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Predictions from GLIMPS and HFAST design codes are compared with experimental data for the RE-1000 and SPRE free piston Stirling engines. Engine performance and available power loss predictions are compared. Differences exist between GLIMPS and HFAST loss predictions. Both codes require engine specific calibration to bring predictions and experimental data into agreement.
As part of the NASA funded portion of the SP-100 Advanced Technology Program the Space Power Research Engine (SPRE 1) was designed and built to serve as a research tool for evaluation and development of advanced Stirling engine concepts. The SPRE 1 is designed to produce 12.5 kW electrical power when operated with helium at 15 MPa and with an absolute temperature ratio of two. The engine is now under test in a new test facility which was designed and built at NASA Lewis specifically to test the SPRE 1. The SPRE 1, the NASA test facility, the initial SPRE 1 test results, and future SPRE 1 test plans are described.
As part of the NASA funded portion of the SP-100 Advanced Technology Program the Space Power Research Engine (SPRE 1) was designed and built to serve as a research tool for evaluation and development of advanced Stirling engine concepts. The SPRE 1 is designed to produce 12.5 kW electrical power when operated with helium at 15 MPa and with an absolute temperature ratio of two. The engine is now under test in a new test facility which was designed and built at NASA Lewis specifically to test the SPRE 1. The SPRE 1, the NASA facility, the initial SPRE 1 test results, and future SPRE 1 test plans are described.
The creep rupture behavior of nine iron base and one cobalt base candidate Stirling engine alloys is evaluated. Rupture life, minimum creep rate, and time to 1% strain data are analyzed. The 3500 h rupture life stress and stress to obtain 1% strain in 3500 h are also estimated.
A series of computer programs are presented with full documentation which simulate the transient behavior of a modern 4 cylinder Siemens arrangement Stirling engine with burner and air preheater. Cold start, cranking, idling, acceleration through 3 gear changes and steady speed operation are simulated. Sample results and complete operating instructions are given. A full source code listing of all programs are included.
A FORTRAN computer code is described that could be used to design and optimize a free-displacer, free-piston Stirling engine similar to the RE-1000 engine made by Sunpower. The code contains options for specifying displacer and power piston motion or for allowing these motions to be calculated by a force balance. The engine load may be a dashpot, inertial compressor, hydraulic pump or linear alternator. Cycle analysis may be done by isothermal analysis or adiabatic analysis. Adiabatic analysis may be done using the Martini moving gas node analysis or the Rios second-order Runge-Kutta analysis. Flow loss and heat loss equations are included. Graphical display of engine motions and pressures and temperatures are included. Programming for optimizing up to 15 independent dimensions is included. Sample performance results are shown for both specified and unconstrained piston motions; these results are shown as generated by each of the two Martini analyses. Two sample optimization searches are shown using specified piston motion isothermal analysis. One is for three adjustable input and one is for four. Also, two optimization searches for calculated piston motion are presented for three and for four adjustable inputs. The effect of leakage is evaluated. Suggestions for further work are given.
The first year of a two year experimental and analytical program is reported. The program is directed at the elastohydrodynamic behavior of sliding elastomeric rod seals for the Stirling engine. During the year, experimental and analytical tools were developed for evaluating seal leakage, seal friction, and the fluid film thickness at the seal/cylinder interface.
Tubes of CG-27 alloy, filled with hydrogen doped with various amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, were heated in a diesel fuel fired Stirling engine simulator materials test rig for 100 hours at 820 C and at a gas pressure of 15 MPa to determine the effectiveness of the dopants in reducing hydrogen permeation through the hot tube wall. This was done for clean as-heat treated tubes and also for tubes that had previously been exposed for 100 hours to hydrogen doped with 1.0 volume percent carbon dioxide to determine if the lower levels of dopant could maintain a low hydrogen permeation through the hot tube wall. Carbon dioxide, as a dopant in hydrogen, was most effective in reducing hydrogen permeation through clean tubes and in maintaining low hydrogen permeation after prior exposure to 1.0 volume percent carbon dioxide. Only the lowest level of carbon dioxide (0.05 volume percent) was not as effective in the clean or prior exposed tubes. Carbon monoxide as a dopant in hydrogen was less effective than carbon dioxide at a given concentration level. Of the four dopant levels studied; 1.0, 0.5, 0.2, and 0.05 volume percent carbon monoxide, only the 1.0 and 0.5 volume percent were effective in reducing and maintaining low hydrogen permeation through the CG-27.
