Sterling Basics

[johnk]

Hi I have a Sterling engine I bought on ebay from Maidstone and am fascinated with it ..........However I have tried to understand the basics of operation.....I have looked at various web sites but still none the wiser...My problem is is that I understand that heat drives piston forward but what drives it back ?...Is it the action of the flywheel or is it Atmospheric pressure or both ..I understand the displacer shuttles back and forth so is heat is transfered from hot area to cold area ...Not understanding Boyles law I dont know what that means as far as air pressure is concerned........Many thanks in advance

[Ian S C]

johnk, your getting there,in the STIRLING engine the air gets heated, pushes the piston, displacer moves back into the hot space, the air cools and the pressure drops, the atmosphere (14.4 psi) pushes the piston back, and the displacer moves to the cold end so that the air is reheated, there you are, clear as mud, once you know how it works, you'll wonder why every one else does'nt know. Sterling is the currency in Britain, Stirling is the name of the Scotish gentleman who built the first hot air motor used comercially, the name Stirling engine was introduced by Phillips in Holland in the 1930s when they started to develope hot air engines. Ian S C oops should be Philips, D. Phillips is advocating a Stirling Engine for use in aircraft.

[johnk]

Thankyou fot taking time to answer my question......Would I be right in saying its atmospheric pressure (ie hot and cold) which causes complete piston cycle and the displacer is the means of obtaining that effect........Thanks

[Ian S C]

The displacer does'nt actually do anything powerwise, it alternately forms the hot space, then the cold, to allow the expansion, and contraction of the gas. Ian S C

[johnk]

Thanks the reason I want to know is that when I explain to the Grandchildren the workings ...I can confidently know what I am talking about.....I must read up on Boyles law as Its been 50 years since I was at school and forgotten basics.....Many thanks for your help.....We all know its magic really !

[johnk]

Would I be correct in saying that the vacuum on cooling is not enough in returning the piston to starting position and it is the action of the linkage of displacer and flywheel which aids in returning piston to starting position ?

[Ian S C]

johnk , I feel that on my motors there is a noticable amount of power felt on the return stroke, not quite as large as the power stroke. The flywheel shoul be large enough to take the motor overone or two strokes, its a bit of try it and see. Ian S C

[Doogle]

Note that it is Philips Stirling and Philips Cryogenics that Ian SC refers to.

The name officially is Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken N.V, not to be confused with the other company with two L's!

[Ian S C]

Sorry Doogle, I'v corrected the spelling of Philips, thanks for that. Ian S C

[jimlarsen]

Maybe this will help: http://sites.google.com/site/stirlingbu ... gines-work

That is an article about how Stirling Engines work.