Study of Taconis-Based Cryogenic Thermoacoustic Engine with Hydrogen and Helium

• Published in: Energies (Basel) Vol. 18; no. 15; p. 4114
• Main Authors: Shenton, Matthew P., Leachman, Jacob W., Matveev, Konstantin I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2025
• Subjects: Acoustics; Cold; cryogenic hydrogen; Engines; Force and energy; Heat exchangers; Helium; Hydrogen; Porous materials; standing-wave engine; Taconis oscillations; Temperature; thermoacoustics; Thermodynamics; United States
• ISSN: 1996-1073; 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en18154114

Taconis oscillations represent spontaneous excitation of acoustic modes in tubes with large temperature gradients in cryogenic systems. In this study, Taconis oscillations in hydrogen and helium systems are enhanced with a porous material resulting in a standing-wave thermoacoustic engine. A theoretical model is developed using the thermoacoustic software DeltaEC, version v6.4b2.7, to predict system performance, and an experimental apparatus is constructed for engine characterization. The low-amplitude thermoacoustic model predicts the pressure amplitude, frequency, and temperature gradient required for excitation of the standing-wave system. Experimental measurements, including the onset temperature ratio, acoustic pressure amplitudes, and frequencies, are recorded for different stack materials and geometries. The findings indicate that, independent of stack, hydrogen systems excite at smaller temperature differentials than helium (because of different properties such as lower viscosity for hydrogen), and the stack geometry and material affect the onset temperature ratio. However, pressure amplitude in the excited states varies minimally. Initial measurements are also conducted in a cooling setup with an added regenerator. The configuration with stainless-steel mesh screens produces a small cryogenic refrigeration effect with a decrease in temperature of about 1 K. The reported characterization of a Taconis-based thermoacoustic engine can be useful for the development of novel thermal management systems for cryogenic storage vessels, including refrigeration and pressurization.