The Role of Stack Non Acoustic Parameters on Thermodynamic Perfomance of Standing Wave Devices

Introduction The stack is the core of an thermoacoustic standing wave device. In thermoacoustic engines, heat pumps and refrigerators the geometric characteristics of the stack influence the thermodynamic performance. Until now the stack is studied by using viscous and thermal functions that vary with the shape of the pore. However more advantageous general functions can be taken into account to study a complex cross-section of pores and also the tortuosity. These functions involve classic non-acoustic parameters such as the air-flow resistivity, the tortuosity, the thermal and viscous characteristic length. Aim of this work is to introduce these functions in the classical thermoacoustic theory and to study theoretically the effect on the performance of a thermoacoustic engines.