Stirling Engine Accumulator Pressurization Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
The efficiency of Stirling engines in solar thermal power plants is hindered by high energy consumption during start-up processes, particularly in pressurizing the working gas, which affects the overall energy efficiency of the system.
Innovation Solution
A method for pressurizing the working gas in a Stirling engine assembly using an accumulator with a pressurization fluid, where the fluid reduces the volume available to the working gas, increasing its pressure, and is then displaced into the expansion and/or compression cylinders, optimizing the V-arrangement configuration of the cylinders and minimizing dead volume by adjusting the lengths and diameters of connecting members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional pressurization methods are used during start-up, then the working gas can be pressurized, but the energy consumption is high which reduces overall system efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator is pre-filled with working gas before the engine starts operation. During start-up, the pressurization fluid is introduced into the accumulator to rapidly pressurize the pre-loaded working gas, which then flows into the engine cylinders. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for energy-intensive compression during start-up, as the gas is already available in the accumulator ready for displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The accumulator acts as an intermediary storage device between the working gas supply and the engine cylinders. It receives working gas in advance and uses pressurization fluid as a mediator to transfer the gas to the engine at the appropriate moment. This intermediary approach decouples the pressurization function from the engine operation, allowing efficient gas delivery without continuous compression.
2Productivity
If the accumulator volume is increased to store more working gas, then the pressurization efficiency improves, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurization function is extracted from the main engine system and implemented separately using a pressurization fluid introduced into the accumulator. This separates the gas storage function from the pressurization function, allowing the accumulator to be optimized for compact storage while the pressurization process is handled by the fluid displacement mechanism, reducing overall system complexity.
3Loss of energy
If dead volume in connecting members is minimized by reducing lengths and diameters, then the engine efficiency improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design optimizes the parameters of connecting members by carefully selecting lengths and diameters to minimize dead volume. The V-arrangement geometry is specifically configured to reduce the volume of connecting passages while maintaining functional requirements. This parameter optimization reduces energy losses associated with dead volume without requiring extreme manufacturing tolerances.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the energy efficiency of the Stirling engine by reducing energy consumption during start-up and operation, improving the overall performance of the solar thermal power system.
Implementation Method 1
providing a pressurisation fluid to the accumulator to reduce the volume for the working gas in the accumulator, thereby increasing the pressure of the working gas in the accumulator
Implementation Method 2
Some systems use Stirling engines as a generator to generate electrical energy from the solar thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
An alpha arranged Stirling engine has two separate cylinders, which may be inline, parallel or in a V-arrangement
Data Source
AI summary
A method for pressurisation of a working gas in a Stirling engine assembly for use in a thermal energy plant, the Stirling engine assembly including: a Stirling engine including an expansion cylinder and a compression cylinder, wherein the expansion and compression cylinders are configured in a V-arrangement; a regenerator; a cooler and a heater; an accumulator, the accumulator being in fluidic connection with the expansion and/or compression cylinders of the Stirling engine; and a low pressure receptacle including the working gas. The method includes: providing working gas to the accumulator from the low pressure receptacle; providing a pressurisation fluid to the accumulator to reduce the volume for the working gas in the accumulator, thereby increasing the pressure of the working gas in the accumulator; and displacing the pressurised working gas from the accumulator to the expansion and/or compression cylinder.