NASA Lewis Stirling engine computer code evaluation

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5934657

Sullivan, T J

In support of the US Department of Energy's Stirling Engine Highway Vehicle Systems program, the NASA Lewis Stirling engine performance code was evaluated by comparing code predictions without engine-specific calibration factors to GPU-3, P-40, and RE-1000 Stirling engine test data. The error in predicting power output was /minus/11 percent for the P-40 and 12 percent for the RE-1000 at design conditions and 16 percent for the GPU-3 at near-design conditions (2000 rpm engine speed versus 3000 rpm at design). The efficiency and heat input predictions showed better agreement with engine test data than did the power predictions. Concerning all data points, the error in predicting the GPU-3 brake power was significantly larger than for the other engines and was mainly a result of inaccuracy in predicting the pressure phase angle. Analysis into this pressure phase angle prediction error suggested that improvement to the cylinder hysteresis loss model could have a significant effect on overall Stirling engine performance predictions. 13 refs., 26 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center; Sverdrup Technology, Inc., Cleveland, OH (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AI01-85CE50112
• OSTI ID: 5934657
• Report Number(s): DOE/NASA-4105-4; NASA-CR-182248; ON: DE89014584
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
STIRLING ENGINES
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DATA ANALYSIS
EFFICIENCY
EVALUATION
PERFORMANCE
THEORETICAL DATA
DATA
ENGINES
HEAT ENGINES
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
SIMULATION
330201* - External Combustion Engines- Stirling Cycle
990220 - Computers
Computerized Models
& Computer Programs- (1987-1989)