Thermal sound device

Abstract

A thermoacoustic device 10 comprises: a prime mover 30 that includes a heat accumulator 50A, a first heat exchanger 60A that is provided with a first heat transfer tube 61 in which a heating medium can flow, and a second heat exchanger 70A that is provided with a second heat transfer tube 71 in which a coolant can flow; piping 20 in which the prime mover 30 is accommodated in the inside, and in which a working gas can be filled; and a water jacket 90 that is attached to the piping 20 and in which a coolant for cooling the piping 20 can flow. The piping 20 is provided with accommodation piping 23A in which the prime mover 30 is accommodated in the inside and which has one end 231A located on the first heat exchanger 60A side and the other end 231B located on the second heat exchanger 70A side, first main piping 21A that is connected to the one end 231A of the accommodation piping 23A, and a heat-insulating member 80 that is interposed between the accommodation piping 23A and the first main piping 21A and that has lower heat conductivity than the accommodation piping 23A and the first main piping 21A, the water jacket 90 being attached to the first main piping 21A.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a thermoacoustic device.

Background Art

[0002] A thermoacoustic engine (thermoacoustic device) includes a pipe in which a working gas that propagates sound waves is enclosed, and a prime mover (energy converter) incorporated in this pipe. The energy converter includes a regenerator, and a heater and a cooler (heat exchanger) respectively arranged at both ends of the regenerator. Such an energy converter can be used, for example, as a thermoacoustic engine that converts thermal energy into acoustic energy (sound waves) by self-excited vibration of the working gas due to the temperature gradient generated between both ends of the regenerator.

[0003] Generally, the larger the temperature gradient between both ends of the regenerator, the higher the conversion efficiency from thermal energy to acoustic energy. However, due to the heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the pipe, the temperature gradient between both ends of the regenerator may become small, and the energy conversion efficiency may decrease. In order to solve this problem, a configuration in which a heat insulating member is interposed between two pipes connected to each other has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the above configuration, when the temperature of the pipe is close to or higher than the heat resistance temperature of the heat insulating member, there is a concern that the heat insulating member may be damaged by heat and the working gas may leak, resulting in a decrease in the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) The thermoacoustic apparatus disclosed herein includes an energy converter comprising: a heat accumulator having one surface and another surface, and having a plurality of through passages penetrating from the one surface to the other surface; a first heat exchanger disposed opposite the one surface of the heat accumulator and having a first flow path through which a first fluid can flow; a second heat exchanger disposed opposite the other surface of the heat accumulator and having a second flow path through which a second fluid having a lower temperature than the first fluid can flow; piping in which the energy converter is housed and which can contain a working gas; and the piping The piping comprises a third flow path through which a third fluid for cooling the piping can flow, the piping comprising: a first piping section having the energy converter housed inside and having one end located on the first heat exchanger side and the other end located on the second heat exchanger side; a second piping section connected to the one end of the first piping section; and an insulating member interposed between the first piping section and the second piping section, having a lower thermal conductivity than the first piping section and the second piping section, the third flow path being attached to the second piping section.

[0007] With the above configuration, the piping can be cooled by the third fluid, and the insulating material can also be cooled through the piping. This prevents the working gas from leaking out of the piping due to heat damage to the insulating material, which would reduce the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device.

[0008] (2) In the thermoacoustic device described in (1) above, the first piping section and the second piping section may be made of metal, and the heat insulating member may be made of resin.

[0009] The configuration described in (1) above can be suitably applied to a combination in which the first and second piping sections are made of metal and the heat insulating member is made of resin.

[0010] (3) The thermoacoustic device described in (1) or (2) above may further include a connecting channel that connects the second channel and the third channel.

[0011] With this configuration, the second fluid that has passed through the second channel can be supplied to the third channel via a connecting channel. In other words, the second fluid also serves as the third fluid. This eliminates the need to separately provide a pump or the like to circulate the third fluid through the third channel, thus simplifying the configuration of the thermoacoustic device.

[0012] (4) In the thermoacoustic device described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the distance between the third flow path and the heat insulating member may be shorter than the distance between the heat insulating member and the first heat exchanger.

[0013] With this configuration, the insulating material can be efficiently cooled by the third fluid, thereby suppressing damage to the insulating material. Furthermore, the decrease in the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device due to the cooling effect of the third fluid affecting the energy converter can be suppressed.

