Improvement of Semifree Piston Stirling Engine Regenerator Performance by Combined Mesh Matrices.

Abstract

The optimization of regenerator performance, that is, the choice of an optimum matrix, is a key factor in the methods to raise the thermal efficiency of Stirling engines. Regenerator matrices often comprise of stacks of similar mesh size gauzes. In a fixed regenerator configuration, the size of the mesh and diameter only influence the matrix characteristics and greatly restrict the choice of the optimum matrix. In this paper, combined mesh matrices, which are composed of two stacked wire gauzes with different mesh sizes, are suggested. An approach to the design of combined mesh matrices is investigated by a simple analysis. In order to certify the matrix performance, the characteristics of three single mesh matrices and four combined mesh matrices are examined using a prototype of the semifree piston Stirling engine generator.