Electricity Generator and Other Research in Key Laboratory of Cryogenics of CAS

Wei Dai Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China

Our group
The group members:

Prof. Ercang Luo and Wei Dai 5 other staff members >10 graduate students
Research Activity:

Coolers based on thermoacoustic cycles, down to 20 K Thermoacoustics engines and generators, from 100We-3kWe, target bigger

Typical Research
300 Hz thermoacoustically-driven pulse tube cooler Stirling-type pulse tube coolers Thermoacoustic generators including free piston Stirling generators

Thermoacoustically-driven pulse tube coolers

Tc<80K

Heating

High frequency thermoacoustically-driven pulse tube coolers 300Hz

The standing-wave engine

The pulse tube cooler

500W heating power 1W@80K

Traveling wave thermoacoustic engine driving traveling wave thermoacoustic cooler

Heating

Heatingpower 2.1kW, Cooling power 340W@-20 410W@0 , on-going research include high frequency operation, impedance match, etc

High efficiency Stirling-type pulse tube cooler

10&20W@80K, relative Carnot efficiency around 20%, >100 Watt under development

Thermoacoustic generators Free piston Stirling generators Thermoacoustic Stirling heat engine-based generators Double effect thermoacoustic generators

Free piston Stirling generators

1.Hot heat exchanger 2.Regenerator 3.Ambient heat exchanger 4.Linear motor 5. Mechanical spring 6. Backside volume 7.Expansion space 8.Displacer 9.Compression space 10.Power piston

Free piston Stirling generators

100 We class

1kWe class, ~20% thermal to electric efficiency

Double effects thermoacoustic generators

Engine set with heat exchangers, regenerator and thermal buffer tube

Linear motor with double effect pistons

Double effects thermoacoustic generators

Best results so far: nearly 2 kWe with 18% thermal to electric efficiency

Thermoacoustic Stirling heat engine-based generators

TASHE loop Resonance tube Linear alternator

System details
Engine Parameters:
Feedback tube Main ambient HX regenerator Heater block Thermal buffer tube Secondary ambient HX Resonance tube

Length (m) Diameter (m)

1.55

0.05

0.08 0.1

0.06

0.24

0.02

4.45+1.0 0.08-0.3

Linear alternator Parameters:

D mm N/A K N/mm M kg Rmech Ns/m Ls mH r R

60

102

171

0.93

15

264

3.7

60
17

Numerical Model

Engine Model
dp = R2 U dx
dU = R1 p + R3 U dx

Generator Model
( Rm + jX m ) U +
A
2

I=p

dTx H = c1 + c2 dx

U ( Re + jX e ) I = 0 A

18

Comparison of the model with RC load to measure output

Computational and experimental data of the TASHE (4MPa helium,75Hz working frequency, 650 heating temperature )
19

When it comes to a linear alternator, frequency coupling between the system working frequency (dominated by the engine) and the natural frequency of the linear alternator (dominated by its spring stiffness, moving mass, piston area) is crucial to the system performance.

20

Changing the natural frequency of the linear alternator makes big difference ( adjusting the moving mass)
6cm piston

The system stops working in this natural frequency range.

Computational results of power and pressure ratio as a function of the natural frequency of linear alternator (6cm piston diameter, 4.0 MPa helium, 650 oC heating temperature and 15 oC cooling water temperature).
21

Changing Piston diameter makes big difference

22

Changing Piston diameter makes big difference

23

Changing Piston diameter makes big difference

24

Changing the engine frequency makes big difference (mixing Argon with Helium)

25

Experimental setup

Resonance tube

TASHE loop Linear alternator

26

Experimental results

Best results 1 kWe output with 19% thermal to electric efficiency

27

Solar-powered version, set up in Shen Zhen, China

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Thanks for your attention