CFD analysis of thermodynamic cycles in a pulse tube refrigerator Original Research Article

The objectives of this paper are to study the thermodynamic cycles in an inertance tube pulse tube refrigerator (ITPTR) by means of CFD method. The simulation results show that gas parcels working in different parts of ITPTR undergo different thermodynamic cycles. The net effects of those thermodynamic cycles are pumping heat from the low temperature part to the high temperature part of the system. The simulation results also show that under different frequencies of piston movement, the gas parcels working in the same part of the system will undergo the same type of thermodynamic cycles. The simulated thermal cycles are compared with those thermodynamic analysis results from a reference. Comparisons show that both CFD simulations and theoretical analysis predict the same type of thermal cycles at the same location. However, only CFD simulation can give the quantitative results, while the thermodynamic analysis is still remaining in quality.