Investigation on heat transfer of a free-piston Stirling refrigerator

The data used in this study originate from a combination of numerical simulations and experimental tests conducted on a free-piston Stirling refrigerator under various cooling conditions, including finned air cooling and hybrid water–air cooling at different input power levels (100 W and 150 W). The data were collected following standardized experimental procedures and simulation configurations to ensure consistency and reproducibility.Experimental Data: Acquired using a custom-built Stirling refrigerator thermal performance test platform equipped with temperature sensors (PT100), fan speed control, a water chiller, and a data acquisition system. Key temperatures, such as those of the hot-end heat exchanger and the compressor casing, were recorded under controlled power and airflow conditions.Simulation Data: Generated using FloEFD software, which provided a 3D conjugate heat transfer model. Simulated parameters include airflow velocity, temperature distributions on heat exchanger surfaces, and thermal gradients across fin structures.In addition to tabulated numerical data, this dataset includes several illustrative figures that were originally created in PowerPoint (PPT) for use in the manuscript. These images were generated based on simulation outputs or experimental results and serve to visualize complex physical phenomena, such as temperature fields, airflow patterns, and cooling performance under varying conditions.The dataset comprises several types of files (format examples listed below):Simulation results under 150 W input power with Fin Type 1 (extruded fin). Experimental temperature drop data under 100 W input power using hybrid water–air cooling. Cooling rate comparison across different heat sink types and power levels. Simulated airflow velocity distribution for the sunflower-shaped fin (Fin Type 2).This dataset supports: Validation of CFD simulation accuracy via comparison with experimental measurements; Quantitative evaluation of heat sink design parameters (e.g., surface area, structure) on heat dissipation; Analysis of the interplay between airflow velocity, input power, and refrigeration performance (e.g., cold-end temperature, COP); Design reference for optimizing thermal management in compact or high-power Stirling refrigeration systems.