A TEST RIG FOR MEASURING THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF STIRLING CYCLE REGENERATORS

DESIGN, DATA REDUCTION ANALYSIS, FABRICATION AND INITIAL TESTING WILL BE PERFORMED FOR A STIRLING-CYCLE TEST RIG CAPABLE OF MEASURING THERMAL FLUX ACROSS REGENERATORS UNDER OSCILLATING FLOW CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE ENCOUNTERED IN MODERN STIRLING MACHINES. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY THE ADDITION OF A HEAT-TRANSFER SUBASSEMBLY TO AN EXISTING PRESSURE-DROP TEST RIG. BOTH THE RIG AND THE DATA REDUCTION PROCEDURE ARE INNOVATIVE. THE RIG WILL BE PARTICULARLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT-FORWARD, AND THE DATA REDUCTION PROCESS WILL ENABLE-FOR THE FIRST TIME-BOTH GAS-TO-MATRIX HEAT TRANSFER AND APPARENT AXIAL CONDUCTIVITY TO BE SIMULTANEOUSLY MEASURED.