[0014] (5) In the thermoacoustic device described in any one of (1) to (4) above, the third flow path may be arranged on the outer circumference of the second piping section.

[0015] With this configuration, the routing of the third flow path is easier compared to a configuration in which the third flow path is located inside the second pipe, and the configuration of the thermoacoustic device can be simplified. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The thermoacoustic device disclosed herein can suppress a decrease in the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing a partially cutaway thermoacoustic device of Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view of the thermoacoustic device of Embodiment 1, taken by cutting along the line II-II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows a magnified section of the area within circle R. [Figure 4] Perspective view of the heat storage device of Embodiment 1 [Figure 5] Figure schematically showing the shape of the first heat transfer tube provided in the first heat exchanger in Embodiment 1 [Figure 6] Figure schematically showing the shape of the second heat transfer tube provided in the second heat exchanger in Embodiment 1 [Figure 7] Figure schematically showing the configuration of the circulation pipe for supplying cooling water to the water jacket in Embodiment 2

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Specific examples of the technology disclosed by this specification will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, and is intended to be indicated by the claims and to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0019] <Embodiment 1> Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. The thermoacoustic device 10 of the present embodiment is a cooling device for maintaining the temperature of an object at a temperature lower than room temperature using acoustic energy.

[0020] (Overall configuration of the thermoacoustic device 10) The thermoacoustic device 10 includes a pipe 20, a prime mover 30 (an example of an energy converter) and a cooler 40 arranged inside the pipe 20, a heat insulating member 80 arranged in the middle of the pipe 20, a water jacket 90 (an example of a third flow path) for cooling the pipe 20, and a connection pipe 92 (an example of a connection flow path) connecting the second heat exchanger 70A and the water jacket 90. The prime mover 30 includes a regenerator 50A, a first heat exchanger 60A, and a second heat exchanger 70A.

[0021] (Pipe 20) As shown in Figure 1, the piping 20 comprises a plurality of main pipes 21, a plurality (two in this embodiment) of expansion pipes 22, and a plurality (two in this embodiment) of housing pipes 23A and 23B. In this embodiment, the main pipes 21, expansion pipes 22, and housing pipes 23A and 23B are made of metal. A prime mover 30 is housed inside one of the housing pipes 23A (an example of the first piping section), and a cooler 40 is housed inside the other housing pipe 23B. The main pipes 21, expansion pipes 22, and housing pipes 23A and 23B form a loop-shaped pipeline P1. The pipeline P1 is capable of containing a working gas. The working gas is not particularly limited as long as it is a gas that can transmit sound waves, but an inert gas consisting of helium, argon, or a mixture of helium and argon, or air is preferably used.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the multiple main pipes 21 connect the two housing pipes 23A and 23B, the housing pipe 23A and the expansion pipe 22, the housing pipe 23B and the expansion pipe 22, and the two expansion pipes 22, respectively. Each main pipe 21 is a pipe with openings at both ends and a constant inner diameter.

[0023] The multiple main pipes 21 include a first main pipe 21A (an example of a second piping section) connected to a housing piping 23A that houses the prime mover 30. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first main pipe 21A has a flange 211 at one end connected to the housing piping 23A. The flange 211 is an annular portion extending outward from the opening edge at one end of the first main pipe 21A. The flange 211 has a seal groove 212 and a plurality of bolt insertion holes 213. The seal groove 212 is an annular groove located on one side of the flange 211 facing the housing piping 23A. An annular seal ring S is located inside the seal groove 212. The bolt insertion holes 213 are through holes through which bolts B can be inserted.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the expanded tube 22 is a tube that has openings at both ends, and the inner diameter of the central portion between the ends is larger than that of the main tube 21.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing pipe 23A is a pipe in which the inner diameter of the central portion between both ends is larger than that of the main pipe 21. More specifically, the housing pipe 23A is a pipe having openings at both ends and comprises two first straight pipe sections 232, two tapered sections 233, a second straight pipe section 234, and a flange 235.

