Thermoacoustic Effect and Its Application

Abstract

This paper presents a brief review of research and developments history in the field of thermoacoustics from the 18th to the 20th century. The modern state of the art in the field of thermoacoustics is presented too. The basic equations of the linear thermoacoustics (generalized Rott - Swift equations) theory are presented. It is shown that now there are wide opportunities to use various devices based on the direct and reverse thermoacoustic effects. The features and advantages of thermoacoustic devices are listed. Particular attention is paid to cooling systems. It is shown that the development of refrigeration units based on the thermoacoustic effect is an actual and promising task. The conclusion is made about the relevance of theoretical and experimental studies in the field of thermoacoustics. The article also presents the results of publication activity analysis in the field of thermoacoustics over the past 20 years. It is concluded that there has been a dramatic increasing of publications number deal with the results of scientific and practical developments in the field of thermoacoustics over the past 20 years, both in Russia and abroad. Based on the analysis of inventive activity, conclusions are drawn about the wide scope of application of thermoacoustic devices and the directions of their improvement.