Oscillatory Heat Transfer at the Heat Exchangers of the Thermoacoustic Refrigeration System

Abstract

Thermoacoustic refrigeration systems utilize high intensity sound waves and the interactions with solid boundaries to create temperature gradient, heat pumping and consequent cooling. In this study, a thermoacoustic refrigeration system was designed and constructed. The stack was fabricated from a thermoplastic material to reduce conduction in the direction opposite to heat pumping. The direction of the stack plates perpendicular to the thickness was lined with an aluminum material to increase the heat transfer in this direction. A study on the oscillatory flow heat transfer at the heat exchangers was performed using helium as the working gas. Some important factors that influence the heat transfer coefficient in oscillatory fluid flow and relations to stack fabrication were identified.