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I was recently given this alpha type Stirling engine by a friend and am not sure how to get it to work. Is it supposed to be assembly in a particular way? It is assembled with two glass syringes connected together by a rube. One one side is what looks like steel wool. When I received it one of the pistons was not inserted. Would that be an issue?


I am researching stirling/heat engines for my physics class.

I tried to get it working but wasn't able to. Is there a certain heat source or heating time before it'll work? I was using a normal small round candle. Is the flame supposed to touch the cylinder/syringe?

image:
http://imgur.com/nkkUUNM

Are you sure it's an ALPHA type with two fitted pistons, one hot, and one cold, or is it a GAMMA motor, with a power piston in one cylinder, and the displacer in the other cylinder, the top end (the end opposite the end the rod comes out) is where it gets heated.
Could you show a picture of it. Ian S C

Ian S C wrote:Are you sure it's an ALPHA type with two fitted pistons, one hot, and one cold, or is it a GAMMA motor, with a power piston in one cylinder, and the displacer in the other cylinder, the top end (the end opposite the end the rod comes out) is where it gets heated.
Could you show a picture of it. Ian S C

I have an image in the last post. Both pistons are the same length and are in glass syringes of the same length connected together by a tube. Both pistons are connected to the fly wheel.

never mind I got it to work. I just need to leave the flame on for a few minutes before trying to spin the flywheel.. Another problem I see is that the wheel will spin for 20-30 seconds before stopping is that normal? Thanks.

The motor should run for as long as there is heat, if it is going OK it should run for hours. it's good that you have it going though, now to keep it going, good luck. Ian S C

Just as Ian S C says, it should run as long as there is heat.

When you remove the heat, it's no problem that the flywheel spins a few rounds then, that's just good. It then runs on the heat that is left in the cylinder, and the flywheel slows down.

Do you have other photo's of it? It looks like an interesting engine, it's basically to glass syringes connected to a flywheel? Just the two syringes connected with a hose, and connecting rods on the pistons?

Triangle.Stirling wrote:Just as Ian S C says, it should run as long as there is heat.

When you remove the heat, it's no problem that the flywheel spins a few rounds then, that's just good. It then runs on the heat that is left in the cylinder, and the flywheel slows down.

Do you have other photo's of it? It looks like an interesting engine, it's basically to glass syringes connected to a flywheel? Just the two syringes connected with a hose, and connecting rods on the pistons?

That looks very interesting, where do you apply the heat. Ian S C

Ian S C wrote:That looks very interesting, where do you apply the heat. Ian S C

The left side. The side closest to the camera (ie the darker side)

Isn't this a variation of a gamma engine?

Nice either way.

RS

+1 Alpha
go team alpha

btw.. how well does the long glass on glass piston cylinder sealing work, is there much friction, do you know what clearance they have,
and if possible could you post a video "Pretty Please"...

cheers
vamoose

Yeah, we want to see more details it, a video or a few detailed pictures, as vamoose says 'pretty please...'

I think the syringes are good for this. They must seal perfectly, otherwise the fluid that it is used with can escape. Also i think they will go smooth.

Hope to see more details, if the construction is do-able, i can look for a few glass syringes..

Video
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGPGGbvWJQc[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGPGGbvWJQc
more pictures:

A worthwhile experiment(you might have tried already), place a wet rag over the cold side cylinder, and try running it, I think that while you keep it wet the motor will run longer, and faster, not that it doesn't run well now. Ian S C

It runs nice! I'm going to look out for some glass syringes, easy engine to build, and very well running!