The work to be presented herein was motivated largely by a desire to improve the understanding of oscillatory fluid mechanics inside a Stirling engine. To this end, a CFD project was undertaken at Cleveland State University with the goal of accurately predicting the fluid dynamics within an engine or engine component. Along with the CFD efforts, a code validation project was undertaken at the University of Minnesota. The material covered herein consists of four main parts. In section 1, an experimental investigation of a small aspect ratio impinging jet is discussed. Included in this discussion is a description of the test facilities and instrumentation. A presentation of the collected data is given and comments are made. Next, in section 2, a parallel experimental investigation is presented in which the same geometry as that of section 1 is used, but the flow conditions are changed from steady unidirectional flow to sinusoidally oscillating flow. In section Two, collected data are presented and comments are made. In section 3, a comparison is made between the results of sections 1 and 2, namely, sinusoidally oscillating flow results are compared to steady, unidirectional flow results from the same geometry. Finally, in section 4, a comparison is made between experimentally collected data (the main subject of this work) and CFD generated results. Furthermore, in appendix A, an introductory description of the primary measurement tool used in the experimental process the hot wire anemometer is given for the unfamiliar. The anemometer calibration procedure is described in appendix B. A portfolio of data reduction and data processing codes is provided in appendix C and lastly, a DVD and a roadmap of its contents is provided in an appendix D. 1.0 Unidirectional Flow Investigations 1.1 Introduction This unidirectional experimental program was undertaken to complement an oscillatory flow investigation conducted at the University of Minnesota. The oscillatory investigation is discussed thoroughly in section 2. We defer the description of the motivation behind these experiments until the introduction of section 2. The work that is discussed in this thesis began (chronologically) with oscillatory flow visualization experiments. It was decided that it would be valuable and important to investigate the flow under unidirectional conditions in the same geometry as that of the oscillatory experiments. The thought was that the unidirectional case would be less complicated to model with a CFD program (a moving boundary would be replaced with a steady state boundary condition). Thus, a series of unidirectional experiments were carried out to capture the important features of the flow within the test section. The purpose of these experiments was to provide a data set for comparison to CFD generated velocity fields. Hot-wire anemometry data were taken and flow visualization was conducted as a standard for code validation. The flow geometry was simple, such that it could be easily gridded in a CFD program. However, the geometry provided separation and transition zones, shear layers and recirculation zones. These characteristics made the flow complex and challenging for CFD computation. We comment that the order of experiments that produced this report is as follows: experimental flow visualization under oscillatory flow conditions was carried out; this was followed by unidirectional flow visualization and hot wire anemometry; finally, oscillatory hot wire anemometry was conducted. We present the results out of chronological order for the following reason: the unidirectional results are easier
Alloy tubes filled with hydrogen doped with various amounts of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ethane, ethylene, methane, ammonia, or water were heated in a diesel fuel-fired Stirling engine simulator materials test rig for 100 hours at 21 MPa and 760 or 820 C to determine the effectiveness of the dopants in reducing hydrogen permeation through the hot tube walls. Ultra high purity (UHP) hydrogen was used for comparison. The tube alloys were N-155, A-286, Incoloy 800, Nitronic 40, 19-9DL, 316 stainless steel, Inconel 718, and HS-188. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the concentration range 0.2 to 5 vol % were most effective in reducing hydrogen permeation through the hot tube walls for all alloys. Ethane, ethylene, methane, ammonia, and water at the concentrations investigated were not effective in reducing the permeation below that achieved with UHP hydrogen. One series of tests were conducted with UHP hydrogen in carburized tubes. Carburization of the tubes prior to exposure reduced permeation to values similar to those for carbon monoxide; however, carbon dioxide was the most effective dopant.
The new NASA Vision for Exploration, announced by President Bush in January 2004, proposes an ambitious program that plans to return astronauts to the moon by the 2018 time frame. A recent NASA study entitled "Affordable Fission Surface Power Study" recommended a 40 kWe, 900 K, NaK-cooled, Stirling convertors for 2020 launch. Use of two of the nominal 5 kW convertors allows the system to be dynamically balanced. A group of four dual-convertor combinations that would yield 40 kWe can be tested to validate the viability of Stirling technology for space fission surface power systems. The work described in this paper deals specifically with the control system for the 5 kW convertor described in the preceding paragraph. This control system is responsible for maintaining piston stroke to a setpoint in the presence of various disturbances including electrical load variations. Pulse starting of the Free Piston Stirling Engine (FPSE) convertor is also an inherent part of such a control system. Finally, the ability to throttle the engine to match the required output power is discussed in terms of setpoint control. Several novel ideas have been incorporated into the piston stroke control strategy that will engender a stable response to disturbances in the presence of midpoint drift while providing useful data regarding the position of both the power piston and displacer.
