Design and testing of a novel linear alternator and engine system for remote electrical power generation

This paper examines the design and operation of a novel generation system that utilizes a linear, crankless, internal combustion engine in conjunction with a linear alternator. This system directly utilizes the linear motion of the piston to drive the alternator rather than first converting to rotary motion. The result is a more efficient, compact and reliable unit as the system has only one moving part. This makes the system ideal for remote power generation. This paper describes the overall system design as well as the subsystems including the engine and the alternator. A dynamic simulation is then presented which utilizes the developed model to determine the output voltage of the system. The prototype system was successfully tested and experiment results are also included.