Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Design And Optimization Of A 1 Kw Stirling Engine, Garrett Tyler Rinker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Stirling engines are often overlooked as a means of energy conversion, though its versatility offers many advantages. Since it is an external combustion engine, it can be supplied with heat through the combustion of a variety of fuels. Its maintenance- and degradation-free aspects, as well as its excellent turn down ratio, make it a suitable candidate for applications such as remote power generation, combined heat and power (CHP), cryogenics, solar power, and even space exploration. The continual advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) offers opportunity to potentially further improve the already efficient Stirling cycle. This dissertation presents the design and optimization …