Performance Testing of A Gamma Type Stirling Engine For Different Cooling Mediums

IPASJ International Journal of Mechanical Engineering (IIJME)
Web Site: http://www.ipasj.org/IIJME/IIJME.htm

Email: editoriijme@ipasj.org
ISSN 2321-6441
A Publisher for Research Motivation........
Volume 4, Issue 3, March 2016
Performance testing of a gamma type Stirling

engine for different cooling mediums
Sumit Banerjee*1, Krishanu Ganguly2, Bhushan Dewangan3, Rajeev Kumar4
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, BIT Mesra

*
Corresponding author
ABSTRACT
In this study, the performance parameters of a gamma type Low Temperature Differential Stirling engine was studied under
the effect of different cooling mediums. The cold end of the displacer cylinder of the Stirling engine was provided with a
cooling chamber through which the coolants were pumped and circulated continuously. The performance characteristics were
tested for three different coolants i.e. Simple water, ethylene Glycol based coolant and propylene glycol based coolant. The
maximum torque observed is 1.42 Nm at 110 rpm for ethylene glycol based coolant and maximum shaft power observed was
28.1658 W at 234 rpm for propylene glycol based coolant.
Keywords: Gamma type Stirling engine, coolants, Solar energy, torque
1. INTRODUCTION
The focus on renewable energy and green energy technologies in recent days is due to the negative environmental
impact of the thermal power station; which is still the main source of power all over the world. The power generation
technologies with negligible or no harmful emissions are known as Green Energy Technology. In this century, the earth
is seriously in the need of an effective green energy technology. Researchers from different sectors are trying to find an
effective way to convert the non-conventional sources of energy to electricity. The most abundantly available nonconventional source of energy is solar energy. There are different devices and systems already developed to convert the
solar energy to electricity. In recent days, the PV cells are the best methods for conversion of solar energy to electricity.
In near future many other systems are expected to work efficiently.
There are mechanical systems as well which can contribute effectively in power generation from solar energy. One of
such mechanical system is a Stirling engine. For the case of power generation from solar energy the Low Temperature
Differential Stirling engine is the best; gamma type Stirling engines are best suited for this application. Stirling engines
are externally heated engines and works on the principle of Stirling cycle. This system is capable of working with
different types of heat sources such as gas burners, waste heat from thermal power stations , biomass etc. This system
performs well with any type of het sources. However, for green energy technology the gamma type Stirling engine with
a proper solar concentrator can be a good choice, as they have very negligible amount of harmful emissions.
All the engines require a cooling system to avoid overheating. In this test, the effect on performance of a gamma type
Stirling engine with different coolants at the cold end is studied. In general, there are three types of coolants used for
engines normal water, ethylene glycol based coolants and propylene glycol based coolants.
Normal water is most commonly used coolants from the primitive era. However, it is having the very good
effectiveness, so still it is used as a coolant. It is having some demerits, it is not capable of working under the
temperature of 0oc so ethylene glycol based and propylene glycol based coolants are preferred now a days , so that they
can be used even in colder regions. Ethylene glycol is an efficient antifreeze fluid. It is colorless, odorless, low viscosity
fluid. It is an organic fluid and easily mixes with water. Propylene glycol based coolants are somehow similar to the
ethylene glycol based coolants but these are having much lower freezing point, so it is widely used. Propylene glycol is
having lesser toxicity as compared to Ethylene glycol but the additives present in the coolant makes it toxic.
There is a possibility of improvement of the performance of a Stirling engine with the use of proper cooling medium.
The cooling medium will take away the extra heat and avoid high temperature rise of the cold end of the engine; thus,
these coolants will maintain a temperature difference in the two ends of the displacer cylinder and may contribute to
increase the efficiency of the engine as well as power generation capability.
This century needs a proper and efficient system to convert the solar energy to mechanical energy and this mechanical
energy needs to be converted to electrical energy for the betterment of the earth. This will reduce the environmental
hazard and the lives on the earth will experience a better and safe environment.
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2. EXPERIMENTAL FACILITIES
This test is conducted on a gamma type low temperature differential Stirling engine. The engine contains no
regenerator. The gamma type Stirling engine consists of two cylinders one displacer cylinder and a power cylinder. One
end of the displacer cylinder is heated and other end is maintained at lower temperature.
In the tests, different coolants are used for cooling the engine so a cooling chamber is placed in on the cold end of the
displacer cylinder. The cooling chamber is a round enclosed casing covering some portion of the displacer cylinder and
extends approximately one third of the total length of the displacer cylinder. The cooling chamber is having one inlet
and one outlet. A small pump is uses to flow coolant through the cooling chamber.
Table 1. The gamma type Stirling engine used for the test is having following technical specifications
Parameters
Engine type
Displacer piston
Power piston
Power cylinder
Displacer cylinder
Working fluid
Cooling system
Specification
Gamma type Stirling engine
Bore x stroke (mm)
Swept volume (cc)
Material
Bore x stroke (mm)
Swept volume (cc)
Material
Material
Material
32 x 20
16.07
Aluminium
20 x 20
6.28
Aluminium
Brass
Stainless Steel
Air
Pumping of liquid coolants
The hot end of the displacer cylinder is heated with Fresnel lens. Fresnel lens concentrates the solar incident radiation;
the focal point of the lens is placed directly at the hot end of the displacer cylinder. At the cooling chamber; simple
water, Ethylene glycol based coolants and Propylene glycol based coolants are pumped. During test with a coolant, that
coolant is circulated continuously during the working of the engine. The simple water is a good coolant but this cannot
be used in the extreme cold regions.
The temperature of the hot end is measured with MASTECH MS6550B thermocouple; which is having a maximum
range of 650oC and can measure a difference of 0.1oC. Digital tachometer DT-2234C is used to measure the engine
speed; which is having an accuracy of 1 rpm. Burdon tube pressure gauge is mounted on the hot end of the displacer
cylinder; which is used to measure the pressure of the working fluid. A brake dynamometer with accuracy 0.001Nm is
used to measure the torque of the engine.
Figure 1 Displacer cylinder and cooling chamber
Figure 3 Cooling chamber on the cold end
Figure 2 Gamma type Stirling Engine
Figure 4 Coolant
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ISSN 2321-6441
3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The first test is conducted with Ethylene Glycol based coolants as a cooling medium for the cold end of the displacer
cylinder. The graphs illustrated are the Torque Vs engine Speed and shaft power Vs engine speed in Fig. 5. Another
graph illustrates time Vs cold end temperature and time Vs temperature difference between hot and cold end in Fig.6.
The Fresnel lens with 1.6 m2 capture area was used as a heat source to the hot end of the displacer cylinder. The
coolant was continuously circulated through the cold end of the engine. The maximum Shaft power obtained was
27.684333W with corresponding rpm was 230 rpm. Maximum torque obtained was 1.42 Nm at 110 rpm engine speed.
The illustration of these data is shown in Fig.5.
Figure 5 Torque Vs Engine speed and Shaft power Vs Engine Speed for Ethylene Glycol based coolants
The initial cold end temperature was measured 25oC and the hot end was at 51.5oC at the same time. This resulted in
an initial temperature difference of 26.5oC. The maximum temperature of the cold end was recorded 28.5oC and the hot
end reached at a maximum temperature of 72oC. The cold end temperature Vs time and temperature difference between
hot and cold end Vs time is shown in Fig.6.
Figure 6 The cold end temperature Vs time and temperature difference between hot and cold end Vs time
The second test was conducted with Propylene Glycol based coolants as cooling medium at the cold end of the displacer
cylinder of the engine. The torque Vs engine speed and shaft power Vs engine speed is shown in Fig.7. The cold end
temperature VS time and temperature difference between hot and cold end Vs time is shown on another graph in Fig.8.
The same Fresnel lens used as a heat source. Propylene glycol based coolant is continuously circulated through the
cooling chamber of the engine. The maximum torque obtained was 1.37 Nm at 113 rpm and maximum shaft power
obtained was 28.1658 W at 235 rpm. These data are shown on the graphs in Fig.7.
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Figure 7 Torque Vs engine speed and Shaft power Vs engine speed

