Design Considerations for Thermoacoustic Engines for Low Onset Temperature and Efficient Operation (original) (raw)

Abstract

Thermoacoustic heat engines (TAHE) convert heat into mechanical work in the form of an acoustic wave. TAHE are further advantageous if they exploit waste heat and/or solar energy. For the acoustic wave to be generated, the heat must be added to TAHE at a temperature higher than a certain value, known as the onset temperature. In order to expand the use of thermoacoustic engines to more sources of waste heat and/or renewable energy, an optimization process is required to minimize the onset temperature while not severely compromising the first and second law efficiencies. Such optimization needs to address the effects of several TAHE's parameters on the onset temperature and efficiencies. In this work, an optimization process was carried-out to develop a TAHE driven by a waste/renewable heat source at 590 K or higher. Such a TAHE utilizes helium at 1 bar as a working fluid and delivers an acoustic power of 119 W at first-law and second-law efficiencies of 11.9 % and 26%, respectiv...

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