Model of a stirling engine with a rhombic drive: Case study

This work presents a dynamic model of the Stirling engine with a rhombic working mechanism which was combined with the thermodynamic model taking into consideration isothermal heat exchange in the compression and expansion spaces. On the basis of the conducted thermodynamic analysis for the working space in the Stirling engine and for the physical model of the rhombic drive system, a simulation model was developed using the Matlab&Simulink software. The model was prepared to analyse the influence of the selected thermodynamic and mechanical parameters including among other things: influence of the thermodynamic parameters, among others: temperature of the upper heat source on theoretical work increase and theoretical power. As a result of the performed simulations, the flow of the working gas mass at the control boundaries, as well as the heat flux waveforms were also shown, among other things. As a result of the performed simulations, displacement curves, displacer and piston velocity and acceleration values, as well as adequate gear angular displacement, the angular velocity and angular acceleration have been additionally illustrated. The results presented in this work convey practical information about thermodynamic and dynamic properties of the simulated object, i.e. the Stirling engine with the rhombic drive.