Stirling engine made from tin cans. Low-temperature stirling engine A simple do-it-yourself stirling engine from a cup

Stirling's engine. For almost any do-it-yourselfer, this wonderful thing can become a real drug. It is enough to do it once and see it in action, as you want to do it again and again. The relative simplicity of these engines allows you to make them literally out of garbage. I will not dwell on general principles and arrangements. There is a lot of information about this on the internet. For example: Wikipedia. Let's proceed immediately to the construction of the simplest low-temperature gamma-Stirling.

To build an engine with our own hands, we need two lids for glass jars. They will act as a cold and hot part. The rim is cut off from these covers with scissors

A hole is made in the center of one lid. The size of the hole should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the future cylinder.

The body of a Stirling engine is cut from a plastic milk bottle. These bottles are just divided into rings. We'll need one. It should be noted that bottles may differ slightly for different types of milk.

The case is glued to the cover with a plastic epoxy compound or sealant.

The body of the marker is perfect as a cylinder. In this model, the cap is smaller in diameter than the marker itself and can become a piston.

A small part is cut off from the marker. At the cap, a part is cut off from the top.

This is a displacer. During the operation of the Stirling engine, it moves the air inside the case from the hot part to the cold part and vice versa. Made from sponge for washing dishes. A magnet is glued in the center.

Since the top cover is made of sheet metal, it can be attracted by a magnet. The displacer may get stuck. To prevent this from happening, the magnet must be additionally fixed with a cardboard circle.

The cap is filled with epoxy. Holes are drilled at both ends for attaching a magnet and a connecting rod holder. The threads in the holes are cut directly by the screw. These screws are needed for fine tuning the engine. The magnet in the piston is glued to the screw and is adjusted in such a way that, being in the lower part of the cylinder, it attracts the displacer. You will also need to glue a rubber limiter on this magnet. A piece of a bicycle tube or an eraser will do. The limiter is needed so that the piston and displacer magnets do not attract too much. Otherwise, there may not be enough pressure to break the magnetic bond.

A rubber gasket is glued to the top of the piston. It is needed for tightness and to protect the casing from rupture.

The piston casing is made of a rubber glove. You need to cut off the little finger.

After the casing is glued, another rubber gasket is glued on top. A hole is pierced through the rubber gaskets and casing with an awl. The connecting rod holder is screwed into this hole. This holder is made from a screw and a soldered washer.

As a crankshaft holder, epoxy packaging was perfect. Exactly the same jar can be taken from under effervescent vitamins or aspirin.

The bottom of this jar is cut off and holes are made. In the upper part - to hold the crankshaft. At the bottom - for access to the connecting rod mount.

The crankshaft and connecting rod are made of wire. The white pieces are the limiter. Made from a lollipop tube. Small pieces are cut from this tube and the resulting parts are cut lengthwise. This makes them easier to put on. The height of the knee is determined by half the distance that the cylinder must travel from the lowest point to the highest point at which the magnetic connection ceases to operate.

So, we are all set for the first test. First you need to check the tightness. You need to blow into the cylinder. All joints can be lathered with dishwashing liquid. The slightest air leak and the engine will not work. If everything is in order with the tightness, you can insert the piston and secure the casing with a rubber band.

In the lower position of the cylinder, the displacer should be attracted to the top. Then the whole structure is placed on a cup of hot water. After a while, the air inside the engine will begin to heat up and push the piston out. At a certain moment, the magnetic connection will be broken and the displacer will fall to the bottom. Thus, the air in the engine will no longer come into contact with the heated part and begin to cool. The piston will start to retract. Ideally, the piston should begin to move up and down. But this may not happen. Either the pressure will not be enough to move the piston, or the air will heat up too much and the piston will not fully retract. Accordingly, this engine may have dead zones. It's not particularly scary. The main thing is that the dead zones are not too large. A flywheel is needed to compensate for dead zones.

Another very important part of this stage is that here you can feel the principle of the Stirling engine. I remember my first stirling that did not work only because I could not figure out how and why this thing works. Here, helping the piston with your hands to go up and down, you can feel how the pressure rises and falls.

