Stirlingengineforum.com

Subject: Engine desgn

i want to design a small stirling engine..
how??

thanks

Hi Cat,

My first thought would be to consider both your skills as a machinist and the tools you have at your disposal. A Stirling can definitely be built without a lathe, but you will be reducing the number of design options since you will need to use materials and components already available.

As far as engine layouts, the two most common choices are beta and gamma. Beta is an engine in which the displacer and the piston share a common cylinder while gamma is an engine in which the displacer and piston each have their own cylinder. All else being equal, a beta design is slightly more efficient because it more effectively uses the air space within the cylinder. However, because a beta has coaxial connecting rods (they are both situated in the same imaginary line in space), it is a bit more complex to build.

If there are no other requirements other than being able to propel itself 10 meters, then either design of adequate size will suffice: just gear the engine down until the wheels move at a crawl. On the other hand, if you have to reach a particular speed or start from a standstill, you will have to be more ingenious.

Hope this helps.

-Stefan