Abstract:

The design and functionality of thermoacoustic refrigerators has been the focus of considerable attention from the re-search community since the 1980’s. This environmentally friendly technology has the potential to become another option for refrigeration, as improvements in the design and technology are realised. Heat-exchangers are used to in-crease the efficiency of thermoacoustic systems, however they are typically complex to manufacture, expensive, and limitations of heat-exchangers exist in terms of efficiency and durability. Reducing or eliminating the use of heat-exchangers through the use of flow-through designs dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of thermoacoustic systems, potentially with minimal efficiency loss. In this review paper of flow-through thermoacoustic refrigeration, the developments of flow-through design and its potential benefits will be discussed.