This design can be slightly improved by adding a syringe to the top cover. This syringe also needs to be put on epoxy, the needle holder should be cut a little. The position of the plunger in the syringe should be in the middle position. This syringe can regulate the volume of air inside the engine. Starting and adjusting will be much easier.

So you can fit the crankshaft holder. The height of the connecting rod to the cylinder is adjusted by a screw.

The flywheel is made from a CD. The hole is sealed with plastic epoxy. Then you need to drill a hole exactly in the center. Finding the center is very easy. We use the properties of a right triangle inscribed in a circle. His hypotenuse passes through the center. It is necessary to attach a sheet of paper at a right angle to the outskirts of the disk. Orientation is not important. In places where the sides of the sheet intersect with the edge of the disk, we put marks. A line drawn through these marks will pass through the center. If we draw the second line in a different place, then at the intersection we will get the exact center.

All engine is ready.

We put the Stirling engine on a cup of boiling water. We wait a bit and he should earn himself. If this does not happen, you need to help him a little with your hand.

Video production process.

Stirling engine at work

It replaced other types of power plants, however, work aimed at abandoning the use of these units suggests an imminent change in leading positions.

Since the beginning of technological progress, when the use of engines that burn fuel inside was just beginning, their superiority was not obvious. The steam engine, as a competitor, contains a lot of advantages: along with traction parameters, it is silent, omnivorous, easy to control and configure. But lightness, reliability and efficiency allowed the internal combustion engine to take over the steam.

Today, issues of ecology, economy and safety are at the forefront. This forces engineers to throw their forces on serial units operating on renewable fuel sources. In the year 16 of the nineteenth century, Robert Stirling registered an engine powered by external heat sources. Engineers believe that this unit is able to change the modern leader. The Stirling engine combines efficiency, reliability, runs quietly, on any fuel, this makes the product a player in the automotive market.

Robert Stirling (1790-1878):

Stirling engine history

Initially, the installation was developed with the aim of replacing the steam-powered machine. Boilers of steam mechanisms exploded when the pressure exceeded the permissible norms. From this point of view, Stirling is much safer, functioning using a temperature difference.

The principle of operation of the Stirling engine is to alternately supply or remove heat from the substance on which work is performed. The substance itself is enclosed in a closed volume. The role of the working substance is performed by gases or liquids. There are substances that perform the role of two components, the gas is transformed into a liquid and vice versa. The liquid-piston Stirling engine has: small dimensions, powerful, generates high pressure.

The decrease and increase in the volume of gas during cooling or heating, respectively, is confirmed by the law of thermodynamics, according to which all components: the degree of heating, the amount of space occupied by the substance, the force acting per unit area, are related and described by the formula:

PV=nR*T

P is the force of the gas in the engine per unit area;
V is the quantitative value occupied by gas in the engine space;
n is the molar amount of gas in the engine;
R is the gas constant;
T is the degree of gas heating in the engine K,

Stirling engine model:

Due to the unpretentiousness of the installations, the engines are divided into: solid fuel, liquid fuel, solar energy, chemical reaction and other types of heating.

Cycle

The Stirling external combustion engine uses a set of phenomena of the same name. The effect of the ongoing action in the mechanism is high. Thanks to this, it is possible to design an engine with good characteristics within normal dimensions.

It should be taken into account that the design of the mechanism provides for a heater, a refrigerator and a regenerator, a device for removing heat from the substance and returning heat at the right time.

Ideal Stirling cycle, (diagram "temperature-volume"):

Ideal circular phenomena:

1-2 Change in the linear dimensions of a substance with a constant temperature;
2-3 Removal of heat from the substance to the heat exchanger, the space occupied by the substance is constant;
3-4 Forced reduction of the space occupied by the substance, the temperature is constant, heat is removed to the cooler;
4-1 Forced increase in the temperature of the substance, the occupied space is constant, the heat is supplied from the heat exchanger.

