5pPA2. Experimental studies on thermoacoustic refrigeration.

Session: Friday Afternoon, December 6

Time: 2:15


Author: Toshitsugu Hara
Location: Dept. of Systems Eng., Nippon Inst. of Technol., Miyashiro, Saitama, 345 Japan

Abstract:

Thermoacoustic refrigeration phenomena in a resonance tube were studied experimentally. A horizontal brass tube of 400 mm in length and 40 mm in diameter was closed at one end and attached to the acoustic driver (audio speaker) at the other end. Atmospheric air was enclosed in the tube as a working fluid. Stacks which were made of a bundle of ceramic tubes, a rolled abrasive paper with garnet, or a rolled copper metal netting, were set in the tube. Driven acoustic frequency was varied from 100 to 300 Hz, and electric power to the driver was varied from 0 to 7.8 W. Pressure and temperature distributions in the tube were measured by an axially movable pressure transducer and a Copper--Constantan thermocouple. The relation of refrigeration capacity and refrigeration temperature was also measured. It was found that the maximum cooling temperature was obtained when the stack was located near the closed end equivalent to the pressure antinode. Maximum refrigeration capacity was found to be made by the ceramic tubes stack composed of a bundle of ceramic tubes 0.8 mm in hydraulic diameter. A maximum temperature difference of 12 (degrees)C was achieved in this experiment.


ASA 132nd meeting - Hawaii, December 1996