Performance of Stirling Engine Hybrid Electric Vehicles: A Simulation Approach 2001-01-2513

Hybrid Vehicles have gained momentum in the automotive industry. The joint action of power sources and energy storage systems for energizing the vehicle improves the vehicle's fuel economy while reducing its pollutant emissions and noise levels, challenging automotive designers to optimize vehicle's cost, weight and control. The marketing success of hybrid vehicles significantly depends on the selection, integration and cost of the energy systems.

The internal combustion engine, dominant of the vehicle market, has been the “option of choice” for auxiliary power unit of the hybrid vehicle, although other power sources as fuel cells, Stirling engines and gas turbines have been employed as well [1].

This document is focused in the application of Stirling engines as the power source for automobile propulsion. In order to optimize this process, a simulation tool for Stirling vehicle was developed based in ADVISOR, a proven hybrid electric vehicle simulation software, and MARWEISS, a Stirling engine simulator. [2]

The simulation tool allows the study of Stirling-powered vehicles in conventional or hybrid electric (series, parallel or split) configurations, determining parameters of the vehicle like fuel consumption, power output, emissions, energy flow and the engine's temperature profile. The analysis of the simulation results can be employed to identify the critical features of the Stirling-powered vehicle.