Study on a new type of sealing – regeneration-labyrinth sealing for displacer in cryocoolers: Part I – Theoretical study Original Research Article

A new concept of sealing structure – regeneration-labyrinth sealing has been put forward to substitute for sealing rings that influence seriously the performance of cryocoolers. A program, which can simulate the thermophysical process occurring in the sealing structure, is developed consequently. Using numerical simulation, the reasonable structure of the regeneration-labyrinth sealing has been determined. The influences of some parameters, such as the heat transfer coefficient of forced convection, the cylinder–displacer gap, the diameter and length of cylinder on the losses of cooling capacity have been studied numerically. As a result, the designing principle of the new type of sealing is obtained.