Numerical Study on the Performance Sensitivity of a Pulse Tube Cryocooler with Active Phase Shifter

27th International Cryogenics Engineering Conference and International Cryogenic Materials Conference 2018

Liang, K.^1 ; Abolghasemi, A.^2 ; Stone, C.R.^2 ; Dadd, M.W.^2 ; Bailey, P.B.^2

Department of Engineering and Design, University of Sussex, Brighton

BN1 9QT, United Kingdom^1

Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford

OX1 3PJ, United Kingdom^2

关键词: Active phase shifter;    Displacement phase;    Gas liquefaction;    High performance computers;    Infra-red sensor;    Operating frequency;    Performance sensitivity;    Pulse tube cryocoolers;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/502/1/012018/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1757-899X/502/1/012018

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Pulse tube cryocoolers have been widely used for cooling infrared sensors, superconducting and gas liquefaction. An active phase shifter allows the phase angle between the pressure and the mass flow rate to be varied, thus high efficiency and better performance can be achieved. In this work, a CFD technique using dynamic meshing was adopted to investigate the oscillating flow and performance sensitivity of an in-line pulse tube cryocooler with an active phase shifter. A high performance computer (HPC) was used for the 2D simulation. The effect of phase angle, operating frequency, pressure drop, and fill pressure were studied. The pulse tube cryocooler appears to have an optimal operating frequency (55 Hz) and displacement phase angle (40 deg) between compressor and displacer. A fill pressure of 28 bar leads to better performance than 24 bar and 20 bar. The CFD results are validated by the experimental results of a prototype in-line pulse tube cryocooler.