The　pressure　wave　refrigerator　represents　a　simple　arrangement　for　gas　cooling　by　its　decompression　and　has　many　applications　in　chemical　processes　and　energy　transformation.　The　mechanism　of　the　cooling　effect　of　oscillatory　tube　is　the　conversion　of　the　pressure　energy　of　gas　to　heat　through　the　movement　of　pressure　waves,　which　are　moving　shock　wave　and　unsteady　expansion　wave.　In　the　present　paper,　the　regular　pattern　of　incident　shock　wave　attenuation　and　its　influence　on　the　performance　of　pressure　wave　refrigerator　are　investigated　by　means　of　a　single-tube　set　up.　In　the　experiments,　the　expansion　ratio　is　from　2.0　to　6.0,　the　relative　length　of　the　oscillatory　tube　L/d　is　from　87　to　737,　and　the　exciting　frequency　is　from　10　Hz　to　240　Hz.　The　experimental　results　show　that　the　relative　strength　of　incident　shock　wave　is　reduced　with　the　increase　of　relative　position　in　length　x/L　because　the　energy　of　the　reflected　shock　wave　is　exhausted　by　the　viscosity　and　friction　of　the　gas　inside　the　tube.　The　other　reason　is　the　result　of　the　gas　in　the　tube　pressurized　and　heated　by　the　shock　wave.　The　shock　wave　strength　is　also　influenced　by　transmission　and　reflection　effects　resulted　from　the　reflected　shock　wave.　When　the　tube　is　relatively　short,　the　relative　strength　of　incident　shock　wave　is　less　reduced　as　the　tube　length　decreases,　while　the　strength　of　the　reflected　shock　wave　at　the　closed　end　of　the　tube　increases.　The　maximum　refrigeration　efficiency　ηmax　of　the　refrigerator　increases　with　the　tube　length,　but　the　value　of　ηmax　is　not　affected　obviously　when　the　tube　length　increases　to　some　value.　The　recommended　optimal　tube　length　L/d　is　300-435　for　the　tube　in　this　experiment.　It　helps　to　improve　the　performance　of　the　pressure　wave　refrigerator　under　variable　work　condition　when　the　amplitude　of　the　refrigeration　efficiency　fluctuation　is　reduced　as　the　length　increases.　The　relative　strength　of　the　incident　shock　wave　attenuation　is　concerned　with　the　gas　Reynolds　number　and　Mach　number　in　the　front　of　the　incident　shock　wave　and　the　ratio　of　length　to　diameter.　The　attenuation　formula　is　obtained　by　the　dimensional　analysis　and　experimental　data,　and　the　results　are　in　good　agreement　with　the　experimental　data.　The　maximum　error　is　5.70%.　©　All　Rights　Reserved