Design and Parametric Analysis of Linear Joule-cycle Engine with Out-of-cylinder Combustion

Abstract For all the existing prime movers including internal combustion engine and gas turbine, there is an inherent problem as the efficiency penalty in their micro scale applications. Crankshaft mechanism in internal combustion engine causes nearly half of the friction loss originating in piston-ring-cylinder contacts. Rotomachinery of compressor and turbine results in low compression and expansion efficiencies when gas turbine downsizes to couple kilowatts. Linear Joule-cycle Engine (LJE) is designed to hire Joule cycle and out-of-cylinder combustion, to configure a double-acting free piston setup without crankshaft mechanism. The paper introduces the innovative design of LJE and optimises its geometry parameters in LMS Imagine.Lab AMESim. The parametric analysis provides a solid basis to prototype manufacturing. The potential of the technology lies on micro energy supplies using various renewables.