Mode switching between electric-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator and heat pump

Wenpeng Sun, Geng Chen, Lihua Tang and Kean Chin Aw

Energy, 2025, vol. 317, issue C

Abstract: Thermoacoustic refrigeration and heating (TARH) technology presents a promising solution for addressing contemporary energy and environmental challenges. While single-mode operation has been extensively studied, the mechanisms governing dynamic cooling-heating switching remain inadequately investigated. This study investigates the mode-switching capabilities of an electric-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator/heat pump (EDTARHP) through a developed iterative computational model and experimental validation, analyzing frequency-dependent acoustic field distributions and associated heat transport mechanisms. Results demonstrate that driving frequency modulation enables real-time cooling–heating switching by altering acoustic field distributions and heat transport directions. The cooling-to-heating switching frequency depends on the relative magnitudes of the acoustic driver’s natural frequency fd and the resonator system’s fundamental frequency fr0, where a moderately higher fr0 compared to fd facilitates an expanded cooling mode frequency bandwidth. Optimal dual-mode performance requires specific parameters: a 6.5cm resonator diameter, 10% decreased Bl factor, and concurrent 1.5-fold increase in stiffness and moving mass. The cooling mode achieves optimal performance at frequencies 20–30Hz below fr0, while the heating mode requires a frequency band of 20–30Hz above the cooling-to-heating switching frequency. This study validates that EDTARHPs, in contrast to conventional single-mode devices, exhibit significant potential for applications requiring dynamic switching between cooling and heating.

Keywords: Mode switching; Thermoacoustic refrigerator; Thermoacoustic heat pump; Heat transport; Acoustic field distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:317:y:2025:i:c:s036054422500249x

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134607

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