The ideal Stirling cycle, (pressure-volume diagram):

From the calculation (mol) of a substance:

Heat input:

Heat received by the cooler:

The heat exchanger receives heat (process 2-3), the heat exchanger gives off heat (process 4-1):

R – Universal gas constant;

CV - the ability of an ideal gas to retain heat with a constant amount of space occupied.

Due to the use of a regenerator, part of the heat remains, as the energy of the mechanism, which does not change during the passing circular phenomena. The refrigerator receives less heat, so the heat exchanger saves the heat of the heater. This increases the efficiency of the installation.

Efficiency of circular phenomenon:

ɳ =

It is noteworthy that without a heat exchanger, the set of Stirling processes is feasible, but its efficiency will be much lower. Running the set of processes backwards leads to a description of the cooling mechanism. In this case, the presence of a regenerator is a mandatory condition, since when passing (3-2) it is impossible to heat the substance from the cooler, the temperature of which is much lower. It is also impossible to give heat to the heater (1-4), the temperature of which is higher.

The principle of the engine

In order to understand how the Stirling engine works, let's look at the device and the frequency of the phenomena of the unit. The mechanism converts the heat received from the heater located outside the product into a force on the body. The whole process occurs due to the temperature difference, in the working substance, which is in a closed circuit.

The principle of operation of the mechanism is based on expansion due to heat. Immediately prior to expansion, the substance in the closed circuit heats up. Accordingly, before being compressed, the substance is cooled. The cylinder itself (1) is wrapped in a water jacket (3), heat is supplied to the bottom. The piston that does the work (4) is placed in a sleeve and sealed with rings. Between the piston and the bottom there is a displacement mechanism (2), which has significant gaps and moves freely. The substance in a closed circuit moves through the volume of the chamber due to the displacer. The movement of matter is limited to two directions: the bottom of the piston, the bottom of the cylinder. The movement of the displacer is provided by a rod (5) which passes through the piston and is operated by an eccentric 90° late compared to the piston drive.

Position "A":

The piston is located in the lowest position, the substance is cooled by the walls.

Position "B":

The displacer occupies the upper position, moving, passes the substance through the end slots to the bottom, and cools itself. The piston is stationary.

Position "C":

The substance receives heat, under the action of heat it increases in volume and raises the expander with the piston up. Work is done, after which the displacer sinks to the bottom, pushing out the substance and cooling.

Position "D":

The piston goes down, compresses the cooled substance, useful work is done. The flywheel serves as an energy accumulator in the design.

The considered model is without a regenerator, so the efficiency of the mechanism is not high. The heat of the substance after work is removed into the coolant using the walls. The temperature does not have time to decrease by the required amount, so the cooling time is extended, the motor speed is low.

Types of engines

Structurally, there are several options using the Stirling principle, the main types are:

The design uses two different pistons placed in different contours. The first circuit is used for heating, the second circuit is used for cooling. Accordingly, each piston has its own regenerator (hot and cold). The device has a good power to volume ratio. The disadvantage is that the temperature of the hot regenerator creates design difficulties.

Engine "β - Stirling":

The design uses one closed circuit, with different temperatures at the ends (cold, hot). A piston with a displacer is located in the cavity. The displacer divides the space into cold and hot zones. The exchange of cold and heat occurs by pumping a substance through a heat exchanger. Structurally, the heat exchanger is made in two versions: external, combined with a displacer.

Engine "γ - Stirling":

The piston mechanism provides for the use of two closed circuits: cold and with a displacer. Power is taken off a cold piston. The displacer piston is hot on one side and cold on the other. The heat exchanger is located both inside and outside the structure.

Some power plants are not similar to the main types of engines:

Rotary Stirling engine.

Structurally, the invention with two rotors on the shaft. The part performs rotational movements in a closed cylindrical space. A synergistic approach to the implementation of the cycle has been laid. The body contains radial slots. Blades with a certain profile are inserted into the recesses. The plates are put on the rotor and can move along the axis when the mechanism rotates. All the details create changing volumes with phenomena taking place in them. The volumes of the various rotors are connected by channels. Channel arrangements are offset by 90° to each other. The shift of the rotors relative to each other is 180°.

