FABRICATION OF A LOW TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL STIRLING ENGINE

Abstract

In recent years, understanding of the stirling engine has enjoyed considerable growth. Research and development on the stirling engine has steady progressed, and many new insights, inventions, and potential applications have many discovered and explored. One of the most exciting recent developments is the so called “low temperature differential” stirling engine. This new type of stirling is capable of running on very small differences in temperature between the hot and cold sides, or better to say, between the warm and cool sides. Low temperature differential stirling engine have been built that run on differentials ranging from just under 100°C (180°F) down to an incredible 1/2°C (1°F). This means that stirling engines can now utilize low grade heat sources for their operation ranging from passive solar or geothermal energy to industrial process waste heat. Weather low temperature differential stirling engines can be put to practical use is an open question and still the subject of ongoing research and development work is being carried out worldwide at universities, government laboratories, and in private sector. The objective of this project was to examine the history and development of Stirling Engines and through the process of examination, take the concepts and fundamental Characteristics of Stirling engines, and build a working model. The ultimate goal of this Project was to create a reproduction of James Senft’s N-92 Low Temperature Differential Stirling Engine and also built another N-92 model stirling engine with rescaling of its size and then analyze their performance, make some comparisons between two models and also fine out various difficulties of this fabrication technique.