IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v317y2025ics036054422500249x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mode switching between electric-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator and heat pump

Author

Listed:
  • Sun, Wenpeng
  • Chen, Geng
  • Tang, Lihua
  • Aw, Kean Chin

Abstract

Thermoacoustic refrigeration and heating (TARH) technology presents a promising solution for addressing contemporary energy and environmental challenges. While single-mode operation has been extensively studied, the mechanisms governing dynamic cooling-heating switching remain inadequately investigated. This study investigates the mode-switching capabilities of an electric-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator/heat pump (EDTARHP) through a developed iterative computational model and experimental validation, analyzing frequency-dependent acoustic field distributions and associated heat transport mechanisms. Results demonstrate that driving frequency modulation enables real-time cooling–heating switching by altering acoustic field distributions and heat transport directions. The cooling-to-heating switching frequency depends on the relative magnitudes of the acoustic driver’s natural frequency fd and the resonator system’s fundamental frequency fr0, where a moderately higher fr0 compared to fd facilitates an expanded cooling mode frequency bandwidth. Optimal dual-mode performance requires specific parameters: a 6.5cm resonator diameter, 10% decreased Bl factor, and concurrent 1.5-fold increase in stiffness and moving mass. The cooling mode achieves optimal performance at frequencies 20–30Hz below fr0, while the heating mode requires a frequency band of 20–30Hz above the cooling-to-heating switching frequency. This study validates that EDTARHPs, in contrast to conventional single-mode devices, exhibit significant potential for applications requiring dynamic switching between cooling and heating.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Wenpeng & Chen, Geng & Tang, Lihua & Aw, Kean Chin, 2025. "Mode switching between electric-driven thermoacoustic refrigerator and heat pump," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:317:y:2025:i:c:s036054422500249x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134607
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036054422500249X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134607?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yang, Zhao & Zhuo, Yang & Ercang, Luo & Yuan, Zhou, 2014. "Travelling-wave thermoacoustic high-temperature heat pump for industrial waste heat recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 397-402.
    2. Hu, Yiwei & Wu, Zhanghua & Yang, Rui & Luo, Ercang & Xu, Jingyuan, 2024. "Phase modulation analysis on a cavity-structured single-unit thermoacoustic refrigerator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 310(C).
    3. 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.
    4. Hu, Yiwei & Luo, Kaiqi & Wu, Zhanghua & Luo, Ercang, 2024. "Efficiency enhancement in a heat-driven single-unit thermoacoustic refrigeration system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 369(C).
    5. Hsu, Shu-Han & Liao, Zhe-Yi, 2024. "Impedance matching for investigating operational conditions in thermoacoustic Stirling fluidyne," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 374(C).
    6. Hu, Yiwei & Luo, Kaiqi & Zhao, Dan & Chi, Jiaxin & Chen, Geng & Chen, Yuanhang & Luo, Ercang & Xu, Jingyuan, 2024. "Thermoacoustic micro-CHP system for low-grade thermal energy utilization in residential buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. 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).
    2. Hu, Yiwei & Wu, Zhanghua & Yang, Rui & Luo, Ercang & Xu, Jingyuan, 2024. "Phase modulation analysis on a cavity-structured single-unit thermoacoustic refrigerator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 310(C).
    3. 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.
    4. 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).
    5. 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).
    6. Chen, Hanfei & Lin, ChihChieh & Longtin, Jon P., 2019. "Dynamic modeling and parameter optimization of a free-piston Vuilleumier heat pump with dwell-based motion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 741-751.
    7. Kisha, Wigdan & Riley, Paul & McKechnie, Jon & Hann, David, 2021. "Asymmetrically heated multi-stage travelling-wave thermoacoustic electricity generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    8. 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.
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. 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).
    13. Xiao, Lei & Luo, Kaiqi & Chi, Jiaxin & Chen, Geng & Wu, Zhanghua & Luo, Ercang & Xu, Jingyuan, 2023. "Study on a direct-coupling thermoacoustic refrigerator using time-domain acoustic-electrical analogy method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 339(C).
    14. Yang, Fusheng & Wu, Zhen & Liu, Shengzhe & Zhang, Yang & Wang, Geoff & Zhang, Zaoxiao & Wang, Yuqi, 2018. "Theoretical formulation and performance analysis of a novel hydride heat Pump(HHP) integrated heat recovery system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 208-220.
    15. 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.
    16. Xiao, Lei & Luo, Kaiqi & Zhao, Dan & Chen, Geng & Bi, Tianjiao & Xu, Jingyuan & Luo, Ercang, 2023. "Time-domain acoustic-electrical analogy investigation on a high-power traveling-wave thermoacoustic electric generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PE).
    17. Taramasso, Maria Adele & Motaghi, Milad & Casasso, Alessandro, 2024. "A techno-economic feasibility analysis of solutions to cover the thermal and electrical demands of anaerobic digesters," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    18. 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.
    19. 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).
    20. Napolitano, Marialuisa & Romano, Rosario & Dragonetti, Raffaele, 2017. "Open-cell foams for thermoacoustic applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 147-156.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:317:y:2025:i:c:s036054422500249x. 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.