Thermodynamic analysis of the Stirling heat engine with regenerative losses and internal irreversibilities

Abstract

A model of an irreversible cycle of the Stirling heat engine, using air as the working substance, has been established. Several irreversibilities due to the non-adiabatic regenerator dead volumes of hot space, cold space, and regenerator that the regenerator effective temperature is an arithmetic mean of the heater and cooler temperature. In addition, the general irreversibilities of the non-quasistatic cycle are taken into account. Numerical simulation is performed and the effects of the regenerator effectiveness and dead volumes are studied. Some fundamental optimal relations and general performance characteristic curves of the cycle are obtained. The results from this study indicate that the engine net work is affected by the cycle irreversibilities, while the heat input and engine efficiency are affected by both the regenerator effectiveness and dead volumes. It is concluded that the system operating temperature and the overall system efficiency depend on the internal irreversibility of the heat engine.