Innovative integration of thermoacoustic technology in architectural design for sustainable cooling: A conceptual design

This study presents a pioneering approach to energy harvesting by utilizing airport noise and sound wave energy for supply power input to thermoacoustic refrigeration, marking the first exploration of its integration within architectural design. The thermoacoustic system collects sound waves from the airport environment and uses this acoustic energy to produce a portion of the air conditioning cooling required for airport buildings. By harnessing the potential of sound vibrations, this research integrates thermoacoustic technology into architectural design to create an innovative cooling system that minimizes environmental impact. Collectors are considered the link between the thermoacoustic system and the building’s façade, directing sound waves to the thermoacoustic system and serving as essential terminal architecture components. Through simulations conducted via DeltaEC, key parameters affecting the coefficient of performance (COP) and system dynamics, such as regenerator specifications, cooler cross-section, and heat exchanger plate spacing, are analyzed to identify optimal configurations for maximizing cooling performance. The study examined component interactions by analyzing acoustic intensity, pressure, and velocity phase difference (θ PU ) distribution, as well as variations in velocity and pressure amplitudes in the refrigerator regenerator, highlighting how design parameter changes impact the system's flow fields. Additionally, Sensitivity analysis reveals that the cooler cross-section and regenerator length primarily influence the refrigerator's performance indices. This particular system successfully attains a COP Tot of 1.75. • This paper introduces the Integration of thermoacoustics with the architectural design of airports. • A conceptual design harnessing airport noise to power a thermoacoustic refrigerator is proposed. • A novel thermoacoustic refrigerator driven by acoustic energy near airports is designed and optimized. • An energy analysis is conducted to assess how regenerator specifications impact system performance. • A numerical analysis predicts the impact of design parameters on thermoacoustic system performance.