Optimization of Phase Shift Mechanism in Pulse Tube Cryocooler

Pulse Tube Refrigeration is considered as an appropriate refrigeration technology for the space, military, and other industries, leading to extensive studies on increasing and optimizing its thermodynamic efficiency. By controlling the phase difference between pressure and mass flow rate, the acoustic power of a pulse tube can be reduced. In this study, electrical analogy for thermodynamic properties is used, which iteratively computes the compliance, inertance, and resistance of the inertance tube by discretization of the tube in a large number of nodes. The numerical model is further validated by the existing published experimental results. In order to get required phase shift from inertance tube, the geometry is optimized and further effect of a varied cross-sectional tube is studied that leads to lower acoustic power.