JapaneseFrom decades of years ago, the idea existed that makes the Stirling Engine run by solar energy. Some idea were studied for space use earnestly under the national project. However, the Solar Stirling Engine studied in our laboratory use normal(unconcentrated) solar heat as low heat source in stead of concentrate solar radiation. Stirling Engines have made good use of diversity heat source on this point.
Advantages
This Stirling Engine use unconcentrated solar. If we will use concentrated solar, the heater temperature to be high and heat efficiency advance. But we have to trace the direction of sun always on that case. The tracer system is complex and waste energy in part we got on purpose. Against this engine is adopting flat-plate solar collector can absorb diffusion light on cloudy days.
Necessary...
From unconcentrate construction, it have good character for manufacturing costs and maintenance, thus we think it is introduced easily in developing countries and the other. To be concrete, we use it for water pumps and in this system, the supply of solar energy can meet the demand. The solar battery can construct the similar system, however maximum efficiency of solar battery is only 20% now, and it's expensive. Thus Stirling Engine may realize 40% of ideal efficiency.
Structure of Solar Stirling Engine
Performance of Solar Stirling Engine
Return to Stirling Engines of Saitama University
Return to Stirling Engiene Home Page Academic Edition