Improving Refrigeration Performance by Using Pressure Exchange Characteristic of Wave Rotor

Abstract

Wave rotor with pressure exchange function can be attempted to improve refrigeration performance. The objective of this paper is to verify the feasibility of the method by thermodynamic and experimental analysis. First, a refrigeration process which contains wave rotor pressurization was established. Then, a thermodynamic model which reflects the refrigeration process was designed. The thermal performance was researched under various key parameters. Finally, based on the novel wave rotor refrigeration platform, the experimental work was carried out, and the effects of main parameters of the device were systematically studied. The results showed that it was feasible to enhance the coefficient of performance (COP) by using pressure exchange characteristic of wave rotor. The COP could be improved substantially at relatively small expansion ratio. Under the design point, more than half of the pressure energy could be restored. The performance curve of the novel equipment was also obtained. Enhancing the isentropic efficiency of expansion is the effective means to improve the COP and σ of the system. This paper was designed in a way that contained a novel equipment to enhance the COP of wave rotor refrigeration.