1. Thermoacoustic system concepts

In 2009, thermoacoustic systems are still often laboratory prototypes designed to prove feasibility, and they do not yet match the performance of more conventional systems. They do, however, have potential applications in mini electric generators, chillers, gas liquefiers and even air conditioners. Nevertheless, year after year, numerous improvements have been introduced, and overall performance is becoming interesting. These improvements, the result of a better understanding of physical phenomena, have focused as much on the fluids used (helium/xenon mixtures) as on the geometry of the various components: polished conical tubes and jet pumps to avoid streaming, flow rectifiers, stacks, etc.