Abstract (Invited)

Interaction of Acoustic and Temperature Fields in Thermoacoustics

M.Bruneau, P.Lotton, V.E.Gusev (Laboratoire d'Acoustique de l'Universite du Maine, UMR CNRS 6613, Universite du Maine, Le Mans, France)

e-mail: michel.bruneau@univ-lemans.fr

Interaction between acoustic and thermal waves is the physical origin of thermoacoustic phenomena. This interaction leads to thermoacoustic instability in the prime-movers and to heat transport from cold to hot in thermoacoustic refrigerators. Acoustic oscillations induce enhancement of thermal conductivity inside thermoacoustic stack and they transport heat convectively between the neighbour space-separated elements of thermoacoustic devices (such as stack and heat exchangers). Sinusoidal acoustic waves may be accompanied by non-sinusoidal thermal waves. The average gas flow (acoustic streaming) induced by Reynolds stresses, which are created by sound waves in the boundary layers, also participates in heat transport and influences the operation of both thermoacoustic prime-movers and the refrigerators. The effects related to heating caused by acoustic dissipation may be also non-negligible. All the above mentioned nonlinear phenomena, providing interaction between acoustic and thermal subsystems of a thermoacoustic device, can play crucial role in extending or limiting its practical applications.

Section : 7