回热式低温制冷研究进展

Progress in regenerative cryocoolers

很多特殊的物理现象伴随着低温而出现,低温技术正逐渐渗透到社会生活中的很多领域。回热式制冷作为两类主流低温制冷技术之一,主要包括斯特林制冷机、G-M制冷机、脉冲管制冷机3种结构形式。前两种结构技术成熟,但在寿命或效率方面有一定的不足;脉冲管制冷机可靠性和效率均较高,近年来发展最为迅猛。热声理论从声波与固壁相互作用的角度解释了回热式制冷的工作机制,正逐步发展成为研究回热式制冷的统一的理论工具,同时也使一种新的回热式制冷机结构——热声制冷机诞生。其中,双作用热声制冷可能存在较大的发展前景。目前回热式制冷正呈现多热点的发展趋势。回热式制冷在不断拓展应用的同时也在不断深化内在的科学问题研究,改进自身结构,孕育新的发展的机会。

Many physical phenomena are accompanied with low temperature. Cryogenic technologies have l^een applied in many fields. Regenerative cryocooler is one of the two mainstream cryocoolers. It mainly includes three configurations： Stirling cryocooler, G- M cryocooler and pulse tube cryocooler. The first two configurations have been well studied. Their disadvantages are short lifetime or low efficiency. Pulse tube cryocooler possesses high reliabil.ity and high efficiency, and has attracted much attention. Thermoacoustic theory explains the working mechanism of regenerative cryocoolers from the viewpoint of interactions between the pressure wave and solid surface, gradually becoming a universal theoretical tool for regenerative refrigerators. It also gave birth to thermoacoustic cryocoolers. The so-called double-acting thermoacoustic cryocooler possesses high efficiency and high reliability. It may be a good choice for future applications. Now, quite a few hotspots have arisen in the study of regenerative cryocoolers. Various research has been carried out in this field in the hope of improving the configuration and expanding the applications 0f regenerative cryocoolers.