LAUSR

The thermodynamic process parameters such as cooling capacity and percentage Carnot efficiency of an orifice pulse tube refrigerator are maximized using a novel hybrid statistical simulation approach. With the help of a one-dimensional numerical model, the inside gas flow and thermal processes responsible for the production of cooling effect inside the tube have been solved. Subsequently, the thermodynamic process parameters are calculated as a function of input geometrical parameters of the regenerator, pulse tube, and orifice valve. Response surface methodology is thereupon applied to investigate the influence of input factors on outputs. Desirability method is finally adopted to maximize both cooling capacity and percentage Carnot efficiency. A sensitivity investigation has been undertaken to find out the degree of influence of each input on the output. An experimental investigation has been conducted at the optimal set of parameters so as to validate the proposed methodology. The investigation shows that, there exists an almost linear relationship among the geometrical parameters of the pulse tube on outputs, and a nonlinear quadratic relationship among the geometrical parameters of regenerator on outputs. Finally, possible combination of input parameters have been generated by the model at which both the outputs are maximum.