太陽熱で駆動する枝付きループ型熱音響冷凍機の開発

抄録

Thermoacoustic phenomenon is interconversion between the acoustic energy and the thermal energy. This phenomenon can be used for engines, electric generators and refrigerators. Thermoacoustic devices have several advantages: They have no moving components, resulting in high reliability and easy maintenance. They are external-combustion system and have a flexibility for choosing a heat source. Since the thermoacoustic refrigerator driven by solar heat uses natural energy and does not use toxic refrigerant, it may be a solution to various environmental problems such as global warming. It is possible to increase the energy density of solar energy by concentrating the sunlight by using a parabolic reflector or a Fresnel lens. The refrigerator and sunlight collector are separated, so the cooling power is improved by fixing prime mover. In this study, the loop type tube with branches was adopted, and the performance was evaluated.