Multi-fuel Burner for Stirling Engine Based on Innovative Component Development

Developing a multi-fuel capable burner with an electronic controls subsystem for Stirling engines and other technologies represents an opportunity offers useful flexibility for transitional power sources (400W to 2 kW). TIAX has developed and improved during the Phase I program a burner capable of burning gaseous fuels or liquid fuels to power a 500 W Stirling engine. During the Phase I, the burner was shown to be able to operate heavy fuels, light fuels and gaseous fuels. The burner was also optimized for efficiency, and strategies for improving burner ruggedness were explored. A control strategy for a multi-fuel system was also identified. During the Phase II program, the optimized burner will be fabricated and tested, the controls system will be implemented, and some burner ruggedness improvements will be implemented and tested. Burner maturity will also be addressed, with an eye towards manufacturing the burner and burner system. A true multi-fuel Stirling engine system will be demonstrated at the end of Phase II.