An integrated geometric and thermodynamic performance model of the 2.670 Stirling Engine

Abstract

2.670 is a required mechanical engineering class taught during the Independent Activities Period (IAP) at MIT in which each student constructs a Stirling Engine. For the most part, all of the engine parts are uniform, but if so desired, students are allowed to make design changes to certain parts in order to compete for the fastest engine at the end of the class. The research team in the MIT CADlab is working on an environment, called DOME, which makes it easy to link together simulations in different packages to perform integrated analysis and make them operable over the Internet. An integration environment has been created as a DOME project in which students can analyze and optimize the design of the 2.670 Stirling Engine. A thermodynamics model of the engine was created in Matlab and a parametric solid model was created in SolidWorks. Then, DOME was used to link the Matlab thermodynamic models to the Solidworks cad model so that when geometric parameters are changed one can see how this will affect engine performance. Students will be allowed to change the diameter and length of the displacer piston and see how it affects the work per cycle of the engine. In general, DOME was easy to learn how to use and the capabilities of web accessibility and the speed of design analysis and optimization was impressive. The future intention is that 2.670 students could use this integration environment to better analyze the 2.670 Stirling Engine.