Low-cost cascade thermoacoustic electric generator for energy harvesting

Abstract

The cascade thermoacoustic heat engine has garnered significant attention for its ability to convert various heat sources into acoustic power without the challenges of acoustic streaming. By integrating it with a commercial loudspeaker, it can be further developed into a novel, low-cost thermoacoustic electric generator. This study aims to design and evaluate a thermoacoustic electric generator capable of producing several watts of electricity. The system consists of a cascade thermoacoustic engine, comprising a standing-wave and a traveling-wave unit, coupled with a B&C 6PS38 loudspeaker in a linear configuration. Atmospheric air is used as the working fluid, and standard market components, such as PVC and steel pipes, are proposed to minimize costs. Unlike traditional thermoacoustic generators, this system uses commercially available loudspeakers and a linear configuration, offering a cost-effective solution for low-wattage power generation, free from the issue of acoustic streaming. This makes it suitable for small-scale, distributed energy systems. The numerical simulation tool DeltaEC is employed to design and assess the system's performance. The optimal configuration is 4 m long, with the standing-wave and traveling-wave units centrally positioned. Operating at a frequency of 74.56 Hz, the system generates 90.18 W of electrical power with a total heat input of 1046.74 W and an external load resistance of 19.77 ohms. This corresponds to a heat-to-acoustic efficiency of 18.41 %, an acoustic-to-electric efficiency of 68.98 %, and an overall heat-to-electric efficiency of 8.62 %. The study also emphasizes the importance of operating conditions and impedance matching between the cascade engine and the loudspeaker. These findings represent progress toward developing an affordable thermoacoustic generator for energy recovery and other applications.