Investigations to Conduct a Study about Possibilities to Use Small Scale Solar Dish Stirling Engine System in Thailand

This research studies the possibilities of generating electricity by using small scale solar dish Stirling engine system in Thailand. A solar dish Stirling engine system was evaluated and designed as prototypes for Thailand. The performance of system for electricity generation was also simulated under Thai climate condition. The results of the study can be structured in two parts. First is testing the existing Stirling engine and second is simulation the electricity generation by solar dish Stirling engine system prototype in Thailand. The existing Stirling engine at the Komplexlabor of the FH – Stralsund University, Germany was tested to understand the characteristics of the operating system. Stirling engine was operated at temperature of about 800 o C in the combustion chamber, being its nominal rotational speed 1,517 rpm. Finally, the average Stirling engine efficiency was established in 22%. The results of simulation on solar dish Stirling engine were that the main components for a prototype of a solar dish Stirling engine system in Thailand shall consist of a Stirling engine with a nominal power of 25 kW, and a 131 m2 dish concentrator. It can generate electricity about 27,946 kWh/year of electricity under Thai climate condition. During the working process, the heat lost on dish concentrator was 22% and heat lost within the Stirling engine was 60.84%. The system efficiency of this solar dish Stirling engine system was 17%.