Visualization of Fluid Flow in a Thermoacoustic Prime Mover

Thermoacoustic devices are robust heat engines, using heat to create sound, using sound to transport heat, or both. They are attractive to industry for their lowmaintenance costs, simple design, and environmental considerations. While the theories behind the devices are fairly well understood, there still exist unknown losses within the device that hinder the operational efficiency. Flow measurements made utilizing an optical technique called laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) and careful examination of the temperature profile of the machine revealed the presence of anomalous flow behavior. Large jetting flows were observed within the device. Understanding the cause and effect of this jetting may lead to a fundamental understanding of the mysterious losses. The current work involves automating the data acquisition process, utilizing the industry standard LabVIEW Development Environment, so that enormous amounts of data can be taken relatively quickly and easily. Initial data from the experiment will be presented.