An electrical circuit analogy model for analyses and optimizations of the Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler

The existing electrical circuit analogy (ECA) models are mainly used to optimize the inertance tube and to analyze the crude phase of the dynamic pressure and the volume flow rate. The specific analyses and optimizations of other components or the whole Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler (SPTC) with the ECA model have not been carried out. In this paper, a new ECA model including the main components of the SPTC such as regenerator, pulse tube, phase shifter and reservoir has been developed. To improve the practicability of the ECA model, based on the basic governing equations, calculation expressions of the above components are worked out, and their equivalent analogical electrical elements are defined according to the analogy theory. Through the developed ECA model, the specific pressure and volume flow rate at any position can be acquired. Further optimizations on the SPTC based on the ECA model show that, with the same pressure and PV power at the warm end of the regenerator, there exists an optimal phase angle between the pressure and the volume flow rate for the SPTC to achieve the highest gross cooling capacity. In addition, with the same ratio of the pressure to the volume flow rate and the same phase angle between them at the warm end of the regenerator, when the regenerator ineffectiveness loss is neglected, the SPTC efficiency keeps constant with variations of the PV power, however, the efficiency will increase with the increase of the PV power if the loss is considered.