Modeling of the dynamic characteristics and performance of a four-cylinder double-acting Stirling engine

In this article, a theoretical model that combines thermodynamic and dynamic models is proposed for predicting the performance and transient behavior of a double-acting Stirling engine with four cylinders. A thermodynamic model is used for predicting the variation of thermal properties of working fluid. The temperature of a regenerator matrix is also solved. The volume variations of working chamber in the thermodynamic model are obtained by solving the dynamic model simultaneously. In this study, wobble yoke mechanism is adopted. The dynamic properties of the linking mechanism, such as displacement, velocity, and acceleration are solved by the dynamic model. The shaft power and total efficiency of the engine under different operating conditions and with different design parameters can be simulated. The simulation results show that the present engine can reach the maximum power of 1099 W at 1312 rpm with the total efficiency 19%. The model can be further applied to double-acting Stirling engine design and modification.