Numerical and experimental investigation on the drive mechanisms of Alfa type Stirling engines

Stirling technology has applications in both renewable energy and waste heat recovery systems. The applicability of Stirling engines in these fields depends on the development of more efficient external combustion machines using renewable energy sources or waste heat. In this study, a new drive mechanism is proposed for the low cost, low weight, low volume and high-efficiency Stirling engines. The effects of the new drive mechanism on the performance parameters of the alpha-type kinematic Stirling engine are investigated, experimentally and theoretically. The mathematical model is validated by using the experimental results. The torque values for different piston forces are presented and compared with that of the conventional slider-crank mechanism. The results show that the torque value of the engine using the new drive mechanism increases by up to 3.66 times compared with that of the conventional slider-crank mechanism.