Thermoacoustic Stirling engine.

The engine uses acoustic resonance to carry out processes. The principle is based on the movement of matter between a hot and a cold cavity. The circuit reduces the number of moving parts, the difficulty in removing the received power and maintaining resonance. The design refers to the free-piston type of motor.

DIY Stirling engine

Today, quite often in the online store you can find souvenirs made in the form of the engine in question. Structurally and technologically, the mechanisms are quite simple; if desired, the Stirling engine is easy to construct with your own hands from improvised means. On the Internet you can find a large number of materials: videos, drawings, calculations and other information on this topic.

Low temperature Stirling engine:

Consider the simplest version of the wave engine, for which you will need a tin can, soft polyurethane foam, a disk, bolts and paper clips. All these materials are easy to find at home, it remains to perform the following steps:
Take a soft polyurethane foam, cut a circle two millimeters smaller than the inner diameter of the can. The height of the foam is two millimeters more than half the height of the can. Foam rubber plays the role of a displacer in the engine;
Take the lid of the jar, make a hole in the middle, two millimeters in diameter. Solder a hollow rod to the hole, which will act as a guide for the engine connecting rod;
Take a circle cut out of foam, insert a screw into the middle of the circle and lock it on both sides. Solder a pre-straightened paperclip to the washer;
Drill a hole two centimeters from the center, three millimeters in diameter, thread the displacer through the central hole of the lid, solder the lid to the jar;
Make a small cylinder out of tin, one and a half centimeters in diameter, solder it to the lid of the can in such a way that the side hole of the lid is clearly centered inside the engine cylinder;
Make an engine crankshaft out of a paper clip. The calculation is carried out in such a way that the spacing of the knees is 90 °;
Make a stand for the crankshaft of the engine. From a plastic film, make an elastic membrane, put the film on the cylinder, push it through, fix it;

Make an engine connecting rod yourself, bend one end of the straightened product in the shape of a circle, insert the other end into a piece of eraser. The length is adjusted in such a way that at the lowest point of the shaft the membrane is retracted, at the extreme upper point, the membrane is maximally extended. Adjust the other connecting rod in the same way;
Glue the engine connecting rod with a rubber tip to the membrane. Mount the connecting rod without a rubber tip on the displacer;
Put a flywheel from the disk on the crank mechanism of the engine. Attach legs to the jar so as not to hold the product in your hands. The height of the legs allows you to place a candle under the jar.

After we managed to make a Stirling engine at home, the engine is started. To do this, a lighted candle is placed under the jar, and after the jar has warmed up, they give impetus to the flywheel.

The considered installation option can be quickly assembled at home, as a visual aid. If you set a goal and desire to make the Stirling engine as close as possible to factory counterparts, there are drawings of all the details in the public domain. Step-by-step execution of each node will allow you to create a working layout that is no worse than commercial versions.

Advantages

The Stirling engine has the following advantages:

A temperature difference is necessary for the operation of the engine, which fuel causes heating is not important;
There is no need to use attachments and auxiliary equipment, the engine design is simple and reliable;
The resource of the engine, due to the design features, is 100,000 hours of operation;
The operation of the engine does not create extraneous noise, since there is no detonation;
The process of engine operation is not accompanied by the emission of waste substances;
Engine operation is accompanied by minimal vibration;
Processes in the plant cylinders are environmentally friendly. Using the right heat source keeps the engine clean.

disadvantages

The disadvantages of the Stirling engine include:

It is difficult to establish mass production, since the engine design requires the use of a large amount of materials;
High weight and large dimensions of the engine, since a large radiator must be used for effective cooling;
To increase efficiency, the engine is boosted using complex substances (hydrogen, helium) as a working fluid, which makes the operation of the unit dangerous;
The high temperature resistance of steel alloys and their thermal conductivity complicate the engine manufacturing process. Significant heat losses in the heat exchanger reduce the efficiency of the unit, and the use of specific materials makes the manufacture of the engine expensive;
To adjust and switch the engine from mode to mode, special control devices must be used.

