Thermoeconomic optimization and parametric study of an irreversible Stirling heat pump cycle

The thermo-econornic optimization of an irreversible Stirling heat pump cycle with a detail parametric study for the finite heat capacity of external reservoirs is presented in this article. The external irreversibility is due to finite temperature difference between the working fluid and the external reservoirs while the internal irreversibility is due to the regenerative heat loss. The Thermo-economic function is defined as the heating load divided by the total cost of the system along with the running cost. The Thermo-economic function is optimized with respect to the working fluid temperatures and the values for various parameters at the optimal operating condition are calculated. The effects of different operating parameters on the performance of the cycle have been studied. It is found that the effect of regenerative effectiveness and the economic parameter are more pronounced than that of the other parameters. (C) 2003 Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.