[0026] The two first straight pipe sections 232 are two short straight pipe sections located at one end 231A and the other end 231B of the housing pipe 23A, respectively, and have an outer diameter and inner diameter approximately equal to that of the main pipe 21. The second straight pipe section 234 is located in the center between the two first straight pipe sections 232 and is a short straight pipe section having a larger inner diameter than the first straight pipe sections 232. The two tapered sections 233 connect one first straight pipe section 232 to the second straight pipe section 234, and the other first straight pipe section 232 to the second straight pipe section 234, respectively, and are sections that narrow in diameter from the second straight pipe section 234 towards the first straight pipe section 232.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the flange 235 is an annular portion extending outward from the opening edge at one end 231A of the housing pipe 23A, and has an outer diameter approximately equal to that of the flange 211 of the first main pipe 21A. The flange 235 has a seal groove 236 and a plurality of bolt insertion holes 237. The seal groove 236 is an annular groove located on one side of the flange 235 facing the first main pipe 21A. An annular seal ring S is located inside the seal groove 236. The seal ring S is made of rubber, for example. The bolt insertion holes 237 are through holes through which bolts B can be inserted, and are located in positions that align with the bolt insertion holes 213 of the flange 211.

[0028] The configuration of housing piping 23B is the same as that of housing piping 23A, except for some details, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0029] (Insulation material 80) As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the heat insulating member 80 is a member positioned between the flange 235 of the housing pipe 23A and the flange 211 of the first main pipe 21A, and has an annular shape with a through hole 81 in the center. The outer diameter of the heat insulating member 80 is equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the flanges 211 and 235, and its inner diameter is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the first main pipe 21A and the first straight pipe section 232. The heat insulating member 80 has a plurality of bolt insertion holes 82. The bolt insertion holes 82 are through holes through which bolts B can be inserted, and are positioned to align with the bolt insertion holes 213 and 237 of the flanges 211 and 235.

[0030] The thermal insulation member 80 is made of resin and has a lower thermal conductivity than the metal housing pipe 23A and the first main pipe 21A. As the resin constituting the thermal insulation member 80, for example, a super engineering plastic that can function for a long period of time in a high-temperature environment of 150°C or higher is preferably used. Examples of super engineering plastics that can be preferably used include PEEK (polyether ether ketone), which has a continuous use temperature (the upper limit temperature at which strength is maintained at 50% or more after long-term treatment (40,000 hours)) of approximately 200-250°C, and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), which has a continuous use temperature of approximately 260°C. Other examples include PAI (polyamide-imide), PEI (polyether-imide), PES (polyethersulfone), and PPS (polyphenylene sulfide).

[0031] The bolt B is inserted through the bolt insertion holes 213, 82, and 237, and a nut N is screwed onto the tip of the bolt B, thereby fastening the two flanges 211 and 235 and the heat insulating member 80 together. The seal ring S seals the gaps between the heat insulating member 80 and the two flanges 211 and 235, preventing the working gas from leaking to the outside.

[0032] (Motor 30) The prime mover 30 is a device for converting thermal energy into acoustic energy (sound waves) and is located inside the second straight pipe section 234 provided in the housing piping 23A. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the prime mover 30 comprises a heat accumulator 50A, a first heat exchanger 60A, and a second heat exchanger 70A. The first heat exchanger 60A, the heat accumulator 50A, and the second heat exchanger 70A are arranged in this order from one end 231A to the other end 231B.

[0033] (heat storage 50A) The heat storage unit 50A is a thick, disc-shaped unit with one side 50F1 (the right side in Figure 2) and the other side 50F2 (the left side in Figure 2). The heat storage unit 50A is positioned perpendicular to the axial direction (left-right direction in Figure 2) of the housing piping 23A, with one side 50F1 facing one end 231A and the other side 50F2 facing the other end 231B.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the heat storage unit 50A comprises a laminate 52 in which multiple circular metal meshes 51 are stacked in a compressed state, and a fixing body 53 fixed to the outer surface of the laminate 52. The metal mesh 51 is a mesh-like member in which multiple fine metal wires are woven together. The multiple metal meshes 51 have substantially the same outer shape and are stacked with their outer edges aligned. The laminate 52 is formed by the interconnected mesh (gaps between fine wires) of the multiple metal meshes 51 and has numerous fine through passages P2 that penetrate from one surface 50F1 to the other surface 50F2 of the laminate 52. The fixing body 53 is fixed to the outer surface of the laminate 52 and plays the role of holding the outer edges of the multiple metal meshes 51 so that they do not separate from each other. The fixing body 53 keeps the multiple metal meshes 51 in a more compressed state than if they were simply stacked without their outer edges being fixed.

