Brake power maxima of engines with limited heat transfer

This paper models the complete conversion of thermal energy into useful mechanical energy by reciprocating engines in a general setting. The paper joins the limited heat transfer model of finite-time thermodynamics with a general theory of mechanical efficiency. The analysis accounts for the thermal losses associated with heat transfer across differences in temperature and the friction losses inherent in mechanizing a heat engine cycle. The ideal Stirling cycle is used as the basis of the model because previous work shows that this will yield a best case analysis. Conditions under which an engine will produce its maximum brake or shaft power are analyzed and efficiency curves are presented with comparisons to other well-known efficiencies. The paper concludes with a new addition to the model which allows the determination of the effects of internal thermal losses on overall engine performance