US 4,953,366 A · Acoustic cryocooler

Abstract

An acoustic cryocooler with no moving parts is formed from a thermoacoustic driver (TAD) driving a pulse tube refrigerator (PTR) through a standing wave tube. Thermoacoustic elements in the TAD are spaced apart a distance effective to accommodate the increased thermal penetration length arising from the relatively low TAD operating frequency in the range of 15-60 Hz. At these low operating frequencies, a long tube is required to support the standing wave. The tube may be coiled to reduce the overall length of the cryocooler. One or two PTR's are located on the standing wave tube adjacent antinodes in the standing wave to be driven by the standing wave pressure oscillations. It is predicted that a heat input of 1000 W at 1000 K will maintian a cooling load of 5 W at 80 K.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A thermoacoustic cryocooler having no moving parts, comprising:

a pulse tube refrigerator including a pulse tube, a first heat exchanger adjacent said pulse tube for inputting heat from a thermal load, and second heat exchanger for removing heat transferred from said first heat exchanger across said pulse tube;
said pulse tube being responsive to a fluid driving frequency for moving heat from said first heat exchanger to a higher temperature at said second heat exchanger;
a thermoacoustic prime mover for generating a standing acoustic wave at said fluid driving frequency and at a pressure amplitude effective to drive said pulse tube for obtaining a selected temperature at said first heat exchanger;
and
a standing wave tube supporting said standing wave and defining an antinode adjacent said pulse tube refrigerator.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Acoustic cryocooler

Life of this patent

Acoustic cryocooler

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18