A Microfabricated Segmented-Involute-Foil Regenerator for Enhancing Reliability and Performance of Stirling Engines: Phase II Final Report for the Radioisotope Power Conversion Technology NRA Contract NAS3-03124

Mounir B. Ibrahim, Daniel Danila, Terrence Simon, Susan Mantell, Liyong Sun, David Gedeon, Songgang Qiu, Gary Wood, Kevin Kelly, Jeffrey McLean

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    An actual-size microfabricated regenerator comprised of a stack of 42 disks, 19 mm diameter and 0.25 mm thick, with layers of microscopic, segmented, involute-shaped flow channels was fabricated and tested. The geometry resembles layers of uniformly-spaced segmented-parallel-plates, except the plates are curved. Each disk was made from electro-plated nickel using the LiGA process. This regenerator had feature sizes close to those required for an actual Stirling engine but the overall regenerator dimensions were sized for the NASA/Sunpower oscillating-flow regenerator test rig. Testing in the oscillating-flow test rig showed the regenerator performed extremely well, significantly better than currently used random-fiber material, producing the highest figures of merit ever recorded for any regenerator tested in that rig over its ~20 years of use.

    Original languageAmerican English
    JournalNASA/CR—2007-215006
    StatePublished - Jan 12 2007

    Disciplines

    • Mechanical Engineering

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