Usage

The Stirling engine has found its niche and is actively used where dimensions and omnivorousness are an important criterion:

Stirling engine-generator.

A mechanism for converting heat into electrical energy. Often there are products used as portable tourist generators, installations for the use of solar energy.

The engine is like a pump (electric).

The engine is used for installation in the circuit of heating systems, saving on electrical energy.

The engine is like a pump (heater).

In countries with a warm climate, the engine is used as a space heater.

Stirling engine on a submarine:

The engine is like a pump (cooler).

Almost all refrigerators use heat pumps in their design, installing a Stirling engine saves resources.

The engine is like a pump that creates ultra-low heat levels.

The device is used as a refrigerator. To do this, the process is started in the opposite direction. The units liquefy gas, cool measuring elements in precise mechanisms.

Underwater engine.

The submarines of Sweden and Japan work thanks to the engine.

Stirling engine as a solar installation:

The engine is like a battery of energy.

Fuel in such units, salt melts, the engine is used as an energy source. In terms of energy reserves, the motor is ahead of chemical elements.

solar engine.

Convert the sun's energy into electricity. The substance in this case is hydrogen or helium. The engine is placed in the focus of the maximum concentration of the energy of the sun, created using a parabolic antenna.

A Stirling engine is a kind of engine that starts to run on thermal energy. In this case, the source of energy is completely unimportant. The main thing is that there is a temperature difference, in this case, such an engine will work. Now we will analyze how you can create a model of such a low-temperature engine from a can of Coca-Cola.

Materials and fixtures

Now we will analyze what we need to take to create an engine at home. What we need to take for stirling:

Balloon.
Three cans of cola.
Special terminals, five pieces (for 5A).
Nipples for fixing bicycle spokes (two things).
Cotton wool.
A piece of steel wire thirty cm long and 1 mm in cross section.
A piece of large steel or copper wire with a diameter of 1.6 to 2 mm.
Wooden pin with a diameter of twenty mm (length one cm).
Bottle cap (plastic).
Wiring (thirty cm).
Special glue.
Vulcanized rubber (about 2 centimeters).
Fishing line (length thirty cm).
Several weights for balancing (for example, nickel).
CDs (three pieces).
Special buttons.
A tin can for creating a firebox.
Heat resistant silicone and tin can for making water cooling.

Description of the creation process

Stage 1. Jars preparation.

First, you should take 2 cans and cut off the top of them. If the tops are cut off with scissors, the resulting notches will have to be ground off with a file.

Stage 2. Making the diaphragm.

As a diaphragm, you can take a balloon, which should be reinforced with vulcanized rubber. The ball must be cut and pulled onto a jar. Then glue a piece of special rubber on the central part of the diaphragm. After the glue has hardened, in the center of the diaphragm we will punch a hole for installing the wire. The easiest way to do this is with a special button that can be left in the hole until assembly.

Stage 3. Cutting and creating holes in the lid.

Two holes of two mm must be made in the walls of the cover, they are necessary to install the pivot axis of the levers. Another hole must be made in the bottom of the lid, a wire will go through it, which will be connected to the displacer.

At the last stage, the lid must be cut off. This is done so that the displacer wire does not catch on the edges of the cover. For such work, you can take household scissors.

Stage 4. Drilling.

In the jar, you need to drill two holes for the bearings. In our case, this was done with a 3.5 mm drill.

Stage 5. Making a viewing window.

A special window must be cut out in the engine housing. Now it will be possible to observe how all the nodes of the device work.

Stage 6. Terminal modification.

It is necessary to take the terminals and remove the plastic insulation from them. Then we take a drill, and make through holes on the edges of the terminals. In total, three terminals need to be drilled. Leave two terminals undrilled.

Stage 7. Creating leverage.

As a material for the manufacture of levers, copper wire is taken, the diameter of which is only 1.88 mm. How exactly to bend the knitting needles, it is worth looking on the Internet. You can take steel wire, just with copper wire, it is more convenient to work.

Stage 8. Manufacturing of bearings.

