Chapter 86 - Figure of merit for regenerator working in acoustic field

Abstract

To specify the performance of a TA device (including regenerator and stack), quantitative description of regenerator in determining the performance of the whole TA system is a significant problem. Most of the information about regenerator has been obtained only by analysis or computation on simulated models, few of them has been verified or supported by experiments. More attention should be paid on this problem since thermoacoustic system tends to work in high frequency and high amplitude acoustic field, and the complexity caused by the last two factors has not been revealed. By following the approach of network modeling, works on the better matching between regenerator and its thermoacoustic heat engine system have been carried on. The view point of considering regenerator as an active amplifier with high frequency selectivity and the resonance mode of regenerator may perhaps be an approach to improve the conversion efficiency of a thermoacoustic heat engine system.