The myth of the high-efficiency external-combustion Stirling engine

Riley, Paul Howard (2015) The myth of the high-efficiency external-combustion Stirling engine. Engineering, 7 (12). pp. 789-795. ISSN 1947-394X

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Abstract

The reported discrepancy between theory and experiment for external combustion Stirling engines is explained by the addition of thermal resistance of the combustion gasses to the standard Carnot model. In these cases, the Stirling engine ideal efficiency is not as is normally reported equal to the Carnot cycle efficiency but is significantly lower. A new equation for ideal Stirling engine efficiency when the heat is obtained through external combustion without pre-heating the air, is presented and results for various fuels tabulated. The results show that petrol and diesel, internal combustion engines (Otto cycle) have a higher ideal efficiency than the Stirling engine. When comparing thermoacoustic engines heated by wood, efficiency should not be quoted as a percentage of the Carnot efficiency, but against a figure 48% lower than Carnot. The effect is not seen with electrically heated rigs, solar or nuclear fission heated engines.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/769138
Keywords: Carnot cycle; Stirling cycle; Rankine cycle; Otto Cycle; Thermoacoustic; Heat-engine, External combustion; Internal combustion; Combustion-thermal-resistance
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Engineering > Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.4236/eng.2015.712068
Depositing User: Riley, Dr Paul
Date Deposited: 10 Jan 2018 11:40
Last Modified: 04 May 2020 17:26
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/49016

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