Acoustic fluid machine

Abstract

In an acoustic resonator, an actuator allows a piston to reciprocate axially at very small amplitude at high speed. Owing to pressure fluctuation in the acoustic resonator involved by reciprocal motion of the piston, fluid is sucked into and discharged from the acoustic resonator via a valve device at the top end of the acoustic resonator. The acoustic resonator is covered with a gas guide with a space. The valve device is cooled by a fan at the top end of the gas guide.

1 . An acoustic fluid machine comprising: 
 an acoustic resonator;    an actuator in a larger-diameter base end of the acoustic resonator to allow a piston to reciprocate at very small amplitude axially at high speed;    a valve device at a top end of the acoustic resonator to suck fluid and discharge it from the acoustic resonator according to pressure fluctuation in the acoustic resonator involved by reciprocating motion of the piston;    a gas guide that covers the acoustic resonator with a space and opens at a base end; and    a fan at a top end of the gas guide to forward fluid to cool the valve device to reduce temperature gradient between a base and a top end of the acoustic resonator.    
   
   
       2 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 1  wherein the fan is electrically driven.  
   
   
       3 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 2 , further comprising a temperature sensor on the acoustic resonator for detecting temperature of the acoustic resonator to control electricity supply to the fan.  
   
   
       4 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 3 , further comprising a control unit connected to the temperature sensor and the fan to control the electricity supply to the fan on the basis of temperature detected by the temperature sensor.  
   
   
       5 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 1  wherein the fan is driven by a compressed-air actuating turbine.  
   
   
       6 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 5  wherein the fluid discharged from the acoustic resonator via the valve device is forwarded to the compressed-air-actuating turbine to allow the fan to be driven.  
   
   
       7 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 6 , further comprising a regulating valve for regulating fluid from the acoustic resonator, degree of opening of the regulating valve being controlled by a temperature sensor on the acoustic resonator.  
   
   
       8 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 6  wherein fluid discharged from the compressed-air-actuating turbine is forwarded into the acoustic resonator for cooling.  
   
   
       9 . An acoustic fluid machine of  claim 8  wherein the fluid forwarded into the acoustic compressor is cooled by a cooling fin of the compressed-air-actuating turbine.