Thermoacoustic converters - Thermoacoustic effect

Thermoacoustics is a relatively young discipline at the crossroads of thermodynamics, thermics and acoustics. It offers a wide variety of effects based on the interaction between a fluid in oscillating flow and a solid wall with a given temperature distribution. These complex effects are already finding concrete applications in gas cooling and liquefaction, as well as in new generations of thermal-to-electrical energy converters in the same class as Stirling machines with external heat input. One feature of thermoacoustic systems is that they require few or no moving parts, making them an undeniable advantage over conventional converters.

This article is the first in a series devoted to thermoacoustics; the following are :

• article [BE 8 061] devoted to thermo-acoustic motors and generators;

• article [BE 8 062] , which deals with the dimensioning and modeling of thermoacoustic systems;

• article [BE 8 063] describes the designs and combinations of thermoacoustic motors and coolers.