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Similarity design and experimental investigation of a beta‐type Stirling engine with a rhombic drive mechanism
Author(s) -
Duan Chen,
Sun Chuan,
Shu Shuiming,
Ding Guozhong,
Jing Changwei,
Chang Jinxing
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.3226
Subject(s) - stirling engine , heat exchanger , mechanical engineering , automotive engineering , thermocouple , stirling cycle , torque , dynamometer , heat engine , power (physics) , test bench , external combustion engine , work output , engineering , work (physics) , crank , bar (unit) , electrical engineering , thermodynamics , combustion chamber , chemistry , cylinder , physics , organic chemistry , combustion , meteorology
Summary Stirling engines are power machines that operate over a closed, regenerative thermodynamic cycle with the ability to use any heat source from the outside, including hydrogen, solar energy, and biomass fuels. In this work, the development of a beta‐type Stirling engine is presented. The improved similarity design and optimization methods are described in detail, as are the key parameters of the constructed prototype and the arrangement of the entire test rig. A new structure for the expansion exchangers is developed to reduce the flow loss. The performance test of the prototype engine is conducted under laboratory conditions using an electrical heating system. In this test, the temperature and the pressure of the working fluid are monitored by thermocouples and pressure sensors, respectively. The speed and the torque of the output shaft are obtained by the dynamometer. Finally, the preliminary test results with the prototype engine are shown. The maximum output shaft power can reach 288 W at 600°C and 15‐bar charge pressure. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.