Approximate Design Method for Single Stage Pulse Tube Refrigerators

Abstract

A high efficiency hybrid stirling-pulse tube cryocooler AIP Advances 5, 037127 (2015) ABSTRACTAn approximate design method is presented for the design of a single stage Stirling type pulse tube refrigerator. The design method begins from a defined cooling power, operating temperature, average and dynamic pressure, and frequency.Using a combination of phasor analysis, approximate correlations derived from extensive use of REGEN3.2, a few 'rules of thumb,' and available models for inertance tubes, a process is presented to define appropriate geometries for the regenerator, pulse tube and inertance tube components. In addition, specifications for the acoustic power and phase between the pressure and flow required from the compressor are defined. The process enables an appreciation of the primary physical parameters operating within the pulse tube refrigerator, but relies on approximate values for the combined loss mechanisms. The defined geometries can provide both a useful starting point, and a sanity check, for more sophisticated design methodologies.

Optimization of an inertance pulse tube refrigerator using the particle swarm optimization algorithm

“…The following conclusions are observed from the current investigations: A highly efficient regression equation has been developed, which may be used to calculate the COP of IPTR using some crucial geometrical parameters like (diameter and length of regenerator, pulse tube, and inertance tube) and operating parameters (mean pressure and frequency). The difference between the “Pred R‐Squared” and “Adj R‐Squared” of the developed equation is 0.9547 and 0.986, which is less than 0.2, this signifies that the equation is highly accurate. It is observed that the COP of the IPTR increases by 15.16% by adopting this optimization technique. From the optimized input parameters, the exergy, energy, and enthalpy efficiency of the regenerator are 85.16%, 11.26%, and 10.14%, respectively. From the optimized input parameters, the phase angle at the cold and hot ends of regenerator is calculated based on the methodology proposed by Pfotenhauer et al and is observed to be −28° and 30°, respectively. The fluid flow, pressure, and temperature variations at the important component are studied for the optimized cases. It is also observed that the regenerator is the primary source of pressure drop and exergy destruction. The methodology proposed in this article may be applied to other configurations of PTRs to optimize the input parameters.…”

“…From the optimized input parameters, the phase angle at the cold and hot ends of regenerator is calculated based on the methodology proposed by Pfotenhauer et al and is observed to be −28° and 30°, respectively.…”

“…Mulcahey et al reported the convection instabilities generated inside the pulse tube, under the influence of gravity using FLUENT. John et al proposed an approximate design method for the design of a single‐stage IPTR using design parameters such as refrigeration capacity, refrigeration temperature, frequency, mean pressure, and pressure ratio using the NIST code REGEN 3.3 (for regenerator), PHASOR, and INERTANCE (a MATHCAD code developed by Radebaugh to design the inertance tube). Many users also used the 1D commercial code SAGE developed by Gedeon associates for the design and optimization of the pulse tube refrigerator .…”

Modeling and Miniaturization of the Thermoacoustically Driven IPTR to Encourage Sustainable Energy

“…An Inertance tube can be placed at the warm end of the pulse tube to have a proper phase of mass flow with respect to the pressure in the regenerator. Radebaugh [30] pointed out the correct phasing occurs when the mass flow or the volume flow through the regenerator is approximately in phase with pressure. The phasor diagram (see Figure 5) of the regenerator and pulse tube indicates they have a similar effect on the phase angle between pressure and flow.…”

Numerical investigation on non-linear streaming effects in a two-stage coaxial pulse tube cryocooler

“…As a result, improvements have been made in crucial areas, such as reliability, cooling capacity, and efficiency. Improvement in regenerator design and packing processes, 3,4 development of novel regenerator materials, 5,6 and optimization in geometries 7,8 are a few steps to enhance its thermodynamic performance. These developments have produced PTCs with cooling capacities ranging from 0.1 W to 10 kW that can achieve temperatures as low as 4 kelvins for several practical applications.…”