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Experimental study of the operation characteristics of an air-driven free-piston linear expander

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  • Wang, Yaodong
  • Chen, Lin
  • Jia, Boru
  • Roskilly, Anthony Paul

Abstract

Free-piston engine is a kind of linear internal combustion engine, and shows advantages on simple mechanical structure, low frictional losses, high thermal efficiency and operational flexibility. In this research, an experimental test rig of a dual-piston air-driven free-piston linear expander (FPLE) is established using the FPE concept. A linear generator is used to convert the mechanical work of the pistons into electricity during the expansion process. The piston dynamics, the output voltage of the generator, and the expander operation frequency, as well as the system energy conversion efficiency are identified. It is observed that the piston displacement profile is similar with a sinusoidal wave. The piston is found to run at relative high speed during the middle stroke, and peak velocity is usually achieved when the piston approaches the middle stroke. The output voltage of the generator is sensitive with the piston velocity. With higher driven pressure, the expander frequency is higher. The energy conversion efficiency increases with higher driven pressure and can reach up to 55% with a driven pressure of 3.75bar. This research presents a fundamental analysis of a FPLE prototype, which can be used as a guidance for the future design of this FPLE type.

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  • Wang, Yaodong & Chen, Lin & Jia, Boru & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2017. "Experimental study of the operation characteristics of an air-driven free-piston linear expander," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 93-99.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:195:y:2017:i:c:p:93-99
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.03.032
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    Cited by:

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    3. Hou, Xiaochen & Zhang, Hongguang & Xu, Yonghong & Yu, Fei & Zhao, Tenglong & Tian, Yaming & Yang, Yuxin & Zhao, Rui, 2018. "External load resistance effect on the free piston expander-linear generator for organic Rankine cycle waste heat recovery system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1252-1261.
    4. Tian, Yaming & Zhang, Hongguang & Li, Jian & Hou, Xiaochen & Zhao, Tenglong & Yang, Fubin & Xu, Yonghong & Wang, Xin, 2018. "Development and validation of a single-piston free piston expander-linear generator for a small-scale organic Rankine cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 809-820.
    5. Ngwaka, Ugochukwu & Jia, Boru & Lawrence, Christopher & Wu, Dawei & Smallbone, Andrew & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2019. "The characteristics of a Linear Joule Engine Generator operating on a dry friction principle," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 49-59.
    6. Yang, Fubin & Zhang, Hongguang & Hou, Xiaochen & Tian, Yaming & Xu, Yonghong, 2019. "Experimental study and artificial neural network based prediction of a free piston expander-linear generator for small scale organic Rankine cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 630-644.
    7. Chouder, Ryma & Benabdesselam, Azzedine & Stouffs, Pascal, 2023. "Modeling results of a new high performance free liquid piston engine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PD).
    8. Xu, Yonghong & Tong, Liang & Zhang, Hongguang & Hou, Xiaochen & Yang, Fubin & Yu, Fei & Yang, Yuxin & Liu, Rong & Tian, Yaming & Zhao, Tenglong, 2018. "Experimental and simulation study of a free piston expander–linear generator for small-scale organic Rankine cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 776-791.
    9. Li, Jian & Yang, Fubin & Zhang, Hongguang & Wu, Zhong & Tian, Yaming & Hou, Xiaochen & Xu, Yonghong & Ren, Jing, 2020. "Comparative analysis of different valve timing control methods for single-piston free piston expander-linear generator via an orthogonal experimental design," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    10. Wu, Zhong & Zhang, Hongguang & Liu, Zhongliang & Tian, Guohong & Hou, Xiaochen & Yang, Fubin, 2022. "Force and energy analysis of single-piston free-piston expander—linear generator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    11. Zhuxian Liu & Zhong Wu & Yonghong Xu & Hongguang Zhang & Jian Zhang & Fubin Yang, 2022. "Performance Investigation of Single–Piston Free Piston Expander–Linear Generator with Multi–Parameter Based on Simulation Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-28, November.
    12. Hou, Xiaochen & Zhang, Hongguang & Zhao, Tenglong & Xu, Yonghong & Tian, Yaming & Li, Jian & Zhang, Mengru & Wu, Yuting, 2019. "A comparison study and performance analysis of free piston expander-linear generator for organic Rankine cycle system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 136-143.
    13. Baoying Peng & Kai Zhang & Liang Tong & Yonghong Xu, 2023. "Research on Gas Recycling of Free-Piston Expander–Linear Generator for Organic Rankine Cycle of Vehicle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-16, September.
    14. Bianchi, M. & Branchini, L. & De Pascale, A. & Melino, F. & Ottaviano, S. & Peretto, A. & Torricelli, N., 2019. "Application and comparison of semi-empirical models for performance prediction of a kW-size reciprocating piston expander," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C), pages 143-156.

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