Acoustic cooling engine

Patent · Tue Feb 02 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5401193

Hofler, T J; Wheatley, J C; Swift, G W; Migliori, A

An acoustic cooling engine is described comprising: container means for containing a compressible fluid which is capable of supporting and acoustic standing wave having a selected wavelength, the container means having two ends defining a length about half the wavelength of the acoustic standing wave; driver means for cyclically driving the compressible fluid at a frequency corresponding to the selected wavelength, the driver means being positioned at one of the ends of the container means, the one end being a location of maximum acoustical impedance; a thermodynamic element located in the container means and having a first end proximate to the driver means and a second end located further away from the driver means than the first end and defining a length less than one-fourth the wavelength of the acoustic standing wave, the thermodynamic element being thermally responsive to the acoustic standing wave to cause heat to be pumped from the second end to the first end thereby thermally isolating the second end from the driver means; and conductor means for conducting heat away from the first end of the thermodynamic element.

• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC
• Patent Number(s): US 4722201
• OSTI ID: 5401193
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
ACOUSTICS
COMPRESSIBLE FLOW
CONTAINERS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINES
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRAULICS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MECHANICS
STANDING WAVES
THERMODYNAMICS
WORKING FLUIDS