Experimental and numerical investigation on performance of a double inlet type cryogenic pulse tube refrigerator

摘要

A helium filled double inlet pulse tube refrigerator (DIPTR) has been designed, built and operated to provide cryogenic cooling. The experimental studies have been carried out to characterize the performance of the DIPTR at various values of the mean pressure of helium (0.7-1.5 MPa), amplitudes of pressure oscillations, and sizes of orifice opening. A detailed time-dependent three dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the DIPTR has also been developed to predict its performance. In the CFD model, the continuity, momentum and energy equations have been solved for both the refrigerant gas (helium) and the porous media regions (the regenerator and heat exchangers) in the DIPTR. The computational results have been compared with specific experimental results to validate the numerical model. The results predicted by the model show better results as compared to experimental results, as the effects of wall thicknesses and natural convective losses of the various components of the DIPTR to the surroundings have not been included in the model.