Performance comparison of looped thermoacoustic electric generators with various thermoacoustic stages

Thermoacoustic engine is a kind of novel heat engine based on thermoacoustic effect, with the merits of environmental benignity, simplicity, and reliability. In this work, looped travelling-wave thermoacoustic electric generators (LTTEGs) with one to four thermoacoustic stages have been developed and experimentally studied. It is observed that adding thermoacoustic stages can improve the thermal-electric efficiency of LTTEGs, while whether the extra stages lead to efficiency gain depends on the number of existing stages and other operating parameters (hot temperature, for instance). One main reason is that the Gedeon streaming, which might cause severe heat loss, can be enhanced by adding thermoacoustic stages and increasing hot temperature. The results suggest that the suppression of streaming in the looped thermoacoustic engine with multiple stages is even more urgent than in the traditional travelling-wave engine with only one stage.     

一种振荡热管换热器热性能的研究

设计了一种振荡热管换热器,将其内插于太阳能集热器中,应用于蓄能型内插热管式太阳能热水系统,根据太阳辐射强度切换工作模型,可实现对太阳能的分季节最大化利用。搭建了蓄能型振荡热管换热器性能试验台,对充灌工质分别为R134a、乙醇/水、丙酮/水的振荡热管换热器在不同加热功率下启动时间、水侧温升和热阻等性能进行研究。结果表明:无论振荡热管换热器内充灌哪种工质,热管的启动时间都随着加热功率的增大而减小;相似环境温度下,充灌不同工质的振荡热管换热器的热阻都随着加热功率的增大而减小;在相同的环境温度下,充灌不同工质的振荡热管换热器的循环水温都会随着加热功率的增大而升高,充灌R134a的振荡热管换热器的循环水温增幅最大。