Thermoacoustics: A Unifying Perspective for Some Engines and Refrigerators (2nd ed. 2017)

By: Gregory W. Swift

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Synopsis: This updated new edition provides an introduction to the field of thermoacoustics. All of the key aspects of the topic are introduced, with the goal of helping the reader to acquire both an intuitive understanding and the ability to design hardware, build it, and assess its performance. Weaving together intuition, mathematics, and experimental results, this text equips readers with the tools to bridge the fields of thermodynamics and acoustics. At the same time, it remains firmly grounded in experimental results, basing its discussions on the distillation of a body of experiments spanning several decades and countries. The book begins with detailed treatment of the fundamental physical laws that underlie thermoacoustics. It then goes on to discuss key concepts, including simple oscillations, waves, power, and efficiency. The remaining portions of the book delve into more advanced topics and address practical concerns in applications chapters on hardware and measurements. With its careful progression and end-of-chapter exercises, this book will appeal to graduate students in physics and engineering as well as researchers and practitioners in either acoustics or thermodynamics looking to explore the possibilities of thermoacoustics. This revised and expanded second edition has been updated with an eye to modern technology, including computer animations and DeltaEC examples.