[0035] (First heat exchanger 60A, second heat exchanger 70A) As shown in Figure 2, the first heat exchanger 60A is arranged adjacent to one side 50F1 of the heat accumulator 50A. As the first heat exchanger 60A, a known heat exchanger comprising a first heat transfer tube 61 (an example of a first flow path) and fins arranged around the first heat transfer tube 61 can be used, as shown in Figure 5. A high-temperature heat transfer medium (an example of a first fluid) can flow inside the first heat transfer tube 61, and heat exchange takes place between the working gas near the first heat exchanger 60A and the heat transfer medium. As the heat transfer medium, for example, heat transfer oil heated by waste heat from a factory can be used. The temperature of the heat transfer oil is, for example, about 200-400°C.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the second heat exchanger 70A is arranged adjacent to the other side 50F2 of the heat storage unit 50A. As the second heat exchanger 70A, a known heat exchanger comprising a second heat transfer tube 71 (an example of a second flow path) and fins arranged around the second heat transfer tube 71 can be used, as shown in Figure 6. Inside the second heat transfer tube 71, a refrigerant (an example of a second fluid) at a lower temperature than the heat transfer medium flowing inside the first heat transfer tube 61 can flow, so that the working gas near the second heat exchanger 70A is at a lower temperature than the heat transfer medium. In this embodiment, room temperature water is used as the refrigerant supplied to the second heat transfer tube 71.

[0037] (Cooler 40) The cooler 40 is a heat pump that generates a temperature gradient by receiving acoustic energy generated by the prime mover 30, and maintains the temperature of the object at a temperature lower than room temperature. As shown in Figure 1, it is located inside the other housing piping 23B. The cooler 40 comprises a heat accumulator 50B and a first heat exchanger 60B and a second heat exchanger 70B, which are located on either side of the heat accumulator 50B. The heat accumulator 50B and heat exchangers 60B and 70B in the cooler 40 have the same configuration as the heat accumulator 50A and heat exchangers 60A and 70A in the prime mover 30. A medium at a constant temperature (in this embodiment, water at room temperature) can flow inside the heat transfer tubes in the first heat exchanger 60B, and the working gas near the first heat exchanger 60B becomes approximately room temperature. The heat transfer tubes in the second heat exchanger 70B are connected to a heat exchanger in an external cooling system, and a refrigerant can circulate inside these heat transfer tubes.

[0038] (Water Jacket 90) The water jacket 90 is positioned on the outer circumference of the first main pipe 21A and is a component for cooling the first main pipe 21A. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the water jacket 90 is an annular component having an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the first main pipe 21A and has a flow groove 91. The flow groove 91 is positioned on the inner circumferential surface of the water jacket 90 and is a groove through which a refrigerant (third fluid) for cooling the first main pipe 21A can flow. The water jacket 90 is made of metal, for example, and is joined to the outer circumferential surface of the first main pipe 21A by welding.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the distance D1 between the water jacket 90 and the heat insulating member 80 is shorter than the distance D2 between the heat insulating member 80 and the first heat exchanger 60A. In this embodiment, "distance D1 between the water jacket 90 and the heat insulating member 80" is the distance between the surface of the water jacket 90 facing the heat insulating member 80 and the surface of the heat insulating member 80 facing the water jacket 90, and "distance D2 between the heat insulating member 80 and the first heat exchanger 60A" is the distance between the surface of the heat insulating member 80 facing the first heat exchanger 60A and the surface of the first heat exchanger 60A facing the heat insulating member 80.

[0040] (Connecting pipe 92) The connecting pipe 92 connects the second heat transfer tube 71 and the water jacket 90, and is a pipe through which refrigerant can flow. The connecting pipe 92 allows the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat transfer tube 71 to be supplied to the water jacket 90. In other words, the connecting pipe 92 allows the refrigerant used to create a temperature gradient between both ends of the heat storage unit 50A to also serve as the refrigerant used to cool the first main pipe 21A.

[0041] (Operation of the thermoacoustic device 10) When the thermoacoustic device 10 is operated, a heat transfer medium is flowed through the first heat transfer tube 61. Then, heat exchange takes place between the working gas near one side 50F1 of the condenser 50A and the heat transfer medium. As a result, the temperature of the working gas near one side 50F1 of the condenser 50A is adjusted to approach the temperature of the heat transfer medium. In addition, room temperature water, which acts as a refrigerant, is flowed through the second heat transfer tube 71. Then, heat exchange takes place between the working gas near the other side 50F2 of the condenser 50A and the room temperature water. As a result, the temperature of the working gas near the other side 50F2 of the condenser 50A is adjusted to approach room temperature.

