No description available.

Stirling cryocoolers are required for a wide variety of applications, especially in military equipment, due to their small size, low weight, long lifetime and high reliability considering their efficiency. Thus, it is important to be able to investigate the operating performance of these coolers in the design stage. This study focuses on developing a computer program for simulating a Stirling cryocooler according to the second order analysis. The main consideration is to simulate thermodynamic, fluid dynamic and heat transfer behavior of Stirling cryocoolers. This goal is achieved by following the route of Urieli (1984), which was focused on Stirling cycle engines. In this research, a simulation for performance prediction of a Stirling cryocooler is performed. In addition to that, the effects of system parameters are investigated. This attempt helps to understand the real behavior of Stirling cryocoolers using porous regenerator material. Results implied that first order analysis methods give optimistic predictions where second order method provides more realistic data compared to first order methods. In addition to that, it is shown that regenerator porosity has positive effect on heat transfer characteristics while affecting flow friction negatively. As a conclusion, this study provides a clear understanding of loss mechanisms in a cryocooler. Performed numerical analysis can be used as a tool for investigation of effects of system parameters on overall performance.

This work is concerned with the design, development and performance evaluation of an inertance Pulse Tube Cryocooler (PTC). The main components of a PTC are the compressor, regenerator, pulse tube and inertance tube coupled to a reservoir. The inertance tube is a key component that affects the pressure and mass flow and phase shift between them and hence the performance. In conjunction with the compressor, it also plays a strong role in determining the frequency of operation. The PTC is designed based on system level numerical models (SAGE and DeltaE), component level thermo-acoustic models (DeltaE) of inertance tube and regenerator and experimental data of earlier fabricated Stirling coolers. As a starting point, an inertance tube with a diameter of 3 mm and 3.1 m long was chosen through component level analysis that provides phase shift of around 50 degrees at a pressure ratio of 1.1 for an acoustic power of about 4 W (in order to achieve 1 W of net cooling at 80 K) at 25 bar mean pressure and 60 Hz. From this inertance tube geometry, an estimate of the mass flow rate at the cold heat exchanger is obtained. Based on this mass flow rate, the initial dimensions of the pulse tube and regenerator are arrived at. A parametric study using system level model is carried out to obtain the maximum COP by varying inertance tube length and regenerator diameter. A flexure bearing compressor consisting of moving coil linear motor coupled to a piston is designed for the above cold head. Based on the above design considerations, the PTC compressor and cold head are fabricated and assembled. The PTC is charged with helium at mean pressure of 25 bar and instrumented with pressure and position transducers, temperature sensors and a skin-bonded heater for simulating the heat load on the cold head. Experimental data for the PTC were obtained with two different inertance tube lengths for different frequencies of operation. The cold head temperature exhibited a minimum with respect to the frequency. This optimum frequency shifts towards lower frequency with increased length of the inertance tube. The experimental data clearly shows that with different inertance tube lengths the optimum frequency locates itself for obtaining zero phase shift at the middle of the regenerator. It is observed that the optimum frequency is closely linked to the natural frequency of the pressure wave in the inertance tube suggesting a standing wave within the inertance tube with the pressure node at the reservoir. Thus the inertance tube is found to be analogous to a quarter wave resonator in a thermo-acoustic device. It may thus be possible to pre-fix an operating frequency for a given PTC cold head by choosing an inertance tube length close to quarter wave resonator length. This study has given insights on the phase shift between pressure and mass flow rate governed by the inertance tube and the connection between the optimum and natural frequencies which can be used for better design of PTCs.

