Thermoacoustic apparatus and thermoacoustic system

Abstract

A standing wave and a traveling wave are generated rapidly, and thereby heat exchange is performed rapidly and efficiently. The thermoacoustic apparatus includes a first stack 3 a between a first high-temperature-side heat exchanger 4 and a first low-temperature-side heat exchanger 5 and a second stack 3 b between a second high-temperature-side heat exchanger 6 and a second low-temperature-side heat exchanger 7 in the loop tube 2 . An acoustic wave is generated through self excitation by heating the first high-temperature-side heat exchanger 4 , and the second low-temperature-side heat exchanger 7 is cooled by a standing wave and a traveling wave. The loop tube includes linear tube portions 2 a along the vertical direction and connection tube portions 2 b shorter than the linear tube portions 2 a . The first stack 3 a is disposed in the longest linear tube portion 2 a.

1 . A method for generating a standing wave and a traveling wave,
 providing a thermoacoustic apparatus comprising:   a loop tube comprising a first linear tube portion, a second linear tube portion, the first and the second linear tube portions extending vertically, and first and second connection tube portions shorter than the first and second linear tube portions, the first connection tube portion located higher than the second connection tube portion;
 a first stack sandwiched between a first high-temperature-side heat exchanger and a first low-temperature-side heat exchanger, wherein the first stack is disposed in the first linear tube portion; 
 a second stack sandwiched between a second high-temperature-side heat exchanger and a second low-temperature-side heat exchanger, wherein the second stack is disposed at a level higher that the first stack, and 
 a support to support the loop tube; 
   injecting helium inside the loop;   generating a standing wave and a traveling wave; wherein the standing wave and the traveling wave are generated through self excitation by heating the first high-temperature-side heat exchanger, so that the second low-temperature-side heat exchanger is cooled by the standing wave and the traveling wave, or/and wherein the standing wave and the traveling wave are generated through self excitation by cooling the first low-temperature-side heat exchanger, so that the second high-temperature-side heat exchanger is heated by the standing wave and the traveling wave,   injecting argon inside the loop from the center of the first connection tube portion located at an upper side, such that argon uniformly flows outwardly in both directions from the center of the first connection tube portion and then to flow downward inside the first linear tube portion and the second linear tube portion of the loop tube.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein when lengths of the first or the second linear tube portion and the first or the second connection tube portion are assumed to be La and Lb, respectively, La and Lb are set within the range satisfying
   1:0.01 ≦La:Lb< 1:1. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the standing wave and the traveling wave are generated through self excitation by heating the first high-temperature-side heat exchanger, and the second low-temperature-side heat exchanger is cooled by the standing wave and the traveling wave, wherein the first stack is disposed below the center of the first linear tube portion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the standing wave and the traveling wave are generated through self excitation by cooling the first low-temperature-side heat exchanger, and the second high-temperature-side heat exchanger is heated by the standing wave and the traveling wave, wherein the first stack is disposed above the center of the first linear tube portion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein when the first linear tube portion is connected to one end of the second connection tube portion, an intersection of the respective center axes is assumed to be a start point of a circuit, and an entire length of the circuit is assumed to be 1.00, the center of the first stack is set at a position corresponding to 0.28±0.05 relative to the entire length of the circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein when an entire length of a circuit is assumed to be 1.00, a first peak of a pressure variation of a working fluid along the circuit is present in the vicinity of the first stack, and a second peak is present at a position corresponding to about one-half the entire length of the circuit, the second stack is disposed in such a way that the center of the second stack is positioned past the second peak. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an acoustic wave generator for generating the standing wave and the traveling wave is disposed on an outer perimeter portion or in the inside of the loop tube. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first stack or/and the second stack include connection channels arranged in such a way that the inner diameters of individual connection channels are increased one after another as the position of the connection channel approaches the outside. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first stack or/and the second stack include connection channels arranged in such a way that the inner diameters of individual connection channels are decreased one after another as the position of the connection channel approaches the outside. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first stack or/and the second stack include meandering connection channels. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first stack or/and the second stack include connection channels arranged in such a way that flow path lengths of individual connection channels are decreased one after another as the position of the connection channel approaches the outside. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a material for the first stack or/and the second stack is composed of at least one type of ceramic, sintered metal, gauze, and nonwoven metal fabric, and the or ωτ (ω: an angular frequency of the working fluid, τ: temperature relaxation time) thereof is configured to become within the range of 0.2 to 20. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second low-temperature-side heat exchanger in one thermoacoustic apparatus is connected to a first low-temperature-side heat exchanger in another thermoacoustic apparatus adjacent thereto, or a second high-temperature-side heat exchanger in one thermoacoustic apparatus is connected to a first high-temperature-side heat exchanger in another thermoacoustic apparatus adjacent thereto. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second gas injection means for injecting helium is disposed at the center of the second connection tube portion located at an lower side, such that helium is injected to flow upward inside the loop.