Experimental study of a thermoacoustic termination of a traveling-wave tube

Much of the recent experimental work in thermoacoustics has concentrated on standing wave systems. A recent analysis of traveling-wave thermoacoustics [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 94, 2232–2239 (1993)] prompted an experimental study. The measurements presented herein confirm theoretical predictions that the work done on a traveling wave is thermoacoustic in nature and not due to a Stirling cycle. Experimental response curves are given for two different terminations and compared to theory. The thermoacoustic effect provides a modest change in the reflected and transmitted amplitudes.