Dans ce travail, un moteur Stirling de type Gamma alimenté par énergie solaire avec une faible différence de température a été étudié numériquement et expérimentalement. Un nouveau modèle appelé Polytropic Stirling Model with Losses (PSML) a été proposé et appliqué au moteur GPU-3 Stirling. Un cryoréfrigérateur basé sur un moteur Stirling intégral de type Alpha a été étudié numériquement, après avoir mesuré ses dimensions géométriques au laboratoire. Pour le moteur Stirling de type gamma du laboratoire, le modèle ait thermodynamique à vitesse finie et le modèle isotherme a été développé, incluant les bilans de masse et d’énergie à travers les différents volumes (compression, régénération et expansion) dans le moteur. Différents types de pertes thermiques et mécaniques ont été considérés dans le modèle afin d'analyser les processus thermodynamiques et les pertes dans le moteur Stirling. En outre, des études paramétriques sur les performances du moteur Stirling alimenté à l’énergie solaire ont également été étudiées expérimentalement et numériquement. La comparaison entre les résultats expérimentaux et les résultats de simulation à différents déphasages entre le déplaceur et le piston, et à différentes course de piston montre que le modèle est convaincant dans la prédiction des performances du moteur Stirling. Basé sur la méthode thermodynamique en dimension physique finie, une méthode d’algorithme génétique multi-objectives, objectifs étant la puissance fournie, le rendement énergétique et le taux de génération d'entropie a été utilisé pour optimiser la fonction et la géométrie du moteur du type Gamma. En comparant avec la méthode d'optimisation écologique, la méthode multi-objectif permet de mieux équilibrer les trois objectifs. Le nouveau modèle (PSML) proposé pour prédire les performances du moteur de type Bêta ou Gamma du moteur Stirling, il divise l'espace de travail en 5 parties (volume de compression, refroidisseur, régénérateur, chauffage et volume d'extension). Une liaison entre volume de compression et volume d'extension a été ajoutée dans le modèle adiabatique classique du moteur Stirling. Ainsi, des processus polytropiques ont été considérés dans les volumes de compression et d'expansion du moteur Stirling. Le moteur Stirling GPU-3 a été utilisé pour valider le nouveau modèle. Il a été démontré que le nouveau modèle (PSML) prédit correctement la puissance de sortie et le rendement du moteur. Dans la dernière partie de la thèse, un Cryorefroidisseur Stirling de type Alpha, a été étudié en utilisant un modèle isotherme prenant en considération différentes pertes. Les volumes de compression et d'expansion sont considérés isothermes, et la variation de la température du régénérateur est considéré linéaire. Les bilans d'énergie et d'exergie du Cryorefroidisseur ont été réalisés, et l'effet de divers paramètres sur la performance (puissance de refroidissement et puissance mécanique consommée) est étudié. Les résultats de la simulation pour PPG-102 Stirling cryocooler ont été comparés avec deux autres résultats de simulation de la littérature et des résultats expérimentaux indiquant que ce modèle est convaincant pour prédire la performance du Cryorefroidisseur. / In this work a solar powered low temperature difference Gamma type Stirling engine has been studied experimentally and numerically using an isothermal model coupled with various losses and using an objective optimization. A new model named Polytropic Stirling Model with Losses (PSML) has been proposed which was applied to the Beta type GPU-3 Stirling engine. An Alpha type integral Stirling cryocooler has been studied numerically using an isothermal model with losses. To study a Gamma type Stirling engine of our laboratory, an isothermal model coupled with finite speed method has been developed, including mass and energy balances through different spaces of the engine. The engine is divided into 3 volumes: compression volume, regeneration volume, and expansion volume. Different kind of thermal and mechanical losses have been considered in the model, in order to analyze thermodynamic processes and losses in the Stirling Engine. In addition, parameter effects on the performance of the solar powered gamma type Stirling engine have also been studied experimentally and numerically. The comparison between the experimental results and the simulation results at different phase shift between the displacer and the piston, and at different piston stroke shows that the model is convincing to predict the Stirling engine performance. Based on the Finite Physical Dimensional Thermodynamic method, a multi-objective genetic method considering output power, thermal efficiency and entropy generating rate as objective functions simultaneously, has been used to multi-objective optimize the Gamma type Stirling engine. Comparing with the ecological optimization method, the multi-objective method can better balance the three objective goals. The new model (PSML) proposed in the thesis for predicting performance of Beta or Gamma type of Stirling engine divides the working space into 5 parts (compression volume, cooler, regenerator, heater, and expansion volume). A bypass linking compression volume and expansion volume has been added in the classic adiabatic model of Stirling engine. Thus, polytropic processes have been considered in the compression and expansion volumes of the Stirling engine. The GPU-3 Stirling engine has been used to validate the new model. It was shown that the new model (PSML) predict well the output power and the thermal efficiency of the engine well. An isothermal model considering various losses was developed and presented in the last part of this thesis to study an Alpha type Stirling cryocooler, whose geometrical dimensions were measured in our laboratory. The compression and expansion volumes are supposed to be isothermal, the variation of the regenerator temperature is supposed to be linear. Energy and exergy balances of the cryocooler were developed. The effect of various parameters on the cryocooler performance (cooling power and input power) are investigated. The simulation results for PPG-102 Stirling cryocooler were compared with two other simulation results of the literature and with experimental results which indicated that this model is convincing to predict the performance of the Stirling cyocooler