www.astesj.com 837 A Study of Stirling Engine Efficiency Combined with Solar Energy Oumaima Taki 1,* , Kaoutar Senhaji Rhazi 2 , Youssef Mejdoub 2 1 Laboratory of Networks, Computer Science, Telecommunication, Multimedia (RITM), CED Engineering Sciences, Higher School of Technology ESTC, Hassan II University, Casablanca, 20100, Morocco 2 Laboratory of Networks, Computer Science, Telecommunication, Multimedia (RITM), Higher School of Technology ESTC, Hassan II University, Casablanca, 20100, Morocco A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article history: Received: 25 December, 2020 Accepted: 27 March, 2021 Online: 04 April, 2021 Fossil fuel can no longer supply the constantly spiking demands of energy around the world, hence the increasing research on renewable energies as an alternative. The Stirling Engine is an external combustion engine, giving us a wide range of heat sources: solar, nuclear. The Stirling engine makes best of use of solar sources in an environmentally friendly way. It has no emissions and live longer as compared to Photovoltaic cells. The Stirling engine can operate at Low Temperature difference, which makes it prominent. In order to study the efficiency of a conversion from thermal energy to work, we need to take into account the energy efficiency, which is a key parameter in Low Temperature Difference Stirling Engine, even if its efficiency is lower than those of high temperature Stirling engine. In this article, we are studying the efficiency of the Stirling engine as a first step using a parabolic mirror to focus the sun's radiation onto the engine. In this article, we are studying the efficiency of the Stirling engine as a first step, by making isothermal and adiabatic analysis of the engine to detail the operation throughout its process, and be able to act on the various input parameters that impact the value of the final yield, and in a second step, using a parabolic mirror to focus the sun's radiation onto the engine. Keywords: Stirling engine External combustion Heating Solar energy Mechanical energy Renewable energy Cycle efficiency 1. Introduction Solar energy is an energy that falls into the category of renewable energies, because it is considered inexhaustible. Technologically, two ways are practiced in the use of direct solar energy; solar thermal energy and Photovoltaics. Regarding the solar thermal, it's a system that uses solar energy to produce heat by heating a fluid at more or less high temperature. We can therefore produce energy, like the case of classical thermal power stations. In this case, we are talking about thermodynamical central power plants. As to the Photovoltaics, it is a system which is composed of photovoltaic cells. It directly converts a part of solar rays to electricity with photovoltaic effect. A solar powered Stirling engine is a type of external combustion engine, which uses the energy from the solar radiation to convert solar energy to mechanical energy. The resulting mechanical power is then used to run a generator or alternator to produce electricity. Initially, Stirling engine was invented by Robert Stirling in the year 1816 [1]. Solar power generation could be accomplished using various methods, such as linear Fresnel systems, Parabolic through Solar tower systems, and most importantly Solar dish systems (Figure 2), which happen to be one of the most intuitive and efficient ways of concentrating solar heat on the receiver that drives the Stirling engine-generator unit. It is applied in several situations. Due to the available sizes of Stirling engines, this method is most useful in small capacity cases that do not exceed tens of kW. Figure 1: Stirling Engine. [1] ASTESJ ISSN: 2415-6698 * Corresponding Author: Oumaima Taki, Email: oumaima.taki@ensem.ac.ma Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems Journal Vol. 6, No. 2, 837-845 (2021) www.astesj.com Special Issue on Multidisciplinary Sciences and Engineering https://dx.doi.org/10.25046/aj060297