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This article is about the adiabatic Stirling cycle. For the idealized Stirling cycle, see Stirling engine § Theory.
See also: Applications of the Stirling engine
The Stirling cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that describes the general class of Stirling devices. This includes the original Stirling engine that was invented, developed and patented in 1816 by Robert Stirling with help from his brother, an engineer.[1]
The ideal Otto and Diesel cycles are not totally reversible because they involve heat transfer through a finite temperature difference during the irreversible isochoric/isobaric heat-addition and heat-rejection processes. The irreversibility renders the thermal efficiency of these cycles less than that of a Carnot engine operating within the same limits of temperature. Another cycle that features isothermal heat-addition and heat-rejection processes is the Stirling cycle, which is an altered version of the Carnot cycle in which the two isentropic processes featured in the Carnot cycle are replaced by two constant-volume regeneration processes.
The cycle is reversible, meaning that if supplied with mechanical power, it can function as a heat pump for heating or cooling, and even for cryogenic cooling. The cycle is defined as a closed regenerative cycle with a gaseous working fluid. "Closed cycle" means the working fluid is permanently contained within the thermodynamic system. This also categorizes the engine device as an external heat engine. "Regenerative" refers to the use of an internal heat exchanger called a regenerator which increases the device's thermal efficiency.
The cycle is the same as most other heat cycles in that there are four main processes: compression, heat addition, expansion, and heat removal. However, these processes are not discrete, but rather the transitions overlap.
The Stirling cycle is a highly advanced subject that has defied analysis by many experts for over 190 years. Highly advanced thermodynamics is required to describe the cycle. Professor Israel Urieli writes: "...the various 'ideal' cycles (such as the Schmidt cycle) are neither physically realizable nor representative of the Stirling cycle".[2]
The analytical problem of the regenerator (the central heat exchanger in the Stirling cycle) is judged by Jakob to rank "among the most difficult and involved that are encountered in engineering".[3][4]
^Robert Sier (1999). Hot air caloric and stirling engines. Vol.1, A history (1st Edition (Revised) ed.). L.A. Mair. ISBN 0-9526417-0-4.
^Organ, "The Regenerator and the Stirling Engine", p. xxii, Foreword by Urieli
^Organ, "The Regenerator and the Stirling Engine", p. 7
^Jakob, M. (1957) Heat Transfer II John Wiley, New York, USA and Chapman and Hall, London, UK
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specifically, the Stirling engine is a closed-cycle regenerative heat engine, with a permanent gaseous working fluid. Closed-cycle, in this context, means...
The Stirlingcycle and Ericsson cycle are two other reversible cycles that use regeneration to obtain isothermal heat transfer. A Stirlingcycle is like...
ideal cycle are both named Stirling) and lack in specificity (omitting ideal or adiabatic Stirlingcycle) can cause confusion. The pseudo Stirlingcycle was...
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is no phase change): Carnot cycle (Carnot heat engine) Ericsson cycle (Caloric Ship John Ericsson) Stirlingcycle (Stirling engine, thermoacoustic devices)...
and gas turbine-Brayton cycle engines) and External combustion engines (steam piston, steam turbine, and the Stirlingcycle engine). Each of these engines...
the resulting pressure back into another heat differential and uses a Stirlingcycle to produce the cooling effect. A thermoacoustic device takes advantages...
Robert Stirling (25 October 1790 – 6 June 1878) was a Scottish clergyman and engineer. He invented the Stirling engine and was inducted into the Scottish...
especially in combinatorics, Stirling numbers of the first kind arise in the study of permutations. In particular, the Stirling numbers of the first kind...
efficiency of a gasoline engine. The cycle used by the Malone engine is a modified version of the StirlingCycle. The sealed cylinders filled with water...
models such as InSb require cryogenic cooling, usually by a miniature Stirlingcycle refrigerator or liquid nitrogen. Thermal images, or thermograms, are...
resembles a Stirlingcycle or engine, although it has two "displacers" with a mechanical linkage connecting them as compared to one in the Stirlingcycle. The...
ever consumer product utilizing the free-piston Stirlingcycle process. Before this, free-piston Stirling machines were only available at extremely high...
exchanger where it cools the incoming compressed gas. Stirlingcycle Gifford–McMahon cycle Vuilleumier cycle Pulse tube refrigerator In 1857, Siemens introduced...
improved the efficiency of Stirling's engine and should be present in any air engine that is properly called a Stirling engine. Stirling patented a second hot...
vapor-compression cycle not in current mass production include: Acoustic cooling Air cycle Magnetic cooling Malone engine Pulse tube Stirlingcycle Thermoelectric...
to other Stirling engine designs for comparison. [1] GB1329567 (A) - STIRLINGCYCLE HEAT ENGINES West, C. D. (1983). Liquid piston Stirling engines. New...
advanced Stirling radioisotope generator (ASRG) is a radioisotope power system first developed at NASA's Glenn Research Center. It uses a Stirling power...
three main kinds of thermodynamic processes: (1) changes in a system, (2) cycles in a system, and (3) flow processes. (1) A Thermodynamic process is a process...
majority stake in Stirling Energy Systems for $100M. As of 8/3/2011 NTR reported they were seeking 3rd party investment in Stirling Energy Systems. On...
reverse Brayton or Stirlingcycle. This article summarises the main criteria of selecting working fluids for a thermodynamic cycle, such as heat engines...
thermoelastic cooling using a smart metal alloy stretching and relaxing. Many Stirlingcycle heat engines can be run backwards to act as a refrigerator, and therefore...
first get to town and go to the freight office, a very interesting 'stirlingcycle' piston engine fan is seen running off a coal oil lamp. It is shown...
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