Stirling-Cycle Machine

Brief Review of Basics

Dr. Sergey Riabzev RICOR Cryogenic &Vacuum Systems 25.06.02

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SCOPE
A bit History Physical Phenomenon utilized

Working Fluid employed

Basic Schematics Four Stages of Operation

Carnot Efficiency
PV Diagram In simple words, what is the Stirling Cooling Machine ? Classification of Cryocoolers Typical Designs of Tactical Stirling Cryocooler Components of Overall COP Some examples of Stirling Cryocoolers
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A bit history In 1816, a Scottish reverend, Dr. Robert Stirling (1790-1878) won a patent on a hot air engine that converts heat to work (or vice versa) through repeated compression and expansion of the working fluid at different temperature levels. The concept was not used as a refrigeration cycle until 1834, when John Hershel used a closed cycle Stirling engine for making ice.

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A bit history The Scottish vicars first engine was a large affair with a cylinder 3.05 meters (10 ft) high and with a bore of 0.6 meters (2 ft). For almost 200 years, the basic concept of the Stirling engine remains unchanged, although the advances in regenerator materials, clearance seal technology, flexure bearing designs etc., have made the Stirling

engine a very reliable and robust machine.

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Physical phenomenon utilized The principle of the Stirling cycle is based on the next physical phenomenon:

Emission of heat energy from a compressed gas into

environment or Absorption of heat energy into an expanded gas from environment
Q1 Q2

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Working fluid employed Pure Helium (99.999%) is the most usable working fluid in a Stirling Cooler, due to extremely low liquefaction temperature (4.2K) and other appropriate characteristics.

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Basic Schematics

Expander

Regenerator

Piston

Expansion Volume (cold area)

Compression Volume (warm area)

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Four Stages of Operation

QC

Isothermal Compression

Isochoric Cooling

QE

Isothermal Expansion Isochoric Heating

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Carnot Efficiency

During Isothermal Compression, an amount of heat equals to Qc is being rejected from the compressor, which also equals to the work input Wc. Qc = mRTc ln(Vmax/Vmin) = Wc During Isothermal Expansion, an amount of heat equals to Qe is being absorbed into the expander.

Qe = mRTe ln(Vmax/Vmin) = We

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Carnot Efficiency

Consequently, the Carnot Efficiency of Stirling cycle is: h = Qe / W = Qe / (Wc - We) or

h = Te / (Tc - Te)

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PV Diagram

Q1

Pressure-Volume Diagram is one of the fundamental diagrams in the Stirling Cycle Theory

PV-diagrams area indicates a cooling work W done through the cycle

dW PdV
4 V

Q2

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In simple words, what is the Stirling Cooling Machine ?

Thermal Pump
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Classification of Cryocoolers
CRYOCOOLER HEAT EXCHANGER

REGENERATIVE VALVES

RECUPERATIVE CLAUDE LINDE-HAMPSON JOULE-BRAYTON

YES

NO

ERICSSON

STIRLING

SOLVAY GIFFORD-MCMAHON POSTLE

COMPRESSION

MECHANICAL

THERMAL

DOUBLE-ACTING SINGLE-ACTING SIEMENS FRANCHOT

VILLEUMIER

PISTON-DISPLACER

TWO-PISTON

INTEGRAL STIRLING

SPLITSTIRLING

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Classification of Cryocoolers

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Classification of Cryocoolers

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Classification of Cryocoolers

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Typical Designs of Tactical Stirling Cryocooler

Compression Space

Rotary Compressor + mechanically driven Expander

Piston Crankshaft

Dynamic seals Compression Space Piston

ExpanderExpanderregenerator

Expansion space

Rotary Compressor + pneumatically driven Expander

Crankshaft

Dynamic seals

ExpanderExpanderregenerator

Expansion space

Compression Space Piston

Linear Compressor + pneumatically driven Expander

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Linear motor

Dynamic seals

ExpanderExpanderregenerator

Expansion space

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Components of COP The overall COP (Coefficient of Performance) of a Stirling machine is a product of partial efficiencies of subsystems:

COP =

X
COP of CONTROLLER (~0.9)

X
COP of PRIME MOVER (~0.7) COP of STIRLING CYCLE (~0.1)

Due to significant thermo-gaso-dynamic losses that drastically diminish Carnot efficiency, an overall COP of a miniature Stirling machine does not exceed typically several percents (3-6% @80K).
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Some Examples of Stirling Cryocoolers

Split Rotary Cooler

Integral Rotary Cooler

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Some Examples of Stirling Cryocoolers

Integral Linear Cooler

Split Linear Cooler

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