Numerical Simulation of Heat Pumping in a Pulse Tube Refrigerator

Abstract

Numerical simulation of heat and fluid flow in a basic and an orifice pulse tube refrigerator have been performed to visualize heat pumping generated in the regenerator and the pulse tube, and to clarify the difference in heat pumping caused by the phase difference between pressure and displacement of gas. Common components of the regenerator and the pulse tube are used in the basic and the orifice pulse tube refrigerator. The flow in the tube is assumed to be one-dimensional and compressible. As governing equations, the continuity, momentum and energy equations are used in this study. From the temperature and velocity field obtained as a result of the simulation, the relation between the displacement and the temperature change of gas elements is visually clarified, and consequently it is found that the characteristic that the temperatures of gas elements are nearly higher than those of the regenerator material or the pulse-tube wall during compression and lower during expansion is very important for the heat pumping in basic and orifice pulse tube refrigerators. Furthermore, the behavior of heat pumping in the basic and the orifice pulse tube refrigerator is illustrated by analyzing the relation between the displacement of gas elements and heat quantity transferred to the wall from the gas elements, and the difference in heat pumping between the basic and the orifice pulse tube refrigerator is made clear.