Patent ID: 6868673

Claim:
A thermoacoustic device comprising: an inlet port adapted to admit a compressible combustible mixture; 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; a cold heat exchanger; 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 an exhaust port adapted to expel the cold compressible combustion products.