Montana Tech LibraryDigital Commons @ Montana Tech

2018 Undergraduate Research Other Undergraduate Research

Summer 2018

Increasing the Efficiency of a Stirling Engine UsingMechanical ResonanceRebekah RussellMontana Tech

Peter LuconMontana Tech

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Recommended CitationRussell, Rebekah and Lucon, Peter, "Increasing the Efficiency of a Stirling Engine Using Mechanical Resonance" (2018). 2018Undergraduate Research. 12.https://digitalcommons.mtech.edu/urp_aug_2018/12

Increasing the Efficiency of a Stirling

Engine Using Mechanical Resonance

Rebekah Russell

Mentor: Dr. Peter Lucon

Stirling Engines Mathematical Models

This work was supported by Montana Tech’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). We thank Dr. Peter Lucon and Ms. Paige Payne for their assistance on the project.

Standard Models

Pressure-Volume Model

Once the results met the specification requirements, the results from the resonance model, displacement amplitude and frequency, were input into the pressure and volume (PV) model (based on the ideal gas relations). Output Values:

Pressures for various volumes Graph comparing resonant, ideal, and practical

cycles

Resonance Model

Configuration selection: beta-type Pictured left Associated free body diagrams

Systems of equations created Mathematically coded into a

MathCAD model to generate solutions.

Solutions included: Displacement results

Corresponded with the driving frequencies

Reported in graphical form. The data was analyzed and the system

parameters were iterated upon to meet specifications for a conceptual prototype to be fabricated and tested.

A Stirling Engine typically operates: On a closed cycle of compression and expansion With two pistons With three different configurations based on

piston configuration Alpha Beta gamma.

With hot and cold gas regions creating a pressure differential, forcing the pistons to oscillate at nominally 90° out of phase from each other

The mechanical oscillation is mechanical energy, which can be converted to electrical energy when coupled with a voice coil .

These three commercially available Stirling engines were used to test the validity of our models. The resonance model will eventually be designed into a beta-type engine.