Efficiency Improvement and Key Opportunities of Stirling Engine

Abstract

Amidst the backdrop of an evolving societal landscape, the impending scarcity of energy resources has intensified the quest for innovative energy solutions. The Stirling engine, conceived by the Scottish clergyman Robert Stirling in 1816, emerges as a promising avenue to address contemporary energy challenges. This external combustion engine operates on the fundamental principle of harnessing work from heat transfer coupled with the expansion and contraction of gases. Its versatility lies in its capability to transmute diverse natural energy sources, ranging from wood and solar radiation to gases, into utilizable mechanical and electrical energy. The potential applications of Stirling engines are vast, encompassing roles as propulsion systems for space exploration, contributors to nuclear power generation, efficient refrigeration devices, and solar energy electricity generators. Nonetheless, the Stirling engine's Achilles' heel remains its suboptimal efficiency. This paper investigates diverse domains to optimize the performance of Stirling engines, shedding light on potential avenues for future research and development with the overarching aim of optimizing this venerable engine's contributions to sustainable energy solutions.