SOLAR POWERED STIRLING ENGINE GENERATOR

Abstract

The Solar Powered Stirling Engine Generator is designed to convert heat energy from the sun into mechanical energy using a stirling engine. The stirling engine drives the generator to produce useful electrical energy and it then stores the electrical energy on batteries. The stirling engine is a heat engine that operates in a cyclic expansion and compression of a working substance like air or other gas indifferent temperature producing a mechanical work from conversion of heat. The engine is an external combustion engine which means the engine uses heat from the outside source. This is a very good characteristic of the engine because the concentrated solar heat can be used in producing useful work. The heat from the sun is focused in small area using a parabolic dish concentrator with reflective material. The study focused on the design and development of solar powered stirling engine generator. The cost to benefit ratio is one of the major concern as well as the impact of the engine in the environment. The prototype developed demonstrated the feasibility for a large scale design that can equal if not surpass solar panel due to its efficiency and cost of fabrication which is 2/3 lower than solar panels.

Keywords: stirling engine, parabolic dish concentrator, external combustion, solar energy, battery.