Experimental investigations of the externally heated valve engine model

Abstract

The experimental investigations of the first model of the externally heated valve engine carried out during 1998-9 are the subject of this paper. The working gas of the engine is air. A detailed description of the engine equipped with two consecutively working heaters is given. Two kinds of heaters were constructed and investigated. The experimental stand and the measurement system are described. In this first stage of the engine investigation, electric radiators were used as the external source of heat. The main aim of the experimental investigations was focused on measurements of time-dependent pressures inside the expander and compressor cylinders. The pressures were measured by means of two kinds of pressure transducers (piezoresistive and piezoelectric) to get confidence in the obtained results. The conducted investigations prove that The engine model has an operating ability. Comparisons of the experimental and theoretical pressures inside the expander and compressor show a satisfactory agreement. It confirms that the engine operates according to the original thermodynamical cycle and exhibits the internal power and efficiency predicted by the computer simulation. The experiences gained during these investigations have been used to modify the engine model, which is outlined in this paper.