An Introduction to

Thermoacoustic Refrigeration
Mark McCarty

School of Mechanical and

Aerospace Engineering
Cornell University

April 29, 2005

 Outline

I. Thermoacoustics
II. Thermodynamics of Cooling
III. Thermoacoustic Components
IV. Thermoacoustic Theory
V. Applications and Research
VI. Environmental Benefits
VII. Summary
I. Thermoacoustics

A. Background
1. Uses sound to create cooling
2. No moving parts inside device
B. Tremendous Opportunities
1. Saves energy
2. Economic potential
3. Good for the environment
II. Thermodynamics of Cooling

A. Power Cycles versus Heat Pump Cycles

1. Power generation
2. Cooling
B. Energy balance equation
W cycle = Q out Q in
 HOT HOT
Qout

Qin

SYSTEM SYSTEM
WORK
WORK
Qin IN
OUT

Qout
COLD COLD

(a) Power cycle (b) Refrigeration and heat pump cycle

Figure 1. Thermodynamics
(Adapted from Moran and Shapiro, 2000, p. 70)
III. Thermoacoustic Components
A. Resonance Tube
1. Length related to sound
2. Fundamental frequency
n
L=n , n = 1, 2, 3,...
2
where L is the length of the resonance tube
n is the number of the harmonic
is the wavelength
(III. Thermoacoustic Components, continued)

B. Regenerator Stack
1. Heart of thermoacoustic device
2. Ceramic material
a. Low thermal conductivity
b. Refrigeration
(III. Thermoacoustic Components, continued)

C. Acoustic Loudspeaker
1. Least efficient component
2. Gas spring system
- Improves efficiency
D. Heat Exchangers
- Least understood component
E. Working Gases
- Air versus noble gases
Hot Heat Regenerator Resonato
Exchanger Stack r Tube

Working Gas
(inside tube)

Loudspeaker Cold Heat

Exchanger

Figure 2. Simple thermoacoustic device

(Adapted from Garrett and Backhaus, 2000, p. 517)
IV. Thermoacoustic Theory

A. Acoustic Wave
stack
1. Standing wave
hot
2. Fundamental
cold
- Sinusoidal
B. Pressure gas flow

C. Temperature
1. Stack gradient Figure 3. Effect of sound on gas flow
moving through the stack
2. Heat exchange
V. Applications and Research

A. Los Alamos National Laboratory

1. Energy industry
- Cryogenics
- Liquifaction of natural gas
2. Spacecraft power (deep space)
Figure 4. The first Thermoacoustic Sterling Heat Engine (TASHE)
(Wollan et al., 2002)
(a) 500 gpd prototype (b) 10,000 gpd design

Figure 5. Thermoacoustic Sterling Heat Engine (TASHE)

(www.lanl.gov/thermoacoustics/, 2005)
Figure 6. Thermoacoustic radioisotope deep space power system
(www.lanl.gov/thermoacoustics/, 2005)
(IV. Applications and Research, continued)

B. Penn State University

1. Ben and Jerrys
2. Defense industry
refrigeration

Figure 7. The Ben and Jerrys

Project Team
(http://www.acs.psu.edu/, 2005)
Figure 8. SETAC being tested
(SETAC Project, 2005)
a) Simple thermoacoustic engine b) Solar powered engine

Figure 9. Demonstration model of thermoacoustic engine

(Garrett and Backhaus, 2000, p. 518, photo courtesy of Reh-lin Chen)
(IV. Applications and Research, continued)

C. Interesting Patents
1. Production of potable water from humid air
2. Cooling dock for laptop computers
3. Baby formula/breast-milk cooler/warmer
4. Automatic ice maker
5. Acoustic cooling of automotive electronics
6. Energy recovery system
VI. Environmental Benefits

A. Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

1. Carbon dioxide
2. Refrigerant gases
B. Lower Energy Consumption
Figure 10. Global per capita carbon dioxide emissions
(Andres et al., 1999)
VII. Summary
A. Simple Device
1. No moving parts
2. Inexpensive to make
B. Applications in Many Areas
1. Food industry
2. Energy sector
3. Consumer products
C. Environmentally Friendly
Questions