PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

OF
SOLAR STIRLING ENGINE
 PROJECT MEMBERS
☼ G.nikesh (RA1611002020034)
☼ C.hiteshwar reddy (RA1611002020058)
☼ M.saravanan (RA1611002020066)

PROJECT GUIDE

Mr.P.MOHAN RAJ
 ABSTRACT:
 This paper investigates the challenges in developing a solar
powered Stirling engine for domestic electricity generation.
All the system components, the parabolic troughs, heat
transfer fluid and the Stirling engine are individually
analysed. The analysis includes a market survey and
performance assessments of such components. A
mathematical analysis for the Stirling engine is carried out
in order to understand the affect of varies parameters with
the work output per cycle and the engine efficiency. Such
parameters are the phase angle between pistons, the
diameter ratio of the power and displacer piston, and
change in temperature.
 INTRODUCTION
☼ A Stirling Engine is a heat engine that operates by cyclic
compression and expansion of air or other gas at different
temperatures, such that there is a net conversion of heat energy into
mechanical work.
☼ A Stirling engine which uses solar heat energy for operation is
known as a Solar Stirling Engine
☼ This engine is like a steam engine in that all heat transfer takes
place through the engine wall hence is traditionally known as an
external combustion engine.
☼ Solar stirling engine encloses a fixed quantity of permanently
gaseous fluid such as air or helium.
☼ The general cycle consists of compressing cool gas, heating the
gas, expanding the hot gas, and finally cooling the gas before
repeating the cycle.
☼ There are basically three configuration of Stirling Engines
☼ The Alpha configuration
☼ The Beta configuration
☼ The gamma configuration

☼ This project is about a Gamma type Stirling engine because of

its ability to operate at low temperature differences
 LITERATURE REVIEW
S.no. Journal title Author Inference
1 AB12 3UE, Stirling • Dr John S. Reid, • The basic history and
Stuff Department of concepts of Stirling
Physics, Meston engine is explained
Building, • The indicator diagram for
University of an ideal Stirling engine is
Aberdeen detailed.
2 Energy Conversion and • Mohamed A. • This article presents a
Management, Sharaf Eldean performance study of
Performance analysis of using different working
different working gases • Khwaja M. Rafi fluids (gases) to power on
for concentrated solar Concentrated Solar Gas
gas engines • A.M. Soliman Engine
• The survey purported to
increase the solar gas
engine efficiency hence;
decreasing the price of the
output power.
S.no. Journal title Author Inference

3 Renewable and • Bancha • Results from the study

Sustainable Energy Kongtragool indicate that solar-
Reviews powered low temperature
7 (2003) 131–154 • Somchai differential Stirling
A review of solar-powered Wongwises engines with vertical,
Stirling engines and double-acting, gamma-
low temperature configuration are
differential Stirling potentially attractive
engines engines of the future

4 Applied Energy 139 • Ramla Gheith • Different materials are

(2015) 272–280 experimented for the
Determination of adequate • Fethi Aloui optimization of the
regenerator for a Gamma- Stirling engine
type Stirling • Sassi Ben regenerator and Stainless
engine Nasrallah steel was the material that
best satisfies the
requirements
S.no. Journal title Author Inference

5 Renewable Energy 32 • Bancha • The engine is tested

(2007) 547–566 Kongtragool with various heat
Performance of low- • Somchai inputs. Variations of
temperature Wongwises engine torque, shaft
differential power and brake
Stirling engines thermal efficiency at
various heat inputs
with engine speed and
engine performance
are presented.
6 ISSN 2091-2730 • Alok kumar1 • Formulas for calculating
Design and Testing of different components of
Solar Powered Stirling • Dinesh Kumar1 the Stirling engine is
Engine provided.
• Ritesh Kumar
 PROBLEM STATEMENTS
☼The main problem faced by many Stirling engines is that it
requires a larger temperature differences to operate.

☼ High intensity solar radiation will not be available all the time
to generate large temperature differences.

