A numerical study of the generation and propagation of thermoacoustic waves in water

The generation and propagation of thermoacoustic waves in water are investigated by solving the fully compressible form of the Navier–Stokes equations. A square enclosure filled with water is considered as the computational domain. Thermally induced pressure waves are generated by rapidly heating the left wall. The thermodynamic properties of water are calculated via an accurate equation of state. The effect of the rapidity of the heating process on the production of thermoacoustic waves is studied, using both impulse (sudden) and gradual changes in the left wall temperature. The thermoacoustic waves are significantly stronger for impulse heating and are found to eventually damp out with time due to viscous losses. Gradual change of the left wall temperature reduced the strength of the pressure wave peaks.