Simulating a Thermoacoustic Engine With PyFR

Thermoacoustic engines can convert heat into acoustic energy, generating powerful acoustic waves that can be used for electricity generation, cooling and additional uses. Simulating them and predicting their performance is a challenging task, due to the multiple length and time scales involved, the characteristics of the flow (compressible, transient), and the sensitivity of these devices to small deviations in working conditions.

In this talk, I will present high-fidelity simulations of a standing-wave thermoacoustic engine, based on solution of 2D and 3D compressible Navier stokes equations using PyFR. I will discuss the unprecedented accuracy of these results and some interesting insights about non-linear effects in thermoacoustic engines.