By submitting this form, you are agreeing to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
A Stirling engine generator is a form of heat engine that produces mechanical power—which can be converted into electricity—by using the difference in temperature between a hot and cold source. Robert Stirling created the Stirling engine in the early 19th century, and it has subsequently been put to use in a variety of ways, including as a generator.
The Stirling engine’s fundamental operating concept is that a working fluid, usually air or helium, is compressed, heated, expanded, and cooled in a closed cycle. A regenerator connects the two hot and cold cylinders that make up the engine. The cold cylinder has a heat sink, like a radiator, while the hot cylinder has a heat source, like a burner.
The working fluid transfers heat from the heated cylinder to the cold cylinder as it circulates back and forth between the two.
A piston or a displacement device is driven by the pressure difference caused by this temperature differential to provide mechanical power. A generator can then be driven by the mechanical power to generate electricity.
In comparison to conventional internal combustion engines, stirling engines have some advantages, including as quiet operation, little maintenance needs, and the ability to run on a range of fuels, including solar energy or waste heat from other processes.
They are more suited for smaller-scale applications, although they are often less effective than internal combustion engines and have a lower power-to-weight ratio.
In general, Stirling engine generators can be a practical technology for producing power in off-the-grid or remote regions, as well as for other specialised uses.
Global Stirling engine generator market accounted for $XX Billion in 2022 and is anticipated to reach $XX Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2023 to 2030.
One such launch is a 1 kW free-piston Stirling engine (FPSE) generator created by Precision Combustion Inc. (PCI), Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Sunpower.
Helium is employed as a working gas by the FPSE, which is housed in a sealed environment. Gas expands when heated by a burner powered by natural gas, moving a piston and interacting with a linear alternator to generate electricity. The cycle resets and repeats as the gas cools and shrinks.
Another launch is the Free Piston Stirling Engine from Microgen, which produces power in any place with any fuel type in an effective, silent, and trouble-free manner.
The Stirling engine can be powered by biomass, biogas, or fossil fuels like coal to produce heat and electricity. The system is good for supplying heat and electricity in northern colder climes where solar energy is scarcer and demand for heat is higher.
Virtually any heat source can be converted into energy using Qnergy’s Free-Piston Stirling Engine (FPSE) generator.
The heat exchangers in the FPSE maintain a temperature differential throughout the engine after heat is introduced, causing helium to move back and forth inside the engine to expand and contract to produce power.
The load following function of Qnergy’s PowerGen Stirling Engines tracks real-time load conditions and matches fuel usage to those conditions, saving fuel and money. A reasonable estimate of the design life for commercial applications is 80,000 hours with no maintenance.
