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The Advanced Stirling Conversion System (ASCS) Project was
managed by the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) through an Interagency
Agreement with the Department of Energy (DoE). The purpose of
the project was to develop a dish-mounted, solar power Stirling
conversion system for terrestrial commercial applications. The
DoE wanted GRC to mange the project due to the unique technology
base and Stirling expertise residing at GRC as a result of its
earlier Stirling programs. NASA had an interest in the work because
of the synergism in the technologies used in the solar terrestrial
project and the nuclear space power program.
The ASCS Project consisted of two parallel cost shared contracts
to produce systems capable of 25 KWe and 60,000 hour operation.
One contractor team was headed by Cummins Engine Company (CEC);
the other was headed by the Stirling Technology Company (STC).
The CEC ASCS design integrated a sodium heat pipe receiver with
a Stirling convertor which featured a free-piston engine/moving
magnet linear alternator system with hydrodynamic gas bearings.
The STC ASCS design integrated a NaK reflux boiler receiver with
a Stirling convertor which featured a free-piston engine/stationary
magnet linear alternator with flexural bearings.
In 1992, the DoE terminated funding for the project. At that
time, the CEC team had completed the Preliminary Design phase,
while the STC team was about to begin Final Design and Fabrication.
The ASCS project is discussed in Shaltens et al. 1992. Additional
information about the project can be obtained by contacting Wayne
Wong (w.wong@grc.nasa.gov).
Reference:
Shaltens, R. K. et al. (1992) "Update on the Advanced
Stirling Conversion System Project for 25 kW Dish Stirling Applications,"
Proceedings from the 27th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering
Conference.
Last updated: Saturday, May 6, 1995
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