Kwanchai Kraitong
School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon tyne, UK
Khamid Mahkamov
School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon tyne, UK
Maria-Christina P. Georgiadou
Centre for Sustainable Development, Engineering Department, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Theophilus Hacking
Development Director, University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, United Kingdom
A. Almodares
University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
M. S. Hatamipour
University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
V. Ingram
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
P. F. G. Banfill
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
C. Kennedy
Historic Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
Rob Lawson
Marketing Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Gerry Carrington
Physics Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Barry Barton
School of Law, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Paul Thorsnes
Economics Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Jaap C. Jansen
Energy research Centre of the Netherlands , Petten, the Netherlands
Sander M. Lensink
Energy research Centre of the Netherlands , Petten, the Netherlands
Adriaan J. van der Welle
Energy research Centre of the Netherlands , Petten, the Netherlands
Alvaro Gomes
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computers – University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal \ INESC Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Luís Pires
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computers – University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Janet Stephenson
Centre for the Study of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/ecp110573945Published in: World Renewable Energy Congress - Sweden; 8-13 May; 2011; Linköping; Sweden
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 57:36, s. 3945-3952
Published: 2011-11-03
ISBN: 978-91-7393-070-3
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
This paper presents results of theoretical investigations on the determination of optimal design parameters of a Low Temperature Difference (LTD) Solar Stirling Engine using optimisation method based on Genetic algorithms. The developed thermodynamic mathematical model of the engine takes into account hydraulic and mechanical losses in the engine’s working process and this model was coupled to the optimisation algorithm. A set of such design parameters as the stroke of the displacer and diameter and stroke of the power piston and the thickness of the regenerator placed in the displacer have been considered as variables. The engine’s performance parameter such as the brake power is used as the objective function of the optimisation algorithm. The GA code is implemented in MATLAB. The accuracy of the optimal design engine’s performance is examined using 3D CFD modelling of the working process of the engine. The set of design parameters obtained from the optimisation procedure provides the noticeable improvement of the engine’s performance compared with the performance of the original LTD Solar Stilring engine with the same operating condition.
LTD Stirling engine; Second-order mathematical model; Mechanical losses; CFD; Genetic algorithm
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