ME 400: Project & Thesis

Design & Simulation of an Alpha Type Stirling Engine

Accomplished by:

Md. Reaz Mohiuddin (Student # 0210022)

Nusair Mohammed Ibn Hasan (Student # 0210049)
Under the Supervision of

Dr. Md. Ehsan

Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)

Stirling Cycle
Reverend Dr. Robert Stirling (Patented in 1816)

Thermodynamic Processes

Isothermal Expansion

Isochoric Displacement

Isothermal Compression

Isochoric Displacement

Engine Characteristics & Applications

Multi Fuel Capability
Quiet Operation
Flat Part Load Characteristics
Low Pollutant Emissions
Low Cycle Torque Variation
Higher Manufacturing Cost
Lower Seal Reliability
Complex Control System

CHP Applications
Stirling Cryocoolers
Nuclear Power
Geothermal Energy
LTD Engines

Classification

Alpha Type

configuration

Beta Type

Gamma Type

configuration

Design Criteria
Design Working Temperatures:

Th 150oC

Tc 25oC

carnot 30 %
Design Heat Input: 200W

Power Output (Indicated):

60W

Inadequate Design Info.

Unavailability of Ready Made Parts

Material Limitations

Machining Limitations

Initial Experimentation

Experimentation Video

Alpha Type Stirling Engine

Mathematical Modeling

First Order

Second Order

Third Order

Isothermal

Adiabatic

Mathematical Modeling (contd.)

Ideal Gas Equation: PV = mRT

Working Fluid: air

Initial Pressurization: none

Total System Mass: Constant

Piston Motion: sinusoidal

At t = 0:

Regenerator Temp: Th
M = P (V
(Vh / Th + Vt / Tr + Vr / Tr + Vc / Tc) / R

System Pressure:P
Pressure: P = MR / (V
(Vh / Th + Vt / Tr + Vr / Tr + Vc / Tc)

Computer Simulation

SIMULINK Model

Time Dependency

Masked System

Conversion of to t

Computer Simulation (contd.)

Basic User Interface

Dimensional Variables

System Initialization

Computer Simulation (contd.)

Fabrication Stage
Hot End:

Cylinder with inner groove

Dead Volume for Heating

Fabrication Stage (contd.)

Cold End:

Cylinder with thread

Water Jacket

Fabrication Stage (contd.)

Piston & Connecting Rod:

Fabrication Stage (contd.)

Crank & Flywheel:

Generates Sinusoidal Piston Motion

90o Phase Angle

Result Analysis
150 C

100 C

75 C

1.65

1.55

pressure (bar)

1.45

1.35

1.25

1.15

1.05
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

tim e (sec)

Plot : variation of system pressure with time (crank angle) and hot end temperature

Result Analysis (contd.)

20 C

25 C

0.8

30 C

1.65

1.55

pressure (bar)

1.45

1.35

1.25

1.15

1.05
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

1.2

1.4

1.6

tim e (sec)

Plot : variation of system pressure with time (crank angle) and cold end temperature

1.8

Result Analysis (contd.)

Hot End PP-V Diagram

100 C

150 C

75 C

1.65

1.65

1.55

1.55

1.45

1.45
pressure (bar)

pressure (bar)

150 C

Cold End PP-V Diagram

1.35

1.25

1.15

1.15

3.00E-05

3.50E-05

4.00E-05

4.50E-05

5.00E-05

5.50E-05

volum e (m 3)

Plot : hot end PV diagram @ different hot end temperatures

6.00E-05

6.50E-05

75 C

1.35

1.25

1.05
2.50E-05

100 C

1.05
5.00E-06

1.00E-05

1.50E-05

2.00E-05

tim e (sec)

Plot : cold end PV diagram @ different hot end temperatures

2.50E-05

Result Analysis (contd.)

Effect of SIMULINK Solver Plot 12.8: hot end PV diagram using variable step solver

1.65

1.65

1.55

1.55

1.45

1.45
pressure (bar)

pressure (bar)

Plot 12.7: hot end PV diagram using fixed step solver

1.35

1.35

1.25

1.25

1.15

1.15

1.05
2.50E-05

3.00E-05

3.50E-05

4.00E-05

4.50E-05

5.00E-05

5.50E-05

6.00E-05

volum e (m 3)

ODE3 Solver with Fixed Step

6.50E-05

1.05
2.50E-05

3.00E-05

3.50E-05

4.00E-05

4.50E-05

5.00E-05

5.50E-05

6.00E-05

volum e (m 3)

ODE3 Solver with Variable Step

6.50E-05

Fundamental Study
Incorporating PI and TI

Pressure Gauge

Read--Out
Thermocouple Read

Fundamental Study
Case 1: the hot piston is moved manually keeping the cold piston fixed
Case 2: the cold piston is moved manually keeping the hot piston fixed
theoretical

experimental

theoretical

experimental

1.25

1.4

1.35
1.2
1.3

pressure (bar)

pressure (bar)

1.25

1.2

1.15

1.15

1.1

1.1
1.05
1.05

1
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

tim e (sec)

Plot : variation of system pressure with time (crank angle) without cold end motion

Case - 1

0.5

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

tim e (sec)

Plot 12.6: variation of system pressure with time (crank angle) without hot end motion

Case - 2

0.5

Conclusion

Recommendation

Incorporation of Quick Heating Arrangement

Redesigning the Flywheel

Reduction in Dead Volume

Incorporation of a Regenerator

Initial Pressurization

Working Gas

Thank You