Gas dynamic characteristic of displacer in Stirling cryocoolers

Abstract

Based on the vector analysis of the dynamic characteristic of the displacer in split-type Stirling cryocoolers, experimental study was performed on a 2 W@80 K cooler to uncover the relationship among pressure fluctuation, damped impedance, inherent frequency, cold-tip temperature and the cooling performance. The result shows that the pressure amplitude and phase shift between pressure and displacer motion decrease when the cooling temperature decreases; the dynamic damp of the displacer increases at lower cooling temperature, which results in the increase of pressure drop of the regenerator, the decrease of average pressure of the cold cubage, the decrease of gas dynamic pressure, the decrease of phase shift between pressure and displacer motion, and the displacement of the regenerator and the PV power; at lower cooling temperature, the inherent frequency of the displacer increases because of the augmentation of gas spring constant. And as the inherent frequency is getting closer to the operating frequency, the drive current of the motor decreases; the piston of the compressor affects the displacer by the pressure fluctuation engendered by its motion, and the displacer reacts by changing the mass and momentum distribution to adjust the gas spring constant and the damp coefficient.