Onset of Oscillation of a Gas-Column in a Tube Due to the Existence of Heat-Conduction Field : A Problem of Generating Mechanical Energy from Heat

Abstract

The oscillation of a gas-column, which occurs when a heater is held in a tube, being open at both ends and having a steady inner flow of gas, has been studied experimentally in order to clarify the fundamental natures of the limiting condition for the onset of oscillation. At the present stage, various experimental results obtained cannot yet be interpreted systematically on the basis of theoretical study, but it has been shown that the limiting condition exists in a clear form for the onset of oscillation, suggesting a possible means which enables to develope quantitative study on the thermal onset of oscillation. This type of oscillation occurs when a cooler as well as a heater is held in a tube with no inner flow, yielding a conclusion that there is a common feature in some fundamental respects with the case of having an inner flow.