Hydrogen/Oxygen Propellant Densifier Using a Two-Stage Pulse Tube Cryocooler

A unique, patent pending, thermoacoustic propellant densifier, that simultaneously densifies liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants for aerospace vehicles is introduced. The thermoacoustic densifier consists of a two-stage pulse tube cryocooler that operates at 30 Hz using helium as the working fluid. The extremely reliable pulse tube has no moving parts, is water cooled, and is acoustically driven. The pulse tube has been driven by a Thermoacoustic Stirling Heat Engine (TASHE) and a linear flexure bearing compressor. A laboratory prototype was designed, fabricated, and tested at the Sierra Lobo, Inc. facility in Milan, Ohio. Unique design features include a removable 2nd stage for easy testing of low temperature regenerator materials and an advanced aftercooler design geometry. A system description will be presented and experimental data of the pulse tube performance will be compared with REGEN 3.2 and other analytical predictions.