A modified two-stage pulse tube cryocooler utilizing double-inlet and multi-mesh regenerator

• A CFD code is developed to simulate two-stage pulse tube cryocoolers.
• Accuracy of different friction factors of non-porous media is investigated.
• Steady friction losses equation does not lead to accurate results for oscillating losses.
• Effects of synchronous utilization of multi-mesh regenerator and double on a TSPTC is studied.
• Multi-mesh regenerator and double inlet decrease the TC by 8.2 K in a TSPTC working at 26 K.

In this paper a thermally coupled Stirling-type two-stage pulse tube cryocoolers (TSPTC) is studied using a one-dimensional (1-D) CFD code. After validating the results of the simulations, effects of synchronous utilization of multi-mesh regenerator and double-inlet on the performance of the TSPTC are investigated. Results of simulations show that non-oscillating friction factors do not possess sufficient accuracy for calculation of oscillating friction losses in non-porous media. Whereas, using oscillating friction factor of non-porous media leads to sufficient accurate results. According to the results, using multi-mesh regenerator and double-inlet increases the COP and decreases the minimum attainable temperature of the system. It is observed that a minimum temperature of 18.2 K is attainable using optimum multi-mesh regenerator and double-inlet; whereas, for a simple TSPTC with a uniform mesh regenerator, a minimum temperature of 26.4 K is concluded.