☼ The proposed model is to be designed and Analysed in such a

manner to overcome the above stated problems.
PROBLEM SOLVING
 The receving part need to change to cover the motor and
prevent the cold cylinder from overheating.
 • The solar traking systim need more ajusment and
changing the LDER and cable of LDER to more bigger
LDER and low resistanse cabel.
 • Covering the cable which come from the engine and
LDER cable to prevent them from heating.
 OBJECTIVE
 The main objective of this study is to design a Low
Temperature Differential (LTD) Solar Stirling Engine and to
analyse the performance of the LTD Solar Stirling Engine
under various temperature ratios.

 The study extends to compare the performance of the engine

while using different working fluids.

 The different working fluids include Air, Helium, Ammonia

etc.
 METHODOLOGY
Calculation of design
Journal Research
parameters

Concept
Final design
Familiarisation

Concept Design Fabrication

Performance Analysis
BLOCK DIAGRAM
PROJECT CONCEPT
DESIGN
DESIGN
 PART DISCRIPTION
 Displacer cylinder and Displacer:
 The polycarbonate displacer cylinder is clearly visible here
so as the expanded Nylon displacer. It is desirable to keep
the clearance between the displacer and inside diameter of
the displacer cylinder as small as possible, but the two must
not touch because the friction will slow or stop the engine.
 Power cylinder and Piston
 The power cylinder will be mounted on the cold plate. A
tube brings the gas over to another fitting so that it enters
the cold end of the displacer cylinder. The power cylinder is
just a length of brass tubing. The power piston is machined
from an aluminium rod to slide easily inside the brass tube
but with very little excess clearance. Aluminium and brass
have similar thermal expansion coefficients.
 Crankshaft and flywheel:
 The crankshaft in the Fig is a precision ground metal shaft to fit
the ball bearings. The shaft extends from the cranks placed on
either side of the shaft. Phasing of the power piston and displacer
is set by the angle between the crank pins in the crank disks on
the crankshaft (90 degrees).The flywheel is welded to the crank
shaft and is made up of a 5mm thick mild steel plate. The
flywheel and crank shaft assembly is supported by two supports
mounted with bearings.
 DESIGN CALCULATION
Hot cylinder calculations:
 Assuming a pressure of 2 bar =0.2MN/m2
 External diameter of hot cylinder (Do)= 45mm
 Thickness of cylinder(Thc)= P*D/2σt =0.2*45/2*48
Thc= 0.0937 mm≈1.5mm(due to standard size of tube)
 Internal diameter of hot cylinder (Di)= 45-2*1.5=42mm
 Length of hot cylinder (Lh)= 2* Di=90mm
Hot(Displacer) piston calculations:
 Diameter of hot piston (Dp)= 42-2=40mm (1mm clearance on
each side)
 Length of hot piston (Lp)= 50mm
 DESIGN CALCULATION
Cold cylinder calculations:
 Assuming a pressure of 2 bar = 0.2MN/m2
 External diameter of cold cylinder (do)= 18mm
 Thickness of cold cylinder (tcc)=P*do/2*σt= 0.2*18/2*68
tcc=0.027mm=1.5mm (due to standard size of tube)
 Internal diameter of cold cylinder (di)= 18-3= 15mm
 Length of cold cylinder (lc)= 22.5mm

Cold piston calculations:

 Diameter of cold piston (dp)= 16mm
 Length of cold piston (lp)= 25mm
 DESIGN CALCULATION
Calculations of flywheel:
 Shaft diameter (Ds)=10mm
 Diameter of the flywheel(Df)= 112.5mm
 Thickness of the rim (tf) = 5mm
 Taking a speed of 600 RPM
 We have speed (n)= 600/60 = 10rev/s
 Change in energy E= CE*P/n = 0.29*5/10= 0.145J
 Weight of the flywheel = 0.75Kg
 Velocity of the wheel = π*Df*n = π*112.5*10=3.5m/s
 COST ESTIMATION
PART NO PART NAME MATERIAL COST
(RS)

