there are measurable irregularities in the velocity field that can account for the observed behavior. Preliminary results of this investigation are reported. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]