Title: Exergetical analysis and design optimisation of the Stirling engine

Authors: N. Martaj, L. Grosu, P. Rochelle

Addresses: Laboratoire d'Energetique et d'Economie d'Energie, 1, chemin Desvallieres, 92 410 Ville d'Avray, France. ' Laboratoire d'Energetique et d'Economie d'Energie, 1, chemin Desvallieres, 92 410 Ville d'Avray, France. ' Laboratoire d'Energetique et d'Economie d'Energie, 1, chemin Desvallieres, 92 410 Ville d'Avray, and Laboratoire de Mecanique Physique, 2, av. de la Gare de Ceinture, 78310 Saint Cyr l'Ecole, France

Abstract: A detailed design optimisation study of an endo- and exoirreversible Stirling engine is carried out. After energetic, entropic and exergetic analyses of the hot-end and cold-end heat exchangers of the engine, an adapted model of the engine, including the heat exchangers and the regenerator, is proposed to optimise the distribution of the limited heat exchangers| total area. Power generation, thermal efficiency, entropy generation and exergetic efficiency are used as successive objective functions. This approach, based on finite dimension thermodynamics, shows the influence of the limiting physical constraints and time-dependant parameters, such as heat transfer, on the optimisation of the machine operation. It allows us to find the best distribution of heat exchanger area for the optimisation of each objective function.

Keywords: exergy analysis; thermodynamic irreversibilities; design optimisation; Stirling engines; heat exchangers; power generation; thermal efficiency; entropy generation; exergy efficiency; heat transfer.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2006.008325

International Journal of Exergy, 2006 Vol.3 No.1, pp.45 - 67

Published online: 04 Dec 2005 *

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