Characteristics study on the oscillation onset and damping of a traveling-wave thermoacoustic prime mover

This paper focuses on the temperature and pressure characteristics of a Swift-Backhaus type traveling-wave thermoacoustic prime mover during its onset and damping processes, in order to understand the intrinsic mechanism of thermoacoustic oscillation onset and the feasibility of using low-grade thermal energy based on a low onset temperature. The influences of heat input and filling pressure on hysteretic loop, due to the noncoincidence between onset and damping processes, arc measured and analyzed. The condition for the occurrence of hysteresis is also briefly discussed.