To make the bearings, you will need two bicycle nipples. The hole diameter needs to be checked. The author drilled them through with a 2 mm drill.

Stage 9. Installation of levers and bearings.

Levers can be placed directly through the viewing window. One end of the wire should be long, the flywheel will lie on it. Bearings should sit firmly in the right places. If there is a backlash, they can be glued.

Stage 10. Making the displacer.

The displacer is made of steel wool for polishing. For the manufacture of the displacer, a steel wire is taken, a hook is created on it, and then a certain amount of cotton wool is wound around the wire. The displacer must be the same size so that it moves smoothly in the bank. The entire height of the displacer should not exceed five centimeters.

At the end on one side of the cotton it is necessary to make a spiral of wire so that it does not come out of the wool, and on the second side we make a loop from the wire. Then we will tie a fishing line to this loop, which will subsequently be attracted through the central part of the diaphragm. Vulcanized rubber should be in the middle of the container.

Step 11. Making the pressure tank

It is necessary to cut the bottom of the jar in a certain way so that about 2.5 cm remains from its base. The displacer together with the diaphragm must be moved to the reservoir. After that, this whole mechanism is transferred to the end of the can. The diaphragm needs to be tightened a little. so that it does not sag.

Then you need to take the terminal that was not drilled, and pass the fishing line through it. The knot must be glued so that it does not move. The wire must be lubricated with high quality oil and at the same time make sure that the displacer can easily stretch the line behind it.

Stage 12. Making push rods.

These special links connect the diaphragm and levers. This is made from a piece of copper wire fifteen cm long.

Stage 13. Creating and installing a flywheel

For the manufacture of the flywheel, we take three old CDs. Take a wooden rod as the center. After installing the flywheel, bend the crankshaft rod, so the flywheel will no longer subside.

At the last stage, the entire mechanism is assembled completely.

The last step, creating a firebox

So we have reached the last step in the creation of the engine.

In which the working fluid (gaseous or liquid) moves in a closed volume, in fact it is a kind of external combustion engine. This mechanism is based on the principle of periodic heating and cooling of the working fluid. Extraction of energy occurs from the emerging volume of the working fluid. The Stirling engine works not only from the energy of burning fuel, but also from almost any source. This mechanism was patented by the Scot Robert Stirling in 1816.

The described mechanism, despite the low efficiency, has a number of advantages, first of all, it is simplicity and unpretentiousness. Thanks to this, many amateur designers are trying to assemble a Stirling engine with their own hands. Some succeed, and some don't.

In this article we will consider Stirling with our own hands from improvised materials. We will need the following blanks and tools: a tin can (you can use it from under sprats), sheet metal, paper clips, foam rubber, elastic, a bag, wire cutters, pliers, scissors, a soldering iron,

Now let's start assembling. Here is a detailed instruction on how to make a Stirling engine with your own hands. First you need to wash the jar, clean the edges with sandpaper. We cut out a circle from sheet metal so that it lies on the inner edges of the can. We determine the center (for this we use a caliper or ruler), make a hole with scissors. Next, we take a copper wire and a paper clip, straighten the paper clip, make a ring at the end. We wind a wire on a paper clip - four tight turns. Next, we solder the resulting spiral with a small amount of solder. Then it is necessary to carefully solder the spiral to the hole in the cover so that the stem is perpendicular to the cover. The paperclip should move freely.

After that, it is necessary to make a communicating hole in the lid. We make a displacer from foam rubber. Its diameter should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the can, but there should not be a large gap. The height of the displacer is a little more than half of the can. We cut a hole in the center of the foam rubber for the sleeve, the latter can be made of rubber or cork. We insert the rod into the resulting sleeve and glue everything. The displacer must be placed parallel to the cover, this is an important condition. Next, it remains to close the jar and solder the edges. The seam must be sealed. Now we proceed to the manufacture of the working cylinder. To do this, cut out a strip 60 mm long and 25 mm wide from tin, bend the edge by 2 mm with pliers. We form a sleeve, after that we solder the edge, then it is necessary to solder the sleeve to the cover (above the hole).

