Development of combustion-driven small thermoacoustic engine

Miniature thermoacoustic engines driven by combustion and producing electricity are promising candidates for small-scale power devices. The elemental development of the system including a small thermoacoustic engine and a Swiss roll combustor is discussed in this work. A standing-wave thermoacoustic prime mover consists of a resonator with a stack of porous material inside where a temperature gradient is maintained. This engine generates acoustic power from heat. The sound energy can be converted in electricity by an electroacoustic transformer. The Swiss roll combustor utilizes the high energy density of hydrocarbon fuels in order to provide the necessary heat transfer required to generate acoustic power from the engine. Some results of this developmental study are presented.