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Jonathan Newman, Bob Cariste, Alejandro Queiruga, Isaac Davis, Ben Plotnick, Michael Gordon, and Sidney
San Martín
We explored the basic principles of thermoacoustic refrigeration, replicating the work of Russell and Weibull to
produce a small thermoacoustic refrigerator out of readily available parts. Combined with an understanding of
the underlying thermodynamics, the model enables us to spread awareness of the viability of thermoacoustic
devices as refrigerators and heat pumps.
20 Applications
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Thermal management has always been a concern
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Computational speeds will always be limited by the
Time (s) amount of noise produced by computer chips. Since
Figure 8: The unmodified model data. The top red bar shows the most noise is generated by waster heat, computer
readings of the warm thermocouple. The bottom blue bar shows components and other semiconductor devices operate
the readings for the cooler thermocouple.
Temperature (ºC)
difference began to decrease, and the hotter end
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started transferring heat back to the cooler one, the
temperature of the bottom end of the stack began to 30
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temperature of the bottom of the stack gradually
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increased until it reached room temperature. The Time (s)
model with the heat sink actually exceeded room Figure 9: The unmodified model data for the second refrigerator.
temperature by 3ºC. The top red bar shows the readings of the warm thermocouple. The
bottom blue bar shows the readings for the cooler thermocouple.
Based on this data, the refrigerator was able to
generate a large temperature gradient. However, as
time went on, the refrigerator returned to room faster and more efficiently at lower temperatures.8 If
temperature, or even slightly above it. This can be thermoacoustic cooling devices could be scaled for
attributed primarily to unwanted heat diffusion of the computer applications, the electronic industry would
top end of the stack to the outside of the tube and to realize longer lifetimes for microchips, increased
the cooler end of the tube. Heat may have also speed and capacity for telecommunications, as well
diffused through the acrylic which would have as reduced energy costs.9
brought the cool section back up to room
temperature. Additionally, the vibration of the Modified Model Temperature
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Our device worked as a proof of concept device 0
showing that a thermoacoustic device is possible and
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is able to cool air, abet for only a short period of Time (s)
time. If we were able to build the device with better
Figure 10: The modified model data. The top red bar shows the
materials, such has a more insulating tube, we might readings of the warm thermocouple. The bottom blue bar shows
have been able to get better results. In order to create the readings for the cooler thermocouple. As shown in the diagram,
a working refrigerator we probably would have to the actual temperature difference was slightly greater in this
attach a heat sink to the top of the device, thus, design, but not significantly different.