The initial cold end temperature was recorded 25oC and at the same time, the hot end was measured 54oC, which gives
an initial temperature difference of 29oC. Maximum temperature of the cold end was recorded 27.2 oC, the maximum
temperature of the hot end was recorded 78.5oC, and the maximum temperature difference between the hot and cold
end was recorded 51.3oC. The cold end temperature Vs time and temperature difference between hot and cold end Vs
time is shown in Fig.8.
In the third test, simple water was circulated to the cooling chamber at the cold end. The torque Vs engine speed and
shaft power Vs engine speed is shown in Fig.9.The cold end temperature VS time and temperature difference Vs time
is shown on another graph in Fig.10.
The same Fresnel lens was used as a heat source to the hot end of the displacer cylinder. The maximum torque recorded
was 1.32 Nm at an engine speed of 111rpm and maximum shaft power recorded was 25.3869 W at a speed of 231 rpm.
These data are shown on the Fig.9.
Figure 9 Torque Vs engine speed and Shaft power Vs engine speed
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ISSN 2321-6441
The initial cold end temperature was recorded was 25oC and the hot end was at 50oC at the same time; which gave a
temperature difference of 25oC between the hot and cold end of the displacer cylinder. The maximum temperature of
the cold end was recorded as 27.5oC and maximum temperature of the hot end was recorded as 74.5oC. The maximum
temperature difference between hot and cold end was recorded as 47oC. . The cold end temperature Vs time and
temperature difference between hot and cold end Vs time is shown in Fig.10.
4. CONCLUSION
The displacer cylinder was manufactured with a provision of coolant chamber on its cold end. Different coolant was
passed through this chamber and several performance parameters where tested. There were 3 different coolants passed
through the cooling chamber, water, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol based coolants. The heating of the displacer
cyliinder was done by fresnel lens. On testing, the engine speed was noted at different temperatures and plotted. For
different engine speeds, the torque and shaft power was also noted and plotted. The best result for maximum shaft
power of 28.1658 W was obtained from propylene glycol as coolant while maximum torque of 1.42 Nm was obtained
from ethylene glycol as the coolant.
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IPASJ International Journal of Mechanical Engineering (IIJME)

Web Site: http://www.ipasj.org/IIJME/IIJME.htm

A Publisher for Research Motivation........

Volume 4, Issue 3, March 2016