Oscillatory flow power cycles

The Stirling engine is an excellent technology for heat-to-power conversion, which at the same time has an interesting particularity in terms of environment impact. The engine does not operate with heat released by internal combustion but operates with a working gas which is heated from external heat sources (e.g., solar energy, waste heat, gas, or biomass external combustion). Stirling engines are suitable for the conversion of heat across a wide temperature range, which gives them a high adaptability. The section covers the history and evolution of the Stirling engine since its invention and includes a presentation of the fundamental principles of operation, theoretical and practical performance expectations, and an update of cutting-edge research being undertaken on this technology. The potential of Stirling engines for small-to-medium scale electricity generation and for combined heat and power generation is discussed, highlighting their high efficiency, silent operation, compatibility with a range of fuels and other heat sources, and durability. As the inherent high thermodynamic efficiency of engines operating based on Stirling cycles offers possibilities which may be unattainable by any other known engines, efforts should be made to support this area, improving Stirling engine competitiveness relative to traditional internal combustion engines.