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Title: Pin stack array for thermoacoustic energy conversion

Abstract

A thermoacoustic stack for connecting two heat exchangers in a thermoacoustic energy converter provides a convex fluid-solid interface in a plane perpendicular to an axis for acoustic oscillation of fluid between the two heat exchangers. The convex surfaces increase the ratio of the fluid volume in the effective thermoacoustic volume that is displaced from the convex surface to the fluid volume that is adjacent the surface within which viscous energy losses occur. Increasing the volume ratio results in an increase in the ratio of transferred thermal energy to viscous energy losses, with a concomitant increase in operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic converter. The convex surfaces may be easily provided by a pin array having elements arranged parallel to the direction of acoustic oscillations and with effective radial dimensions much smaller than the thicknesses of the viscous energy loss and thermoacoustic energy transfer volumes.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Monterey, CA
  2. Santa Fe, NM
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
870101
Patent Number(s):
US 5456082
Assignee:
Regents of University of California (Alameda, CA)
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
stack; array; thermoacoustic; energy; conversion; connecting; heat; exchangers; converter; provides; convex; fluid-solid; interface; plane; perpendicular; axis; acoustic; oscillation; fluid; surfaces; increase; ratio; volume; effective; displaced; surface; adjacent; viscous; losses; occur; increasing; results; transferred; thermal; concomitant; operating; efficiency; easily; provided; elements; arranged; parallel; direction; oscillations; radial; dimensions; thicknesses; loss; transfer; volumes; operating efficiency; convex surfaces; energy converter; energy losses; fluid volume; plane perpendicular; volume ratio; energy transfer; heat exchange; heat exchanger; thermal energy; energy conversion; heat exchangers; acoustic energy; ratio results; thermoacoustic energy; arranged parallel; elements arranged; radial dimension; energy loss; convex surface; fluid-solid interface; converter provides; /62/

Citation Formats

Keolian, Robert M, and Swift, Gregory W. Pin stack array for thermoacoustic energy conversion. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Keolian, Robert M, & Swift, Gregory W. Pin stack array for thermoacoustic energy conversion. United States.
Keolian, Robert M, and Swift, Gregory W. 1995. "Pin stack array for thermoacoustic energy conversion". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870101.
@article{osti_870101,
title = {Pin stack array for thermoacoustic energy conversion},
author = {Keolian, Robert M and Swift, Gregory W},
abstractNote = {A thermoacoustic stack for connecting two heat exchangers in a thermoacoustic energy converter provides a convex fluid-solid interface in a plane perpendicular to an axis for acoustic oscillation of fluid between the two heat exchangers. The convex surfaces increase the ratio of the fluid volume in the effective thermoacoustic volume that is displaced from the convex surface to the fluid volume that is adjacent the surface within which viscous energy losses occur. Increasing the volume ratio results in an increase in the ratio of transferred thermal energy to viscous energy losses, with a concomitant increase in operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic converter. The convex surfaces may be easily provided by a pin array having elements arranged parallel to the direction of acoustic oscillations and with effective radial dimensions much smaller than the thicknesses of the viscous energy loss and thermoacoustic energy transfer volumes.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/870101}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Thermoacoustic engines
journal, October 1988


Analysis and performance of a large thermoacoustic engine
journal, September 1992


General formulation of thermoacoustics for stacks having arbitrarily shaped pore cross sections
journal, December 1991