Compact acoustic refrigerator

Patent · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:868549

Bennett, Gloria A ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A compact acoustic refrigeration system actively cools components, e.g., electrical circuits (22), in a borehole environment. An acoustic engine (12, 14) includes first thermodynamic elements (12) for generating a standing acoustic wave in a selected medium. An acoustic refrigerator (16, 26, 28) includes second thermodynamic elements (16) located in the standing wave for generating a relatively cold temperature at a first end of the second thermodynamic elements (16) and a relatively hot temperature at a second end of the second thermodynamic elements (16). A resonator volume (18) cooperates with the first and second thermodynamic elements (12, 16) to support the standing wave. To accommodate the high heat fluxes required for heat transfer to/from the first and second thermodynamic elements (12, 16), first heat pipes (24, 26) transfer heat from the heat load (22) to the second thermodynamic elements (16) and second heat pipes (28, 32) transfer heat from first and second thermodynamic elements (12, 16) to the borehole environment.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5165243
• OSTI ID: 868549
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

compact
acoustic
refrigerator
refrigeration
actively
cools
components
electrical
circuits
22
borehole
environment
engine
12
14
thermodynamic
elements
generating
standing
wave
selected
medium
16
26
28
located
relatively
cold
temperature
hot
resonator
volume
18
cooperates
support
accommodate
heat
fluxes
required
transfer
pipes
24
load
32
relatively hot
standing acoustic
electrical circuits
heat load
heat flux
acoustic wave
heat pipe
heat transfer
electrical circuit
standing wave
heat pipes
thermodynamic element
thermodynamic elements
transfer heat
cold temperature
relatively cold
compact acoustic
acoustic refrigerator
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