[0042] The action of these heat exchangers 60A and 70A creates a temperature gradient between one side 50F1 and the other side 50F2 of the heat accumulator 50A. This causes the working gas inside the through-passage P2 to become unstable and begin to vibrate. This vibration generates acoustic energy (sound waves). The generated acoustic energy is output from one side 50F1 of the heat accumulator 50A (the side where the first heat exchanger 60A is located), transmitted through the working gas sealed inside the pipe P1, and reaches the cooler 40 (see arrow in Figure 1).

[0043] When acoustic energy transmitted by the working gas is input to the heat accumulator 50B provided in the cooler 40, a temperature gradient is created between one surface facing the first heat exchanger 60B and the other surface facing the second heat exchanger 70B. Since room temperature water flows through the first heat exchanger 60B, which is located on the acoustic energy input side of the cooler 40, the temperature of the working gas near the second heat exchanger 70B in the heat accumulator 50B is adjusted to a temperature lower than room temperature by the amount of the resulting temperature gradient. Heat exchange takes place between this lower-temperature working gas and the refrigerant, and the refrigerant, now at a lower temperature, is supplied to an external cooling system to cool the object.

[0044] Here, when heat from the heat transfer medium passing through the first heat transfer tube 61 is transferred to the housing pipe 23A, and then to the first main pipe 21A and the pipe 20 beyond it, the temperature difference between the two ends of the heat storage unit 50A decreases, which may reduce the efficiency of the conversion of thermal energy to acoustic energy by the prime mover 30. To avoid this, an insulating member 80 is placed between the housing pipe 23A and the first main pipe 21A connected to the housing pipe 23A. The insulating member 80 suppresses the transfer of heat from the housing pipe 23A to the first main pipe 21A beyond it, thereby suppressing the decrease in the efficiency of the conversion of thermal energy to acoustic energy.

[0045] However, the housing piping 23A can reach a temperature close to that of the heat transfer medium due to the transfer of heat from the heat transfer medium. For example, if the temperature of the housing piping 23A reaches a temperature close to or exceeding the heat resistance temperature of the resin constituting the insulating material 80, there is a concern that the insulating material 80 in contact with the housing piping 23A may be damaged by the heat. If the insulating material 80 is damaged, the working gas may leak to the outside of the piping 20, which may reduce the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device 10.

[0046] In this embodiment, the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat transfer tube 71 is supplied to the water jacket 90 via the connecting pipe 92. As a result, the first main pipe 21A is cooled by this refrigerant, and the heat insulating member 80 in contact with the first main pipe 21A is also cooled. This prevents damage to the heat insulating member 80 and leakage of the working gas from the pipe 20, thereby preventing a decrease in the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device 10.

[0047] Furthermore, the thermoacoustic device 10 is equipped with connecting pipes 92, so that the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat transfer tube 71 is supplied to the water jacket 90 via the connecting pipes 92. With this configuration, there is no need to separately prepare a pump or the like for circulating the refrigerant to the water jacket 90, and the configuration of the thermoacoustic device 10 can be simplified.

[0048] Furthermore, the distance D1 between the water jacket 90 and the heat insulating member 80 is shorter than the distance D2 between the heat insulating member 80 and the first heat exchanger 60A. Because the distance D1 between the water jacket 90 and the heat insulating member 80 is relatively short, the heat insulating member 80 is efficiently cooled by the refrigerant passing through the inside of the water jacket 90, effectively suppressing damage to the heat insulating member 80. Also, because the distance D2 between the heat insulating member 80 and the first heat exchanger 60A is relatively long, the effect of cooling by the refrigerant passing through the inside of the water jacket 90 on the surrounding area of ​​the first heat exchanger 60A is suppressed. This prevents the temperature gradient between both ends of the heat storage unit 50A from becoming too small, thereby suppressing a decrease in energy conversion efficiency.

[0049] Furthermore, the water jacket 90 is positioned around the outer circumference of the first main pipe 21A. This configuration makes it easy to handle the water jacket 90 and simplifies the configuration of the thermoacoustic device 10.

