Modeling Pulse Tube Cryocoolers with CFD

A commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package is used to model the oscillating flow inside a pulse tube cryocooler. Capabilities for modeling pulse tubes are demonstrated with preliminary case studies and the results presented. The 2D axi-symmetric simulations demonstrate the time varying temperature and velocity fields in the tube along with computation of the heat fluxes at the hot and cold heat exchangers. The only externally imposed boundary conditions are a cyclically moving piston wall at one end of the tube and constant temperature or heat flux boundaries at the external walls of the hot and cold heat exchangers.