Computational Fluid Dynamic Modeling of Pressure Drop through Wire Mesh Screen Regenerators

The use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model complex cryocooler components and systems has been rare until the last few years. With more computational power and robust CFD codes available, the ability to create CFD models is becoming a reality. Efforts to characterize and predict flow through the regenerator have been ongoing for 50 years. Use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to predict pressure drop through regenerator wire mesh screens would facilitate development of a cryocooler system model. Three types of CFD regenerator models are presented. The modeling results are compared and the most promising candidate for integration into a system level model is discussed.