[0050] (Effects and Benefits) As described above, the thermoacoustic device 10 of this embodiment comprises a prime mover 30 comprising: a heat accumulator 50A having one surface 50F1 and the other surface 50F2 and having a plurality of through passages P2 penetrating from the one surface 50F1 to the other surface 50F2; a first heat exchanger 60A positioned opposite the one surface 50F1 of the heat accumulator 50A and equipped with a first heat transfer tube 61 through which a heat transfer medium can flow; a second heat exchanger 70A positioned opposite the other surface 50F2 of the heat accumulator 50A and equipped with a second heat transfer tube 71 through which a refrigerant at a lower temperature than the heat transfer medium can flow; piping 20 in which the prime mover 30 is housed and into which an operating gas can be sealed; and piping The piping 20 comprises a water jacket 90 attached to the piping 20 through which a refrigerant for cooling the piping 20 can flow, and the piping 20 comprises a housing pipe 23A having a prime mover 30 inside and one end 231A located on the side of the first heat exchanger 60A and the other end 231B located on the side of the second heat exchanger 70A, a first main pipe 21A connected to the one end 231A of the housing pipe 23A, and an insulating member 80 interposed between the housing pipe 23A and the first main pipe 21A, having a lower thermal conductivity than the housing pipe 23A and the first main pipe 21A, with the water jacket 90 attached to the first main pipe 21A.

[0051] With the above configuration, the first main pipe 21A can be cooled by the refrigerant, and the heat insulating member 80 can also be cooled via the first main pipe 21A. This prevents the heat insulating member 80 from being damaged by heat, which would cause the working gas to leak out of the piping 20 and reduce the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device 10.

[0052] Furthermore, the housing pipe 23A and the first main pipe 21A are made of metal, and the heat insulating member 80 is made of resin. In such a combination, the above configuration can be suitably applied.

[0053] Furthermore, the thermoacoustic device 10 also includes connecting piping 92 that connects the second heat transfer tube 71 and the water jacket 90.

[0054] With this configuration, the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat transfer tube 71 can be supplied to the water jacket 90 via the connecting pipe 92. In other words, the refrigerant circulating in the second heat transfer tube 71 also serves as the refrigerant circulating in the water jacket 90. This eliminates the need to separately prepare a pump or the like for circulating the refrigerant in the water jacket 90, thereby simplifying the configuration of the thermoacoustic device 10.

[0055] Furthermore, the distance D1 between the water jacket 90 and the insulation member 80 is shorter than the distance D2 between the insulation member 80 and the first heat exchanger 60A.

[0056] With this configuration, the refrigerant circulating within the water jacket 90 can efficiently cool the thermal insulation member 80, thereby suppressing damage to the thermal insulation member 80. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device 10 due to the effect of cooling by the refrigerant on the prime mover 30.

[0057] Furthermore, the water jacket 90 is arranged on the outer circumference of the first main pipe 21A. With this configuration, compared to a configuration in which the third flow path is arranged inside the second piping section, the routing of the water jacket 90 is easier, and the configuration of the thermoacoustic device 10 can be simplified.

[0058] <Embodiment 2> The thermoacoustic device 100 of Embodiment 2 differs from Embodiment 1 in that it does not have a connecting channel that connects the second heat transfer tube 71 and the water jacket 90, and instead has an independent circulation pipe 101 that supplies a refrigerant to the water jacket 90.

[0059] The circulation piping 101 is connected to the water jacket 90 and is a pipe for supplying refrigerant to the water jacket 90. As shown in Figure 7, the water jacket 90 and the circulation piping 101 form a loop-shaped pipeline, and a refrigerant (third fluid) for cooling the first main pipe 21A, which is different from the refrigerant circulating inside the second heat transfer pipe 71, can circulate inside this pipeline. A cooling device 102 for cooling the refrigerant that has been heated by heat transfer from the first main pipe 21A and a pump P for transporting the refrigerant are arranged in the middle of the circulation piping 101.

[0060] Since the other components are the same as in Embodiment 1, the same reference numerals are used for components identical to those in Embodiment 1, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0061] In this embodiment, as in Embodiment 1, the first main pipe 21A can be cooled by the refrigerant, and the heat insulating member 80 can also be cooled via the first main pipe 21A. This prevents the heat insulating member 80 from being damaged by heat, which would cause the working gas to leak out of the piping 20 and reduce the operating efficiency of the thermoacoustic device 100.