Now you can start making the membrane. To do this, cut off a piece of film from the package, push it a little with your finger inside, press the edges with an elastic band. Next, you need to check the correctness of the assembly. We heat the bottom of the can on fire, pull the stem. As a result, the membrane should bend outward, and if the rod is released, the displacer should lower under its own weight, respectively, the membrane returns to its place. In the event that the displacer is made incorrectly or the soldering of the can is not tight, the rod will not return to its place. After that, we make the crankshaft and racks (the spacing of the cranks should be 90 degrees). The height of the cranks should be 7 mm and the displacers 5 mm. The length of the connecting rods is determined by the position of the crankshaft. The end of the crank is inserted into the cork. So we looked at how to assemble a Stirling engine with our own hands.

Such a mechanism will work from an ordinary candle. If you attach magnets to the flywheel and take the coil of an aquarium compressor, then such a device can replace a simple electric motor. With your own hands, as you can see, making such a device is not at all difficult. There would be a desire.

You can, of course, buy beautiful factory models of Stirling engines, such as in this Chinese online store. However, sometimes you want to create yourself and make a thing, even from improvised means. Our website already has several options for manufacturing these motors, and in this publication, check out a very simple option for making at home.

See below for 3 DIY options.

Dmitry Petrakov, by popular demand, filmed step-by-step instructions for assembling a powerful Stirling engine, relative to its dimensions and the amount of heat consumed. This model uses materials available to every viewer and common materials - anyone can acquire them. All sizes presented in this video were selected by the author based on many years of experience with Stirlings of this design, and for this particular instance they are optimal.

This model uses materials available to every viewer and common materials, so that anyone can acquire them. All sizes presented in this video were selected based on many years of experience with Stirlings of this design, and for this particular instance they are optimal.

With feeling, sense and arrangement.

Stirling motor in operation with a load (water pump).

The water pump, assembled as a working prototype, is designed to be paired with Stirling engines. The peculiarity of the pump lies in the low energy consumption required to complete its work: such a design uses only a small part of the dynamic internal working volume of the engine, and thus affects its performance to a minimum.

Stirling motor from a can

To make it, you will need improvised materials: a can of canned food, a small piece of foam rubber, a CD, two bolts and paper clips.

Foam rubber is one of the most common materials used in the manufacture of Stirling motors. An engine displacer is made from it. From a piece of our foam rubber we cut out a circle, we make its diameter two millimeters less than the inner diameter of the can, and the height is slightly more than half of it.

We drill a hole in the center of the cover, into which we then insert the connecting rod. For a smooth running of the connecting rod, we make a spiral from a paper clip and solder it to the cover.

We pierce the foam rubber circle from foam rubber in the middle with a screw and lock it with a washer from above and below with a washer and a nut. After that, we attach a piece of paper clip by soldering, having previously straightened it.

Now we stick the displacer into the hole made in advance in the lid and hermetically solder the lid and the jar together. We make a small loop at the end of the paper clip, and drill another hole in the lid, but a little more than the first one.

We make a cylinder from tin using soldering.

We attach the finished cylinder to the jar with a soldering iron, so that there are no gaps left at the place of soldering.

We make a crankshaft from a paper clip. Knee spacing should be done at 90 degrees. The knee, which will be above the cylinder in height, is 1-2 mm larger than the other.

We make racks for the shaft from paper clips. Making a membrane To do this, we put a plastic film on the cylinder, push it inward a little and fix it on the cylinder with a thread.

The connecting rod that will need to be attached to the membrane is made from a paper clip and inserted into a piece of rubber. The length of the connecting rod must be made in such a way that at the bottom dead center of the shaft the membrane is drawn into the cylinder, and at the highest, on the contrary, it is extended. The second connecting rod is configured in the same way.

We glue the connecting rod with rubber to the membrane, and attach the other to the displacer.

We attach the legs from the paper clips to the jar with a soldering iron and attach the flywheel to the crank. For example, you can use a CD.

Stirling engine made at home. Now it remains to bring heat under the jar - light a candle. And after a few seconds, give a push to the flywheel.