1. Power cylinder Bronze 200

2. Power piston Aluminium 100

3. Displacer Cylinder Polycarbonate 250

4. Displacer Piston Nylon 200

5. Cold end Aluminium 350

6. Engine base Wood 200

 COST ESTIMATION
PART NO PART NAME MATERIAL COST
(RS)
7. Hot end Mild steel 300

8. Top cover Mild Steel 300

9. Flywheel Mild Steel 100

10. Bearing stand Mild Steel 200

11. Bearing Steel 200

12. Connecting rod Aluminium 200

13. Fasteners Stainless steel 200

TOTAL COST=Material Cost+ Manufacturing Cost

=2800 + 3000
= 5800
 RESULTS

The results clearly shows that the speeds attained by this low
temperature differential Stirling engine at the recorded
temperatures is much higher than the speeds of alpha and beta
stirling engines at the same temperature ranges. Hence considering
the temperature range on which the current Stirling engine works
is much appreciable and the possibility for the other configurations
to operate at low temperatures is very minimal.
 CONCLUSION
 Most renewable energy methods have harmful effects on the
environment which cause risk for all beings. Power Plant like
Thermal, Nuclear and Hydro Electrical Power Plants, have high
generation capacity but they destroy nature very bad as it may not
recover again.
 If we compare this method with other photovoltaic systems we will
find it the best one because of its low cost and high reliability. It
works by concentrating sun solar in one point to heat the gas exists
in the Stirling motor and rising the pressure inside which cause
power on the shaft as there is cold gas with high pressure
(relatively) both at the same time cause torque and that allows us
generate electricity. Making use of the solar energy as cheapest
renewable energy and highest efficiencies clear is the aim in this
project. For our future finding clean new methods to generate
power and support related researches had better be a goal.
 REFERENCE
☼Dr John S. Reid, Department of Physics, Meston Building,
University of Aberdeen, Stirling Stuff, AB12 3UE.
☼ Mohamed A. Sharaf Eldean,Khwaja M. Rafi,A.M. Soliman,
Performance analysis of different working gases for
concentrated solar gas engines, Energy Conversion and
Management
☼ Bancha Kongtragool,Somchai Wongwises, A review of solar-
powered Stirling engines and low temperature differential
Stirling engines, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 7
(2003) 131–154
☼ Ramla Gheith,Fethi Aloui,Sassi Ben Nasrallah, Determination
of adequate regenerator for a Gamma-type Stirling engine,
Applied Energy 139 (2015) 272–280.
☼ Bancha Kongtragool, Somchai Wongwises, Performance of
low-temperature differential Stirling engines, Renewable
Energy 32 (2007) 547–566.
☼ Alok kumar1, Dinesh Kumar1, Ritesh Kumar, Design and
Testing of Solar Powered Stirling Engine, ISSN 2091-2730.
ADVANTAGES:


 - The silence of operation : there is no expansion in the atmosphere

like in the case of an internal combustion engine, combustion is
continuous outside of the cylinders. In addition, its design is such as
the engine is easy to balance and generates few vibrations.
- The high efficiency : it is function of the temperatures of the hot
and cold sources. As it is possible to make it work in cogeneration
(mechanical and caloric powers), the overall efficiency can be very
high.
- The multitude of possible “hot sources” : combustion of various
gases, wood, sawdust, waste, solar or geothermic energy...
- The ecological aptitude to respond to the environmental
requirements on air pollution. It is easier to achieve a complete
combustion in this type of engine.
- Reliability and easy maintenance: : the technological simplicity
makes it possible to have engines with a very great reliability and
requiring little maintenance.
- An important lifetime because of its “rusticity”.
- The very diverse uses because of its autonomy and adaptability to
the needs and the different kinds of hot sources (from mW to MW).
DISADVANTAGES:
 - The price : its cost is probably the most important problem, it is not
yet competitive with other means well established. A generalization of
its employment should solve this problem inherent in any novelty.
- The ignorance of this type of engine by the general public. Only a
few fans know it exists. It is therefore necessary to promote it.
- The variety of models prevents standardization and, consequently,
lower prices.
- The problems of sealing are difficult to solve as soon as one wishes
to have high pressures of operation. The choice of “ideal” gas would be
hydrogen for its lightness and its capacity to absorb the calories, but its
ability to diffuse through materials is a great disadvantage.
- Heat transfers with a gas are delicate and often require bulky
apparatuses.
- The lack of flexibility : the fast and effective variations of power are
difficult to obtain with a Stirling engine. This one is more qualified to
run with a constant nominal output. This point is a great handicap for
an utilisation in car industry.
THANK YOU