Overview of DOE's large stationary Stirling-engine development program
This paper summarizes the results to date of a program, sponsored by DOE's Office of Fossil Energy, to develop large stationary Stirling engine power systems. Primary applications for such power plants include cogeneration and total energy systems, with a major advantage being their ability to employ solid coal and other non-scarce fuels in an environmentally acceptable manner. The greatest market potential is for individual engine modules in the 373 to 2238 kW range, which can be used in multiple-engine installations for cogeneration systems up to about 20 MWe. Fluidized bed coal combustors are found to be the most effective heat source for such power systems. The major effort in the Stirling engine development program was an industry-based design competition, involving three independent contractual teams. Conceptual designs for state-of-the-art coal-fired Stirling engine systems were developed and all three design teams recommended development of 373 kW modules as base units, which can be coupled together to form individual Stirling engines up to 2238 kW in size. Heat transport system design concepts were also developed for integrating engine hot-end sections with coal combustors, and a comparative discussion of the results is presented in the text of this paper.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); USDOE, Washington, DC
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6215453
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-810812-58; ON: DE83009616
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16. intersociety energy conversion engineering conference (IECEC), Atlanta, GA, USA, 9 Aug 1981; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Overview of DOE's large stationary Stirling engine development program
Design and development of Stirling engines for stationary power generation applications in the 500 to 3000 horsepower range. First quarterly report
Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
COGENERATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
DUAL-PURPOSE POWER PLANTS
STIRLING ENGINES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
COAL
DESIGN
ELECTRIC POWER
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTION
HEAT PIPES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
STEAM GENERATION
TOTAL ENERGY SYSTEMS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DEUS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENGINES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT ENGINES
MATERIALS
OXIDATION
POWER
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
200102* - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Power Cycles
290800 - Energy Planning & Policy- Heat Utilization- (1980-)