Enhancing alpha solar stirling engine performance with regenerator

Abstract

Nowadays, as traditional fossil energy sources are in decline, renewable energy sources are being actively sought, and the use of renewable energy is receiving widespread attention. The Dish engine solar power plant is vital in using solar energy. The Stirling engine is the fundamental element of the power plant, responsible for energy conversion. And the internal regenerator has an essential influence on the engine's performance. Hence, this paper focuses on the analysis and improvement of the regenerator. Heat transportation determines its efficiency, while the regenerator is the core component. An efficient Stirling engine cannot occur without a high-quality regenerator. This paper uses simulation experiments to explore the impact of various materials on the regenerator's performance. By comparing the regenerator performance of filled copper foam and stainless-steel mesh, it was found that the copper foam regenerator had a faster start time, while the stainless-steel mesh regenerator had a higher thermal capacity. After this conclusion, an optimized regenerator is designed, filled with different materials at each end according to the material properties. After simulations, it can be concluded that this enhancement improves the regenerator's performance, increasing the Stirling engine's overall efficiency.