Analysis of a nano-scale thermo-acoustic refrigerator

• A nano scale thermo-acoustic refrigerator was analyzed.
• Maxwell–Boltzmann gases are chosen as working fluid.
• Thermo-size effects are considered.
• Numerical results are presented and discussed.

Purpose of this study is to analyze a nano scale thermo-acoustic refrigeration cycle in terms of its thermodynamic performance. A nano scale thermo-acoustic refrigerator operating with Maxwell–Boltzmann gas and He4 is chosen as the working fluid is considered. Thermo-size effects that are dominant at the nano scale are taken into account too. In addition, a new thermo environmental method identified as modified ecological function for the refrigeration cycles is proposed. Considered system are analyzed with this new proposed method as well as basic thermodynamic criteria including COP, cooling load, work input and entropy generation. Results are obtained numerically and presented.