The heat energy source is generated external to the Stirling engine rather than by internal combustion as with the Otto cycle or Diesel cycle engines. They are also capable of quiet operation and can use almost any heat source. Stirling engines have a high efficiency compared to steam engines, being able to reach 50% efficiency. Originally conceived in 1816 as an industrial prime mover to rival the steam engine, its practical use was largely confined to low-power domestic applications for over a century. The inclusion of a regenerator differentiates the Stirling engine from other closed cycle hot air engines. Closed-cycle, in this context, means a thermodynamic system in which the working fluid is permanently contained within the system, and regenerative describes the use of a specific type of internal heat exchanger and thermal store, known as the regenerator. More specifically, the Stirling engine is a closed-cycle regenerative heat engine with a permanently gaseous working fluid. A Stirling engine is a heat engine that operates by cyclic compression and expansion of air or other gas (the working fluid) at different temperatures, such that there is a net conversion of heat energy to mechanical work.
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