Thermoacoustically driven refrigerator with double thermoacoustic-Stirling cycles

Abstract

Recently, considerable research efforts have been made to search substitution technologies for chlorofluorocarbon-based vapor compression cycles due to the concern over environmental issues. This letter introduces a helium-based thermoacoustic refrigeration system, which is a thermoacoustic-Stirling refrigerator driven by a thermoacoustic-Stirling heat engine, for domestic refrigeration purpose. In the regenerators of both the refrigerator and the prime mover, helium gas experiences near to reversible high efficiency Stirling process. At the operating point with 3.0MPa mean pressure, 57.7Hz frequency, and 2.2kW heat input, the experimental cooler provides a lowest temperature of −64.4°C and 250W cooling power at −22.1°C. These results show good potential of the system to be an alternative in near future for domestic refrigeration with advantages of environment-friendliness, no moving parts, and heat driven mechanism.