Thermoacoustic Driven Compressor

A thermoacoustic compressor comprising:

• a) a first housing having a first end, a second end, an inner wall, and an outer wall, said first housing defining a first cavity, and said second end of said first housing defining a first piston rod aperture;
• b) a second housing having a first end, a second end, an inner wall, and an outer wall, said first end of said second housing operably connected to said second end of said first housing, said second housing comprising pressurized gas or fluid and defining a second cavity, and said first end of said second housing defining a second piston rod aperture;
• c) a third housing having a first end, a second end, an inner wall, and an outer wall, said second end of said third housing operably connected to said first end of said first housing, said third housing comprising pressurized gas or fluid and defining a third cavity, and said second end of said third housing defining a third piston rod aperture;
• d) a reciprocating piston axially movable within said first, second, and third cavities, said reciprocating piston comprising:
• i) a compression piston head having a first end, a second end, and an outer wall, said compression piston head disposed in said first cavity, said first end of said compression piston head and said first end of said first housing defining a first variable-volume chamber, and said second end of said compression piston head and said second end of said first housing defining a second variable-volume chamber;
• ii) a first piston rod having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first piston rod connected to said second end of said compression piston head;
• iii) a first resonating piston head having a first end, a second end, and an outer wall, said first resonating piston head disposed in said second cavity, said first end of said first resonating piston head and said first end of said second housing defining a third variable-volume chamber, and said second end of said first resonating piston head and said second end of said second housing defining a fourth variable-volume chamber, said first end of said first resonating piston head connected to said second end of said first piston rod;
• iv) a second piston rod having a first end and a second end, said second end of said second piston rod connected to said first end of said compression piston head;
• and
• v) a second resonating piston head having a first end, a second end, and an outer wall, said second resonating piston head disposed in said third cavity, said first end of said second resonating piston head and said first end of said third housing defining a fifth variable-volume chamber, and said second end of said second resonating piston head and said second end of said third housing defining a sixth variable-volume chamber, said second end of said second resonating piston head connected to said first end of said second piston rod;
• e) a first valved intake port and a first valved discharge port on said first end of said first housing;
• f) a first thermoacoustic engine connected to said inner wall of said second housing positioned between said second end of said first resonating piston head and said second end of said second housing;
• g) a second thermoacoustic engine connected to said inner wall of said third housing positioned between said first end of said second resonating piston head and said first end of said third housing;
• h) a means for inhibiting gas flow between said first and said second housing;
• i) a means for inhibiting gas flow between said first and said third housing;
• j) a means for providing or delivering heat to said first thermoacoustic engine;
• k) a means for providing or delivering heat to said second thermoacoustic engine;
• l) a means for removing heat from said first thermoacoustic engine;
• and
• m) a means for removing heat from said second thermoacoustic engine.