Proof of concept of a magnetically coupled Stirling engine-driven heat pump

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5011156

Shonder, J A ^[1]; Chen, Gong; McEntee, J ^[2]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
2. Sunpower, Inc., Athens, OH (United States)

A prototype magnetically-coupled Stirling engine-driven heat pump module has been designed and fabricated by Sunpower, Inc. under sponsorship of the US Department of Energy and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Preliminary testing indicates that the magnetic coupling is an effective means for transmitting power from a free-piston Stirling engine to a refrigerant compressor. Compared with other power transmission concepts, the magnetic coupling has relatively low cost, and will help make commercial development of Stirling-driven heat pumps more likely in the future.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5011156
• Report Number(s): CONF-920801-15; ON: DE92017129
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320106* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Equipment-- (1987-)
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330201 -- External Combustion Engines-- Stirling Cycle
COMPRESSORS
COUPLINGS
DESIGN
ENGINES
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT PUMPS
MAGNETS
PERFORMANCE
POWER TRANSMISSION
STIRLING CYCLE
STIRLING ENGINES
THERMODYNAMIC CYCLES