IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v134y2017icp1107-1120.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Thermoacoustic micro-electricity generator for rural dwellings in developing countries driven by waste heat from cooking activities

Author

Listed:
  • Abdoulla-Latiwish, Kalid O.A.
  • Mao, Xiaoan
  • Jaworski, Artur J.

Abstract

Thermoacoustic engines convert heat into acoustic power without moving parts. Coupling them with electrodynamic transducers – directly converting acoustic power into electricity – enables building simple electricity generators, where the only moving part is the piston of the linear alternator. Integration of such devices with biomass-driven cookstoves widely used in remote and rural areas of developing countries can lead to inexpensive electrical power systems, essentially powered by waste heat from daily cooking activities. In this paper the modelling, design, construction and testing of a laboratory demonstrator of such generator is outlined. A travelling-wave thermoacoustic engine with a looped-tube configuration is modelled using DeltaEC tool and constructed to convert heat input into acoustic power. Flue gas from a propane burner is used as a heat source for demonstration purposes. An audio loudspeaker is connected to a side branch and adopted as the electro-dynamic transducer for electricity production. Atmospheric air is employed as the working fluid to keep the cost of future systems low. The demonstrator produced just under 20 W of electricity with thermal-to-acoustic and thermal-to-electric efficiencies of around 3.5% and 1.9%, respectively, which demonstrates the micro-power source concept. Experimental results and their numerical validation are outlined and analysed.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdoulla-Latiwish, Kalid O.A. & Mao, Xiaoan & Jaworski, Artur J., 2017. "Thermoacoustic micro-electricity generator for rural dwellings in developing countries driven by waste heat from cooking activities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 1107-1120.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:134:y:2017:i:c:p:1107-1120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.05.029
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217307855
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2017.05.029?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kang, Huifang & Cheng, Peng & Yu, Zhibin & Zheng, Hongfei, 2015. "A two-stage traveling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator with loudspeakers as alternators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 9-17.
    2. Yu, Zhibin & Jaworski, Artur J. & Backhaus, Scott, 2012. "Travelling-wave thermoacoustic electricity generator using an ultra-compliant alternator for utilization of low-grade thermal energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 135-145.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. 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).
    2. Elhawary, M.A. & Ibrahim, Abdelmaged H. & Sabry, Ashraf S. & Abdel-Rahman, Ehab, 2020. "Experimental study of a small scale bi-directional axial impulse turbine for acoustic-to-mechanical power conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 414-426.
    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. Saechan, Patcharin & Jaworski, Artur J., 2019. "Numerical studies of co-axial travelling-wave thermoacoustic cooler powered by standing-wave thermoacoustic engine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 600-610.
    5. Hamood, Ahmed & Jaworski, Artur J. & Mao, Xiaoan & Simpson, Kevin, 2018. "Design and construction of a two-stage thermoacoustic electricity generator with push-pull linear alternator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 61-72.
    6. Peter L. Borland & Kevin McDonnell & Mary Harty, 2023. "Assessment of the Potential to Use the Expelled Heat Energy from a Typical Data Centre in Ireland for Alternative Farming Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-32, September.
    7. Bi, Tianjiao & Wu, Zhanghua & Chen, Wei & Zhang, Limin & Luo, Ercang & Zhang, Bin, 2022. "Numerical and experimental research on a high-power 4-stage looped travelling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PB).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kisha, Wigdan & Riley, Paul & McKechnie, Jon & Hann, David, 2021. "Asymmetrically heated multi-stage travelling-wave thermoacoustic electricity generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    2. Bi, Tianjiao & Wu, Zhanghua & Zhang, Limin & Yu, Guoyao & Luo, Ercang & Dai, Wei, 2017. "Development of a 5kW traveling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1355-1361.
    3. Wang, Kai & Sanders, Seth R. & Dubey, Swapnil & Choo, Fook Hoong & Duan, Fei, 2016. "Stirling cycle engines for recovering low and moderate temperature heat: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 89-108.
    4. Hamood, Ahmed & Jaworski, Artur J. & Mao, Xiaoan & Simpson, Kevin, 2018. "Design and construction of a two-stage thermoacoustic electricity generator with push-pull linear alternator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 61-72.
    5. Bi, Tianjiao & Wu, Zhanghua & Chen, Wei & Zhang, Limin & Luo, Ercang & Zhang, Bin, 2022. "Numerical and experimental research on a high-power 4-stage looped travelling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PB).
    6. Tavakolpour-Saleh, A.R. & Zare, Shahryar, 2021. "Justifying performance of thermo-acoustic Stirling engines based on a novel lumped mechanical model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    7. Jin, Tao & Huang, Jiale & Feng, Ye & Yang, Rui & Tang, Ke & Radebaugh, Ray, 2015. "Thermoacoustic prime movers and refrigerators: Thermally powered engines without moving components," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P1), pages 828-853.
    8. Wang, Kai & Dubey, Swapnil & Choo, Fook Hoong & Duan, Fei, 2016. "Modelling of pulse tube refrigerators with inertance tube and mass-spring feedback mechanism," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 172-183.
    9. 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.
    10. Jin, Tao & Yang, Rui & Wang, Yi & Liu, Yuanliang & Feng, Ye, 2016. "Phase adjustment analysis and performance of a looped thermoacoustic prime mover with compliance/resistance tube," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 290-298.
    11. Wang, Kai & Dubey, Swapnil & Choo, Fook Hoong & Duan, Fei, 2017. "Thermoacoustic Stirling power generation from LNG cold energy and low-temperature waste heat," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 280-290.
    12. 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).
    13. Wang, Kai & Sun, Daming & Zhang, Jie & Xu, Ya & Zou, Jiang & Wu, Ke & Qiu, Limin & Huang, Zhiyi, 2015. "Operating characteristics and performance improvements of a 500W traveling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 853-862.
    14. Zhao, Dan & Li, Shihuai & Yang, Wenming & Zhang, Zhiguo, 2015. "Numerical investigation of the effect of distributed heat sources on heat-to-sound conversion in a T-shaped thermoacoustic system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 204-213.
    15. Elhawary, M.A. & Ibrahim, Abdelmaged H. & Sabry, Ashraf S. & Abdel-Rahman, Ehab, 2020. "Experimental study of a small scale bi-directional axial impulse turbine for acoustic-to-mechanical power conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 414-426.
    16. Li, Xinyan & Huang, Yong & Zhao, Dan & Yang, Wenming & Yang, Xinglin & Wen, Huabing, 2017. "Stability study of a nonlinear thermoacoustic combustor: Effects of time delay, acoustic loss and combustion-flow interaction index," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 217-224.
    17. Tang, K. & Feng, Y. & Jin, S.H. & Jin, T. & Li, M., 2015. "Performance comparison of jet pumps with rectangular and circular tapered channels for a loop-structured traveling-wave thermoacoustic engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 305-313.
    18. Piccolo, A., 2013. "Optimization of thermoacoustic refrigerators using second law analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 358-367.
    19. Zhao, He & Li, Guoneng & Zhao, Dan & Zhang, Zhiguo & Sun, Dakun & Yang, Wenming & Li, Shen & Lu, Zhengli & Zheng, Youqu, 2017. "Experimental study of equivalence ratio and fuel flow rate effects on nonlinear thermoacoustic instability in a swirl combustor," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 123-131.
    20. Kang, Huifang & Cheng, Peng & Yu, Zhibin & Zheng, Hongfei, 2015. "A two-stage traveling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator with loudspeakers as alternators," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 9-17.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:134:y:2017:i:c:p:1107-1120. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.