Apparatus for performing energy transformation between thermal energy and acoustic energy

Abstract

An apparatus for performing energy transformation between thermal energy and acoustic energy is in a thermoacoustic transducer apparatus is disclosed. The acoustic energy is associated with a periodic flow of a working fluid within an acoustic power loop of the thermoacoustic transducer. The apparatus includes a common central plenum having a first fluid port for providing fluid communication with the acoustic power loop, and a plurality of discrete cylindrical thermal converters radially arranged about the plenum, each thermal converter including a regenerator. The apparatus also includes a second fluid port for providing fluid communication between the thermal converter and the acoustic power loop, and fluid flow passages in fluid communication with the plenum and extending through the regenerator to the second fluid port.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.