Traveling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator

Backhaus, Scott; Tward, E.; Petach, Michael

doi:10.1063/1.1781739

Cited by 206 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Usually, flexure-bearing-supported linear alternators are an excellent solution due to their high reliability and efficiency. For example for the travelling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator developed by Backhaus et al [5] the maximum system efficiency (defined as the electric power output over heat input) reached 18%, whilst the alternator efficiency (defined as the electric power output over acoustic power absorbed by the alternator) reached 75%, while the engine efficiency (defined as acoustic power absorbed by the alternator over the heat input) reached 24%, which corresponds to 35.7% of the Carnot efficiency.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A low-cost electricity generator for rural areas using a travelling-wave looped-tube thermoacoustic engine

Jaworski

Backhaus

2010

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A:

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This article describes the construction and preliminary testing of a pre-prototype thermoacoustic electricity generator to test the concept of a low-cost device for application in remote or rural areas of developing countries. A travelling-wave thermoacoustic engine with a configuration of a looped-tube resonator is designed and constructed to convert heat to acoustic power. Air at atmospheric pressure is used as the working gas, PVC tubing is utilised for the feedback pipe, while an inexpensive commercially available loudspeaker is adopted to convert the acoustic power, produced by the engine, to electricity. Preliminary experimental results are presented and discussed in detail. The results show that the approach is feasible in principle and it is possible to produce the electrical power levels in the order of 4-5 W with overall heat-to-electric efficiencies in the order of 1%. Further work towards optimising the device from the performance, manufacturing and cost point of view is outlined.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A low-cost electricity generator for rural areas using a travelling-wave looped-tube thermoacoustic engine

Jaworski

Backhaus

2010

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A:

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“…In the PM, sound waves are generated when one side of the stack is heated to a high temperature. A thermoacoustic engine using sound waves can be used as a thermoacoustic refrigerator [7] and a thermoacoustic electric generator [8]. This thermoacoustic system presents many advantages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of parallel thermoacoustic engine: Evaluations of onset temperature ratio and thermal efficiency

Nakano

Sakamoto

Kido

et al. 2015

Acoust. Sci. & Tech.

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For practical applications of a thermoacoustic system using factory exhaust heat or solar heat, it is necessary to decrease the onset temperature ratio. In a previous study, a cascade thermoacoustic system with a number of prime movers connected in series was examined. This system can be driven at a lower onset temperature ratio than a conventional thermoacoustic system with a single prime mover. However, there are some problems with this system: it cannot be driven continuously and its thermal efficiency is low. Therefore, a parallel thermoacoustic engine was proposed. In this study, we compared the onset temperature ratios and thermal efficiencies of three systems: a normal thermoacoustic engine with a single prime mover, a cascade thermoacoustic engine, and a parallel thermoacoustic engine with two prime movers. The results indicated the parallel thermoacoustic engine to be advantageous in terms of the onset temperature ratio and thermal efficiency.

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“…Recently, a new lowest cooling temperature in liquid hydrogen, 20 K, was achieved [13]. In 2003, the thermoacoustic engine was applied in an electrical field to drive a linear AC generator [14]. Luo's groups [15] investigated thermoacoustic electricity prototypes and linear generators, which is capable of producing electric powers in the hundreds of watts.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The gas types that can be used are flexible, including nitrogen, helium, argon, and a He-Ar mixture. The highest mean pressure that has been used is 5.5 MPa [14]. However, only thermoacoustic components that can withstand these pressures can be used.…”

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confidence: 99%

Open-air traveling-wave thermoacoustic generator

et al. 2011

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Taking the input and reflected waves into account, the relationship between the acoustic impedance at the end and the input of a system were theoretically analyzed. Closed and open acoustic configurations that influence the pressure, volumetric velocity, impedance and acoustic work were compared in detail. Based on the above investigation, an open-air traveling-wave thermoacoustic generator was designed and fabricated. It is composed of a looped tube, a resonator open at one end, a regenerator, and hot and cold heat exchangers. It is a small scale and simple configuration. The resonant frequency is 74 Hz at 1 bar in air. The maximum acoustic pressures at the open end and 0.5 m far away from the open end are 133.4 dB and 101 dB from a reference value of 20 μPa when the heating power was 210 W, respectively. Acoustic pressure is reasonable for practical application as a low-frequency acoustic source. In further work, we believe that the acoustic pressure at the open end can achieve 150 dB, which could be a solution to problems in existing acoustic generators. These problems include low acoustic pressure and system complexity. It can be used as a basic acoustic source for low frequency and long-range noise experiments, and as a supply for high acoustic pressures necessary for industrial sources. open-air, traveling-wave, thermoacoustic generator Citation:Xie X J, Gao G, Zhou G, et al. Open-air traveling-wave thermoacoustic generator. Chinese Sci Bull, 2011Bull, , 56: 2167Bull, −2173Bull, , doi: 10.1007 The thermoacoustic principle [1] is a thermodynamic effect that occurs between compressible gases (the first medium) and solids (the second medium) in an acoustic field. It results in a time-averaged heat flow and a time-averaged work flow along (against) the sound propagation direction at penetration depths that are far from the solid boundaries. The conversion of heat to work is called thermal to acoustic effect, and the opposing process is called the acoustic to thermal effect. Based on these two effects, thermoacoustic systems can be classified as thermoacoustic engines and thermoacoustic refrigerators. A regenerator in an acoustic field can bring standing-waves [2,3], traveling-waves [4][5][6] and standing-traveling waves [7,8] into being. In the latest two decades, engineering applications in thermoacoustic refrigeration and thermoacoustic electricity have been rapidly developed. In 1990, thermoacoustic engines first re-

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Traveling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator

Cited by 206 publications

References 4 publications

A low-cost electricity generator for rural areas using a travelling-wave looped-tube thermoacoustic engine

A low-cost electricity generator for rural areas using a travelling-wave looped-tube thermoacoustic engine

Development of parallel thermoacoustic engine: Evaluations of onset temperature ratio and thermal efficiency

Open-air traveling-wave thermoacoustic generator

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