Experimental and theoretical investigation of flows inside a gamma stirling engine regenerator

Abstract

The first objective of this work is to study the flow evolution through a gamma-type Stirling engine by a numerical tool. The quasi-steady model formulated by Urieli and Berchowitz (Stirling cycle engine analysis. Techno House, Radcliffe Way, Bristol ISBN 0-85274-435-8 (A. Hilger, Bristol), 1984) was adopted. The thermal and the mechanical losses generated in a Stirling engine are added to the model. The pressure drop through the heat exchangers was calculated to assess the friction factor value. The parameters characterizing the flow in the engine are calculated (Nusselt, Reynolds, and Darcy friction factor) and discussed. The proposed model will be used to estimate these factors. In a second part, the correlations proposed in the literature (Tanaka 1993; Gedeon and Wood Oscillating-flow regenerator test rig: hardware and theory with derived correlations for screens and felts. NASA CR-198442, 1996) to study the turbulent flow are applied to the gamma-type Stirling engine to proceed to the best theoretical results that better describe the experimental ones.