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Like Carnot cycle there are two other cycles that involve an isothermal heat-addition
process at TH ( or T1 ) and an isothermal heat-rejection process at TL ( or T3 ): the
Stirling cycle and the Ericsson cycle. They differ from the Carnot cycle in that the two
isentropic process are replaced by two constant-volume regeneration process in the
Stirling cycle and by two constant-pressure regeneration process in Ericsson cycle.
Carnot Cycle
Stirling Cycle
Ericsson Cycle
Both cycles utilize regeneration, a process during which heat is transferred to a thermal energy
storage device (called a regenerator) during one part of the cycle and is transferred back to the
working fluid during another part of the cycle.
Figure shown below is the p-V and T-s diagrams of the Stirling cycle, which is made up of four
totally reversible processes:
1-2 T = constant expansion (heat addition from external source)
2-3 V = constant regeneration (internal heat transfer from working fluid to the regenerator)
3-4 T = constant compression (heat rejection to the external sink)
4-1 V = constant regeneration (internal heat transfer from the regenerator back to working fluid)
The execution of Stirling cycle requires rather innovative hardware. The actual Stirling engines,
including the original one patented by Robert Stirling, are heavy and complicated. To spare
complexities, the execution of the Stirling cycle in a closed system is explained with the help of
the hypothetical engine shown below.
QA1-2
mRT1 ln V2/V1
= T1 T3 = TH TL = 1 TL
T1
TH
TH
ERICSSON CYCLE
The Ericsson cycle is very much like the Stirling cycle, except that the
two constant-volume processes are replaced by two constant-pressure
processes.
QA1-2
mRT1 ln P1/P2
= T1 T3 = TH TL = 1 TL
T1
TH
TH