A Novel Decision Approach for the Performance Analysis of a Gamma-Type Double Piston Stirling Engine

Abstract

Stirling engines represent a category of external heat transfer engines that demonstrate versatility by harnessing various heat sources, including solar energy, bio-mass, conventional fuel, and nuclear power. Achieving high thermal efficiency in power production has been a paramount concern driving researchers across the globe to focus on developing Stirling engines. A gamma-type double-piston Stirling engine has been carefully selected for detailed analysis in this research endeavour. A polytropic model is employed in the investigation to gain deeper insights into the engine’s behaviour. The outcomes derived from the polytropic analysis are subsequently compared with a classical adiabatic analysis. Remarkably, the polytropic approach significantly outperforms the classical adiabatic analysis in enhancing the overall performance of the Stirling engine. The power and efficiency obtained from the ideal polytropic analysis were 90.30 W, which is very close to the ideal adiabatic and experimental efficiency. The results hold significant promise for advancing the efficiency and practical application of Stirling engines, reinforcing their position as a prominent contender in pursuing sustainable and highly efficient power generation technologies.

Keywords

• stirling engine
• thermodynamics
• power
• efficiency
• polytropic