Patent ID: 6732515
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: F02G,F03G,F25B

Abstract:
A thermoacoustic device comprising:(A) a thermoacoustic driver having: (A1) an inlet conduit adapted to admit a compressible inlet fluid, the compressible inlet fluid comprising an oxidizer; (A2) a fuel injector adapted to provide fuel; (A3) a mixing section adapted to receive the compressible inlet fluid from the inlet conduit, the mixing section further being adapted to receive the fuel from the fuel injector, the mixing section further being adapted to mix the fuel and the compressible inlet fluid to produce a compressible combustible mixture; (A4) a combustion zone configured to receive the compressible combustible mixture, the combustion zone further being configured to burn the compressible combustible mixture to generate hot compressible combustion products; (A5) a cold heat exchanger; (A6) a regenerator coupled to the combustion zone, the regenerator having a cold side and a hot side, the cold side and the hot side being configured to generate a temperature gradient across the regenerator, the cold side of the regenerator being coupled to the cold heat exchanger, the hot compressible combustion products from the combustion zone being directed to the hot side of the regenerator, the hot compressible combustion products further being directed through the regenerator to produce cold compressible combustion products, the regenerator further being configured to amplify an acoustic traveling wave propagating from the cold side of the regenerator to the hot side through the regenerator; and (A7) an exhaust port adapted to expel the cold compressible combustion products; and (B) a feedback path located external to the thermoacoustic driver, the feedback path being thermally insulated from the regenerator and the combustion zone, the feedback path being configured to direct a portion of the acoustic traveling wave from the hot side of the regenerator to the cold side of the regenerator.