Thermodynamic Study on Optimal Solar Stirling Engine Cycle Taking Into Account the Irreversibilities Effects

Looking for an engine cycle with height output, multi-source of energy and less polluting pushes to reconsider the Stirling cycle. Several prototypes of engine were produced (Ford-Philips 4-215, Ross yoke, GPU-3... etc), but their performances remain weak compared with other types of internal combustion engine. In order to increase their performances and to analyze their operations, a numerical program of simulation taking into account thermal and mechanical losses was developed and a study of optimization of the design parameters was elaborated. The program which was applied to GPU-3 prototype of the General Motor gave results very close to the experimental results and leads to the optimization of the operating conditions. It also leads to the determination of the optimal values of the geometrical and physical design parameters of the prototype and to the increase of its performances as long as the working gas pressure is maintained acceptable of the working gas in the engine.