Characterization of a 100 Hz miniature pulse tube cooler driven by a linear compressor

Abstract

Pulse tube coolers driven by linear compressors usually operate between 30 Hz and 60 Hz. A higher frequency could lead to a higher specific power. This article presents a miniature pulse tube cooler with a working frequency at 100 Hz. Due to an impedance mismatch between the cooler and the compressor, the overall system efficiency is not good. The theoretical model considering the compressor and pulse tube cooler is described. Influences of various parameters, including frequency and inertance tube length, have been investigated both experimentally and analytically. A no-load temperature of 59.6 K was achieved with a mean pressure of 3.55 Mpa, a pressure ratio of 1.23 and a frequency of 100 Hz. The cooling power at 80 K was 0.8 W. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.