Compact acoustic refrigerator
Abstract
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.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868549
- Patent Number(s):
- 5165243
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F25 - REFRIGERATION OR COOLING F25B - REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03G - SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 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; /62/60/165/
Citation Formats
Bennett, Gloria A. Compact acoustic refrigerator. United States: N. p., 1992.
Web.
Bennett, Gloria A. Compact acoustic refrigerator. United States.
Bennett, Gloria A. Wed .
"Compact acoustic refrigerator". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868549.
@article{osti_868549,
title = {Compact acoustic refrigerator},
author = {Bennett, Gloria A},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1992},
month = {1}
}