Study of heat engines based on novel principles exploiting transport phenomena of the acoustic solitary waves

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This study aims at establishing a novel principle of heat engines exploiting transport phenomena of the acoustic solitary waves (called solitary wave simply hereafter). While the quantities of mass, momentum and energy transfer are derived analytically, the experiments of the acoustic solitary waves are performed by combined use of numerical simulations to verify their existence. It is then concluded that the acoustic solitary waves exist in reality. Next physical mechanisms to amplify energy flux carried by the solitary waves are examined. It is revealed that when positive temperature gradient is imposed on the tube wall toward the direction of propagation, the energy flux is indeed be increased, and that a stack of thin plates enhances the rate of its increase. When the tube wall is subjected to spatially periodic temperature gradient, it is shown. that the energy flux is increased in net over one period. This clears the first step of establishing the heat engine (prime mover). Such a periodic temperature distribution is realized in a looped tube. The looped tube has been designed and constructed, while the stack of plates is tested. In parallel to the above study, studied is resonant excitation of shock-free, high-amplitude oscillations of a gas column in a tube, which is usually used for thermoacoustic heat pumps. It is shown that connection of an array of resonators has achieved to generate pressure oscillations with peak amplitude 10% of ambient pressure.