Something I would Love to see
Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:13 pm
I think it might be very educational; informative; interesting etc. and possibly serve to dispel (or validate ?) some of the "Myths" or theories surrounding the actual workings of a Laminar flow Stirling engine if someone with the means to do so would blow some smoke - or possibly put some very fine dust (like talcum powder) into the cylinder of one of these test tube engines and video tape it running.
Or better yet, use a high speed camera so it can be viewed in slow motion.
In this way the air movement could be seen.
If there are any acoustic or other kind of "standing waves" or "compression waves" generated these should show up as the smoke particles or dust would tend to accumulate at the various nodal points, (3D Chladni patterns) much as when sand is scattered over a violin and accumulates at the nodal points:
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/chladni.html
Otherwise, it might just be shown that the gas simply expands and contracts back and forth through the "choke" in an ordinary flow or stream. The smoke or dust would make this movement, whatever it may be, visible.
Or better yet, use a high speed camera so it can be viewed in slow motion.
In this way the air movement could be seen.
If there are any acoustic or other kind of "standing waves" or "compression waves" generated these should show up as the smoke particles or dust would tend to accumulate at the various nodal points, (3D Chladni patterns) much as when sand is scattered over a violin and accumulates at the nodal points:
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/chladni.html
Otherwise, it might just be shown that the gas simply expands and contracts back and forth through the "choke" in an ordinary flow or stream. The smoke or dust would make this movement, whatever it may be, visible.