[0062] <Other Embodiments> (1) In the above embodiment, the thermoacoustic device 10 was a cooling device, but the thermoacoustic device does not have to be a cooling device. For example, it may be a heating device equipped with a heat pump for heating instead of the cooler 40, or it may be a power generation device equipped with a generator that converts sound waves output from a prime mover into electricity. (2) In the above embodiment, the piping 20 was in the shape of a loop, but the piping may also include branch pipes that branch off from the loop-shaped piping. (3) In the above embodiment, the thermoacoustic device 10 was equipped with one prime mover 30, but the thermoacoustic device may be equipped with multiple prime movers. (4) In the above embodiment, the thermoacoustic device 10 was equipped with two expansion tubes 22, but there may be one or more expansion tubes, and the thermoacoustic device may not be equipped with expansion tubes. (5) In the above embodiment, the piping 20 was made of metal, but for example, only the first and second piping sections of the piping may be made of metal. (6) In the above embodiment, the housing pipe 23A and the first main pipe 21A were made of metal and the heat insulating member 80 was made of resin, but the combination of the first pipe section and the second pipe section and the heat insulating member is acceptable as long as the heat insulating member has lower thermal conductivity than the first pipe section and the second pipe section. (7) In the above embodiment, the housing pipe 23A was a pipe in which the inner diameter of the central portion between both ends was larger than that of the main pipe 21. However, the shape of the first pipe section is arbitrary, and for example, it may be a pipe having an inner diameter that is approximately the same as that of the second pipe section over its entire length. (8) In the above embodiment, the first main pipe 21A was cylindrical, but the shape of the second piping section does not have to be cylindrical; for example, it may be polygonal. Also, the shape of the first piping section and the heat insulating member may be any shape that is compatible with the second piping section. (9) In the above embodiment, the water jacket 90 was arranged on the outer circumference of the first main pipe 21A, but the third flow path may be arranged inside the second pipe. (10) In the above embodiment, the water jacket 90 was welded to the first main pipe 21A, but the shape of the third flow path is arbitrary and may be, for example, a pipe wrapped around the second piping section. (11) In Embodiment 1, the refrigerant discharged from the water jacket 90 may be cooled and reused as a second fluid and a third fluid, reused for purposes other than the refrigerant for the thermoacoustic device 10, or discarded. (12) In Embodiment 2, the water jacket 90 and the circulation piping 101 formed a loop-shaped pipeline through which the refrigerant circulated. However, the piping for supplying the third fluid to the third flow path does not need to be loop-shaped. In this case, the refrigerant discharged from the water jacket 90 may be reused for purposes other than the refrigerant for the thermoacoustic device 10, or it may be discarded. (13) In the above embodiment, the first fluid was a heat transfer oil and the second and third fluids were water, but any medium can be used as the first, second, and third fluids. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10: Thermoacoustic device 20: Piping 21A: First main pipe (second piping section) 23A: Enclosed piping (first piping section) 30: Prime mover (energy converter) 50A: Heat storage unit 50F1: One side 50F2: Other side 60A: First heat exchanger 61: First heat transfer tube (first flow path) 70A: Second heat exchanger 71: Second heat transfer tube (second flow path) 80: Insulation material 90: Water jacket (third flow path) 92: Connecting piping (connecting flow path) 231A: One end 231B: Other end P2: Through passage

Claims

1. A heat storage device having one surface and another surface, and having multiple through passages that penetrate from the one surface to the other surface, A first heat exchanger is positioned opposite one side of the heat storage device and has a first flow path through which a first fluid can flow, A second heat exchanger is positioned opposite the other side of the heat storage device and has a second flow path through which a second fluid, which is at a lower temperature than the first fluid, can flow. An energy converter equipped with, A pipe in which the energy converter is housed and into which a working gas can be sealed, A third flow path is attached to the aforementioned piping and through which a third fluid for cooling the piping can flow, Equipped with, The aforementioned piping, The first piping section houses the energy converter internally and has one end located on the first heat exchanger side and the other end located on the second heat exchanger side. A second piping section connected to one end of the first piping section, An insulating member interposed between the first piping section and the second piping section, having a lower thermal conductivity than the first piping section and the second piping section, Equipped with, The third flow path is attached to the second piping section. Thermoacoustic device.

2. The first piping section and the second piping section are made of metal. The aforementioned heat insulating member is made of resin. The thermoacoustic apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The device further comprises a connecting channel that connects the second channel and the third channel. A thermoacoustic device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The distance between the third flow path and the heat insulating member is shorter than the distance between the heat insulating member and the first heat exchanger. A thermoacoustic device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

5. The third flow path is arranged around the outer circumference of the second piping section. A thermoacoustic device according to claim 1 or claim 2.

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