Investigation on a heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator with minimal complexity

Yiwei Hu, Zhanghua Wu, Jingyuan Xu and Ercang Luo

Energy, 2024, vol. 304, issue C

Abstract: Heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator (HDTR) emerges as a pivotal solution to global energy challenges and carbon emissions. This study introduces a simplified single-unit HDTR as a new supplement to the heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigeration process. Featuring only one simple, direct-coupled thermoacoustic energy conversion core unit, it is designed to reduce overall system complexity. Initially, the simulation model of the single-unit system is established in Sage and compared with a two-unit HDTR, indicating that reducing the number of thermoacoustic core units decreases system complexity without compromising system performance. The onset characteristics and steady-state operational characteristics of the proposed single-unit HDTR are then experimentally tested, revealing a cooling power of 895 W with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.43 when the ambient and cooling temperature is 25 °C and 0 °C, respectively. Notably, a minimal onset temperature difference of 61.6 °C is obtained for the single-unit HDTR. These results showcase the possible application potential for low-grade heat recovery. A comparative analysis against existing loop HDTR systems establishes its superior performance, offering a valuable reference for contemporary HDTR assessments. This study significantly advances HDTR development, emphasizing efficiency and sustainable cooling applications.

Keywords: Thermoacoustic refrigerator; Heat-driven; Minimal complexity; Room-temperature cooling; Green energy conversion technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036054422401750X
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:304:y:2024:i:c:s036054422401750x

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.131977

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().