A review of solar-powered Stirling engines and low temperature differential Stirling engines

This article provides a literature review on solar-powered Stirling engines and low temperature differential Stirling engines technology. A number of research works on the development of Stirling engines, solar-powered Stirling engines, and low temperature differential Stirling engines is discussed. The aim of this review is to find a feasible solution which may lead to a preliminary conceptual design of a workable solar-powered low temperature differential Stirling engine. Results from the study indicate that Stirling engines working with relatively low temperature air are potentially attractive engines of the future, especially solar-powered low temperature differential Stirling engines with vertical, double-acting, gamma-configuration. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.