Design and analysis of highly effective pulse tube engine

Abstract

Configurations and performances of a pulse tube engine are devised and investigated in this paper. Energy flow concept and mechanical acoustical analogy enable one to design several different types of pulse tube engine. They are classified as a pulse tube engine equipped with two pistons or one piston and a tandem pulse tube engine. Specially, the pulse tube engine with one piston is basically identical with a well-known thermoacoustic engine. The simulation results in this paper show that the Carnot efficiencies of the pulse tube engines fall in the range of 40 and 55%. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.