Study on wave rotor refrigerators

As a novel generation of a rotational gas wave machine, the wave rotor refrigerator (WRR) is an unsteady flow device used for refrigeration, in whose passages pressured streams directly contact and exchange energy due to the movement of pressure waves. In this paper, the working mechanism and refrigeration principle are investigated based on the one-dimensional unsteady flow theory. A basic limitation on main structural parameters and operating parameters is deduced and the wave diagram of WRR to guide designing is sketched. The main influential factors are studied through an experiment. In the DUT Gas Wave Refrigeration Studying and Development Center (GWRSDC) lab, the isentropic efficiency can now reach about 65%. The results show that the WRR is a feasible and promising technology in pressured gas refrigeration cases.