Thermo-electro-acoustic refrigerator and method of using same

A method of operating a thermo-electro-acoustic refrigerator comprising:

• applying a first drive signal to an acoustic source acoustically coupled to a body, said body having disposed therein a regenerator, first and second heat exchangers on opposite sides of said regenerator, and a pressurized gas, said acoustic source thereby establishing an acoustic pressure wave in the region of said regenerator;
• converting, using an acoustic converter, a portion of said pressure wave into electrical energy;
• selecting an appropriate electrical impedance network such that said portion of said acoustic energy converted into electrical energy can be optimally used as a second drive signal to the acoustic source;
• providing the second drive signal to the acoustic source for use thereby in the generation of an acoustic signal of a desired frequency;
• and
• driving the acoustic source with said first and second drive signals such that said acoustic pressure wave produced thereby establishes a thermal gradient between said first and second heat exchangers;
• whereby, the thermal gradient results in an extraction of heat from said first heat exchanger.

A system which utilizes a thermo-electro-acoustic engine to provide electrical input to a thermo-electro-acoustic refrigerator, comprising:

• a thermo-electro-acoustic engine portion, comprising:
• a generally hollow body having first and second open ends, said body containing a working gas;
• a regenerator disposed within said body;
• a first heat exchanger disposed within said body and proximate said regenerator at a first longitudinal end thereof;
• a second heat exchanger disposed within said body and proximate said regenerator at a second longitudinal end thereof;
• an acoustic source coupled to said first end of said body such that acoustic energy from said acoustic source is directed into said body;
• an acoustic energy converter coupled to said second end of said body opposite said first end relative to said regenerator such that a portion of said acoustic energy within said body is directed to said converter and converted thereby into electrical energy;
• a thermo-electro-acoustic refrigerator portion, comprising:
• a generally hollow body having first and second open ends, said body containing a working gas;
• a regenerator disposed within said body;
• a first heat exchanger disposed within said body and proximate said regenerator at a first longitudinal end thereof;
• a second heat exchanger disposed within said body and proximate said regenerator at a second longitudinal end thereof;
• an acoustic source coupled to said first end of said body such that acoustic energy from said acoustic source is directed into said body;
• an acoustic energy converter coupled to said second end of said body opposite said first end relative to said regenerator such that at least a portion of the acoustic energy within said body is converted by said converter into electrical energy;
• said thermo-electro-acoustic engine portion and said thermo-electro-acoustic refrigerator portion communicatively coupled such that at least a portion of said electrical energy produced by said converter of said thermo-electro-acoustic engine portion is provided as an input to and drives said acoustic source of said thermo-electro-acoustic refrigerator portion.