In this study, a Gamma type Stirling engine with compressed air as working fluid have been experimented. This engine operates at a maximum charge pressure of 10 bars. It runs at a maximum speed of 600 rpm, and can provide 500 W of brake power on the shaft. This Stirling engine setup was equipped with thermocouples and pressure sensors in order to measure the instantaneous temperatures and pressures. The regenerator is the key element of the Stirling engine. Its geometrical and physical properties influence directly on the engine performances. Our experimental study was focused on the regenerator, and especially on its porosity and its constituting material. We have initially made our experiments for 4 different regenerators material’s constituted of: Stainless steel, Copper, Aluminum and Monel 400. Secondly, we have experimented 3 regenerators made of copper with different porosities. From the obtained results, we conclude that the regenerator have an important role to enhance heat exchanges and to improve the Stirling engine performances. Indeed, these performances are also function of the porosity of each material constituting the regenerator, which conditions the quality and the quantity of heat exchanged in the Stirling engine.

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