Abstract:

The construction of a thermoacoustically (heat) driven, thermoacoustic refrigerator (TADTAR) has been completed. The design utilizes a novel resonator topology and should have a high cooling power density. While the design goal calls for a cooling power level of 500 W over a temperature span of 40 (degrees)C, the first refrigeration data recently obtained exhibited only small amounts of cooling. However, as the understanding of the engine improves, so does its performance. Variations in resonator tuning and stack location, gas type and pressure, and stack type and geometry are being explored. Low Prandtl number gas mixtures produce particularly strong improvements in onset conditions and amplitude. [Work supported by Office of Naval Research.]