"Stack/Heat-Exchanger for a Thermoacoustic Heat Engine"
Inventors: Dr. Julian D. Maynard et al.
PSU
Invention Disclosure No. 97-1774
Licensing
Contact: Richard
M. Weyer
Field of
Invention:
An
improved convective heat-exchanger design for a thermoacoustic refrigerator.
Description:
The
level of interest in the thermoacoustic effect has heightened in recent years
as alternatives for refrigeration technologies are sought to replace the use of
chloro-flouro-carbons (CFC’s). A key to
the success of a thermoacoustic refrigerator is the heat-exchanger unit at the
ends of the thermal stack. Dr. Maynard
has invented a design for a heat-exchanger that has the following advantages:
·
the
heat-exchanger is incorporated directly into the stack
·
the
heat-exchanger/stack unit is anisotropic promoting lateral heat flows
·
the
heat-exchanger carries a fluid allowing for convective heat transfer
·
the
heat-exchanger and stack have matching length scales for improved thermal
contact with the thermoacoustic gas
The schematic below shows the stack/heat-exchanger
design. The design consists of
“pin-stack” of thin plates with etched openings and thin-walled tubes (0.025
mm) of diameter 0.60 mm. The small
diameter tubing allows for the transport of high heat loads via laminar flow
and provides the opportunity for graded exchanges with an external heat
exchanger.