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An efficient looped multiple-stage thermoacoustically-driven cryocooler for liquefaction and recondensation of natural gas

Author

Listed:
  • Xu, Jingyuan
  • Zhang, Limin
  • Hu, Jianying
  • Wu, Zhanghua
  • Bi, Tianjiao
  • Dai, Wei
  • Luo, Ercang

Abstract

With increasing demand for liquefied natural gas, high-efficiency and compact facilities are vital for dealing with natural gas liquefaction or boiled-gas recondensation. This study introduces a looped multiple-stage thermoacoustically-driven cryocooler system that operates in the temperature range of natural gas liquefaction and which has good prospects for meeting such demand. Because of the looped configuration, the system has the potential to achieve efficient traveling-wave thermoacoustic conversion and acoustic power transmission. The basic operating principles are described. A thorough numerical simulation is performed on the influence of the flow-area ratio of the regenerator to that of the resonance tube, which is found to be critical to system performance. To better understand the mechanism, acoustic impedances of the heat engine regenerator and the exergy losses are presented. The dependence of the load impedance on the flow-area ratio is also discussed. An experimental setup was built to verify the numerical simulation. The experimental results show good consistency with those of the simulation. The experimental system achieved a maximum total cooling capacity of 880 W and exergy efficiency of 7.8% at 110 K, corresponding to 65% liquefied natural gas production-efficiency for incoming gas at 300 K or about 74% recondensation efficiency for boiled gas.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Jingyuan & Zhang, Limin & Hu, Jianying & Wu, Zhanghua & Bi, Tianjiao & Dai, Wei & Luo, Ercang, 2016. "An efficient looped multiple-stage thermoacoustically-driven cryocooler for liquefaction and recondensation of natural gas," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 427-433.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:101:y:2016:i:c:p:427-433
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2016.01.085
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sun, Haojie & Yu, Guoyao & Dai, Wei & Zhang, Limin & Luo, Ercang, 2022. "Dynamic and thermodynamic characterization of a resonance tube-coupled free-piston Stirling engine-based combined cooling and power system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    2. Chen, Geng & Tang, Lihua & Mace, Brian & Yu, Zhibin, 2021. "Multi-physics coupling in thermoacoustic devices: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    3. Kisha, Wigdan & Riley, Paul & McKechnie, Jon & Hann, David, 2021. "Asymmetrically heated multi-stage travelling-wave thermoacoustic electricity generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    4. Hu, J.Y. & Luo, E.C. & Dai, W. & Zhang, L.M., 2017. "Parameter sensitivity analysis of duplex Stirling coolers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 1039-1046.
    5. Wang, Chenghong & Shen, Qie & Zhang, Jie & Qiao, Xin & Yu, Hongyuan & Shen, Keyi & Sun, Daming, 2023. "Study on a coalbed methane liquefaction system based on thermoacoustic refrigeration method," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).
    6. Xu, Jingyuan & Hu, Jianying & Zhang, Limin & Luo, Ercang, 2016. "A looped three-stage cascade traveling-wave thermoacoustically-driven cryocooler," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 804-809.
    7. Al-Kayiem, Ali & Yu, Zhibin, 2016. "Numerical investigation of a looped-tube travelling-wave thermoacoustic engine with a bypass pipe," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 111-120.
    8. Xu, Jingyuan & Yu, Guoyao & Zhang, Limin & Dai, Wei & Luo, Ercang, 2017. "Theoretical analysis of two coupling modes of a 300-Hz three-stage thermoacoustically driven cryocooler system at liquid nitrogen temperature range," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 2134-2141.
    9. Xu, Jingyuan & Hu, Jianying & Luo, Ercang & Zhang, Limin & Dai, Wei, 2019. "A cascade-looped thermoacoustic driven cryocooler with different-diameter resonance tubes. Part I: Theoretical analysis of thermodynamic performance and characteristics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 943-953.
    10. Wang, Xin & Xu, Jingyuan & Wu, Zhanghua & Luo, Ercang, 2022. "A thermoacoustic refrigerator with multiple-bypass expansion cooling configuration for natural gas liquefaction," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    11. Xu, Jingyuan & Hu, Jianying & Luo, Ercang & Hu, Jiangfeng & Zhang, Limin & Hochgreb, Simone, 2022. "Numerical study on a heat-driven piston-coupled multi-stage thermoacoustic-Stirling cooler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    12. Xu, Jingyuan & Hu, Jianying & Sun, Yanlei & Wang, Huizhi & Wu, Zhanghua & Hu, Jiangfeng & Hochgreb, Simone & Luo, Ercang, 2020. "A cascade-looped thermoacoustic driven cryocooler with different-diameter resonance tubes. Part Ⅱ: Experimental study and comparison," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    13. Xu, Jingyuan & Luo, Ercang & Hochgreb, Simone, 2021. "A thermoacoustic combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system for waste heat and LNG cold energy recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    14. Xu, Jingyuan & Luo, Ercang & Hochgreb, Simone, 2020. "Study on a heat-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator for low-grade heat recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).

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