An actual-size microfabricated regenerator comprised of a stack of 42 disks, 19 mm diameter and 0.25 mm thick, with layers of microscopic, segmented, involute-shaped flow channels was fabricated and tested. The geometry resembles layers of uniformly-spaced segmented-parallel-plates, except the plates are curved. Each disk was made from electro-plated nickel using the LiGA process. This regenerator had feature sizes close to those required for an actual Stirling engine but the overall regenerator dimensions were sized for the NASA/Sunpower oscillating-flow regenerator test rig. Testing in the oscillating-flow test rig showed the regenerator performed extremely well, significantly better than currently used random-fiber material, producing the highest figures of merit ever recorded for any regenerator tested in that rig over its approximately 20 years of use.
Lumped volume dynamic equations are derived using an energy state formulation. This technique requires that kinetic and potential energy state functions be written for the physical system being investigated. To account for losses in the system, a Rayleigh dissipation function is formed. Using these functions, a Lagrangian is formed and using Lagrange's equation, the equations of motion for the system are derived. The results of the application of this technique to a lumped volume are used to derive a model for the free piston Stirling engine. The model was simplified and programmed on an analog computer. Results are given comparing the model response with experimental data.
Lumped volume dynamic equations are derived using an energy-state formulation. This technique requires that kinetic and potential energy state functions be written for the physical system being investigated. To account for losses in the system, a Rayleigh dissipation function is also formed. Using these functions, a Lagrangian is formed and using Lagrange's equation, the equations of motion for the system are derived. The results of the application of this technique to a lumped volume are used to derive a model for the free-piston Stirling engine. The model was simplified and programmed on an analog computer. Results are given comparing the model response with experimental data.
A high efficiency Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG) is being developed for possible use in long-duration space science missions. NASA s advanced technology goals for next generation Stirling convertors include increasing the Carnot efficiency and percent of Carnot efficiency. To help achieve these goals, a multi-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code is being developed to numerically model unsteady fluid flow and heat transfer phenomena of the oscillating working gas inside Stirling convertors. In the absence of transient pressure drop data for the zero mean oscillating multi-dimensional flows present in the Technology Demonstration Convertors on test at NASA Glenn Research Center, unidirectional flow pressure drop test data is used to compare against 2D and 3D computational solutions. This study focuses on tracking pressure drop and mass flow rate data for unidirectional flow though a Stirling heater head using a commercial CFD code (CFD-ACE). The commercial CFD code uses a porous-media model which is dependent on permeability and the inertial coefficient present in the linear and nonlinear terms of the Darcy-Forchheimer equation. Permeability and inertial coefficient were calculated from unidirectional flow test data. CFD simulations of the unidirectional flow test were validated using the porous-media model input parameters which increased simulation accuracy by 14 percent on average.
The feasibility of an advanced Stirling radioisotope generator (ASRG) powered airship for the near surface exploration of Titan was evaluated. The analysis did not consider the complete mission only the operation of the airship within the atmosphere of Titan. The baseline airship utilized two ASRG systems with a total of four general-purpose heat source (GPHS) blocks. Hydrogen gas was used to provide lift. The ASRG systems, airship electronics and controls and the science payload were contained in a payload enclosure. This enclosure was separated into two sections, one for the ASRG systems and the other for the electronics and payload. Each section operated at atmospheric pressure but at different temperatures. The propulsion system consisted of an electric motor driving a propeller. An analysis was set up to size the airship that could operate near the surface of Titan based on the available power from the ASRGs. The atmospheric conditions on Titan were modeled and used in the analysis. The analysis was an iterative process between sizing the airship to carry a specified payload and the power required to operate the electronics, payload and cooling system as well as provide power to the propulsion system to overcome the drag on the airship. A baseline configuration was determined that could meet the power requirements and operate near the Titan surface. From this baseline design additional trades were made to see how other factors affected the design such as the flight altitude and payload mass and volume.
The status of the Stirling project is summarized. Contract negotiations were completed with Ford Motor Company to carry out a major, cost-shared development program for an improved engine. A parallel, but independent, development activity by a second team is also planned.
Nine candidate Stirling automotive engine alloys were aged at 760 C for 3500 hr in low pressure hydrogen or argon to determine the resulting effects on mechanical behavior. Candidate heater head tube alloys were CG-27, W545, 12RN72, INCONEL-718, and HS-188 while candidate cast cylinder-regenerator housing alloys were SA-F11, CRM-6D, XF-818, and HS-31. Aging per se is detrimental to the creep rupture and tensile strengths of the iron base alloys. The presence of hydrogen does not significantly contribute to strength degradation. Based percent highway driving cycle; CG-27 has adequate 3500 hr - 870 C creep rupture strength and SA-Fll, CRM-6D, and XF-818 have adequate 3500 hr - 775 C creep rupture strength.