Computer programs for simulating Stirling engines


  1. Martini-Weiss
    A Stirling Engine Simulation Programe and Design Aid for PC's. Authored by M.H Weiss, G. Walker and O.R Fauvel, Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Calgary.
    The Martini-Weiss programe has been used extensively and is a proven programe for the simulation of Stirling engines (power systems).
    Martini-Weiss is a menu-driven, graphics orientated computer simulation program for Stirling engines. The main simulation program is based on the isothermal analysis of Martini and is written in FORTRAN 77. The user-friendly environment allows users to obtain results with a minimum of effert. An easy-to-use graphics package developed for PCs using MS-DOS 2.0 or higher, provides hard-copy graphic results on a wide variety of printers and plotters. The program efficiently simulates a wide range of Stirling engine configurations, drive systems and heat exchanger types. The algorithm implemented in the main simulation is effective in providing estimates of engine performance and is well suited for parametric optimisation or trade studies.
    The soft ware (MS-DOS only) plus a users manual can be purchased from ?????

  2. CRYOWEISS programe for the simulation of Stirling refrigerators and heat pumps
    The soft ware (MS-DOS only) plus a users manual can be purchased from ??????

  3. SNAP - Stirling Numerical Analysis Program
    SNAP is a second order Stirling Engine thermodynamic design and analysis program for the serious researcher and knowledgeable hobbyist written by Alan Altman. It offers many improvements and enhancements over previously available programs plus low cost, Mac and PC compatibility, viewable source code and it is user modifiable. It runs under any Excel version supporting workbooks (i.e.5.0 and up), allowing the use of the Solver add-in for semi-automatic optimization as well as the graphing wizard. The code is written and annotated in an easy to follow format, the "source code" and all formulas are visible.
    You must have Excel on your computer to run this program preferably with the Solver Add-in installed.
    For details of cost etc go to snapburner

  4. GLIMPS

    GLIMPS/GLOP is a commercial code available from Gedeon Associates of Athens, Ohio. GLIMPS is used for engine performance predictions; it's input format is somewhat more user-friendly than that of HFAST (Input variables are described in English, instead of the FORTRAN style variable names used for HFAST input). GLOP contains the optimization routines which permit GLIMPS/GLOP to be used for engine design optimization. GLIMPS/GLOP have also been used for performance prediction and design of cooling machines by private industry.

    GLIMPS/GLOP was developed by David Gedeon of Gedeon Associates. David was the primary analyst at Sunpower, Inc. in Athens, OH before going into business for himself. A description of GLIMPS taken from (Geng and Tew, 1993) is: "GLIMPS is a constrained mode simulation that uses a globally implicit technique to solve a system of algebraic equations simultaneously. The algebraic equations are finite difference representations of the governing differential equations. GLIMPS is a one-dimensional model comprised of up to 7 components relating to the working space of a Stirling cycle machine. Each component is divided into a number of computational-cells. The computational domain is broken into discrete time nodes as well. The user specifies the number of computational-cells and time nodes used in the model."

    Gedeon described an early version of his code in (Gedeon, 1986). A much more complete and up-to-date description of the code is the user manual (Gedeon, 1992), available for purchase from Gedeon Associates. Gedeon is working on a successor to GLIMPS/GLOP which he has called the SAGE code.

    GLIMPS/GLOP is written in Microsoft PASCAL. Performance calculations made with GLIMPS at NASA on an IBM 286 computer required approximately two minutes (this is a function of the number of spatial nodes and time steps chosen).

    For information regarding the price and availability of GLIMPS/GLOP or SAGE contact:

    David Gedeon
    Gedeon Associates
    16922 South Canaan Rd.
    Athens, OH 45701


  5. SCALIT
    A method of Scaling gas circuits developed by Dr Allan J Organ. Described in his book "The Regenerator and the Stirling Engine". John Wiley, 1997.
  6. An example of scaling gas circuits can be found here SESUSA Org

  7. Dr. Izzi Uriele maintain a very useful web site with various web learning resources

  8. Jon Bondy has some Stirling engine simulator prgrames on his web site http://www.jonbondy.com/software.htm


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