Abstract
This paper proposes a decoupling design approach for a free-piston linear generator (FPLG) constituted of three key components, including a combustion chamber, a linear generator and a gas spring serving as rebounding device. The approach is based on the distribution of the system power and efficiency, which provides a theoretical design method from the viewpoint of the overall power and efficiency demands. The energy flow and conversion processes of the FPLG are analyzed, and the power and efficiency demands of the thermal-mechanical and mechanical-electrical energy conversion are confirmed. The energy and efficiency distributions of the expansion and compression strokes within a single stable operation cycle are analyzed and determined. Detailed design methodologies of crucial geometric dimensions and operational parameters of each key component are described. The feasibility of the proposed decoupling design approach is validated through several design examples with different output power.
Highlights
The free-piston linear generator (FPLG) is a novel energy converter with advantages of high efficiency, high power density, and low emissions
The piston motion of the FPLG is determined by the total forces acting on the piston-rod, in which the expansion force generated by the combustion, the electromagnetic force of the linear electric machine (LEM) and the rebounding force of the gas spring (GS) are the dominant forces
In consideration of overcoming the inconveniences of the coupled design method, we propose a decoupling design approach, which avoids the cumbersome iterative calculations and only needs a few practical predefined constraints and some empirical knowledge
Summary
The free-piston linear generator (FPLG) is a novel energy converter with advantages of high efficiency, high power density, and low emissions. In order to determine the main structural dimensions, an iterative procedure was carried out using zero-dimensional numerical simulation, CFD calculation of the gas exchanging process and the combustion process [41] These two design methodologies are a kind of coupled design approach that needs a large number of iterative calculations, and needs rich experimental knowledge, especially for FPLG systems. Design appropriate and efficiency distribution of the structural and demands of thermalexpansion and operational mechanical and Determine the compression strokes parameters of each mechanical-electrical. Determine theand system mechanical-electrical input and output energy conversions specifications of the FPLG system according expansion and Determine the energy and compression strokes efficiencywithin distribution of ICE, GS a single and LEMoperation according to the cycle energy conversion of single stable operation cycle and output. In order to illustrate the proposed decoupling design approach in details, we take a 25 kW FPLG decoupling design process of system
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