How to Make a Simple Stirling Engine (with Photos and Video)

www.newphysicist.com

Let's make a Stirling engine.

A Stirling engine is a heat engine that works by cyclically compressing and expanding air or another gas (working fluid) at different temperatures so that there is a net conversion of thermal energy into mechanical work. More specifically, the Stirling engine is a closed cycle regenerative heat engine with a constantly gaseous working fluid.

Stirling engines are more efficient than steam engines and can reach 50% efficiency. They are also able to operate silently and can use almost any heat source. The thermal energy source is generated outside the Stirling engine, and not by internal combustion, as is the case for Otto or diesel cycle engines.

Stirling engines are compatible with alternative and renewable energy sources, because they may become more significant as the price of traditional fuels rises, and in light of issues such as depletion of oil reserves and changing of the climate.

In this project, we will give you simple instructions for creating a very simple engine DIY Stirling using test tube and syringe .

How to Make a Simple Stirling Engine - Video

Components and steps to make a Stirling motor

1. Piece of hardwood or plywood

This is the basis for your engine. Thus, it must be rigid enough to handle the movements of the engine. Then make three small holes as shown in the picture. You can also use plywood, wood, etc.

2. Marble or glass beads

In a Stirling engine, these balls perform an important function. In this project, the marble acts as a hot air displacer from the warm side of the test tube to the cold side. When marble displaces hot air, it cools down.

3. Sticks and screws

Studs and screws are used to hold the tube in a comfortable position for free movement in any direction without any interruption.

4. Rubber pieces

Buy an eraser and cut it into the following shapes. It is used to securely hold the tube and maintain its tightness. There should be no leakage at the mouth of the tube. If so, the project will not be successful.

5. Syringe

The syringe is one of the most important and moving parts in a simple Stirling engine. Add some lubricant to the inside of the syringe so that the plunger can move freely inside the barrel. As the air expands inside the test tube, it pushes the piston down. As a result, the syringe barrel moves up. At the same time, the marble rolls towards the hot side of the tube and pushes the hot air out and causes it to cool (reduce volume).

6. Test tube The test tube is the most important and working component of a simple Stirling engine. The test tube is made of a certain type of glass (such as borosilicate glass) that is highly heat resistant. So it can be heated to high temperatures.

How does a Stirling engine work?

Some people say Stirling engines are simple. If this is true, then just like the great equations of physics (e.g. E = mc2), they are simple: they are simple on the surface, but richer, more complex, and potentially very confusing until you realize them. I think it's safer to think of Stirling engines as complex: many very bad YouTube videos show how easy it is to "explain" them in a very incomplete and unsatisfactory way.

In my opinion, you can't understand a Stirling engine just by building it or watching it work from the outside: you need to seriously think about the cycle of steps it goes through, what happens to the gas inside, and how it differs from what happens in a conventional steam engine.

All that is required for the operation of the engine is the presence of a temperature difference between the hot and cold parts of the gas chamber. Models have been built that can only operate with a temperature difference of 4 °C, although factory motors will likely operate with a difference of several hundred degrees. These engines may become the most efficient form of internal combustion engine.

Stirling engines and concentrated solar energy

Stirling engines provide a neat method of converting thermal energy into motion that can drive a generator. The most common arrangement is to have the engine at the center of a parabolic mirror. The mirror will be mounted on the tracker to focus the sun's rays on the engine.

* Stirling engine as receiver

You may have played with convex lenses during your school days. Concentrating solar energy to burn a sheet of paper or a match, am I right? New technologies are developing day by day. Concentrated solar thermal energy is gaining more and more attention these days.

Above is a short video of a simple test tube motor using glass beads as a propellant and a glass syringe as a force piston.

This simple Stirling engine was built from materials that are available in most school science labs and can be used to demonstrate a simple heat engine.

Pressure-volume per cycle diagram

Process 1 → 2 Expansion of the working gas at the hot end of the tube, heat is transferred to the gas and the gas expands, increasing the volume and pushing the syringe plunger up.

Process 2 → 3 As the marble moves towards the hot end of the tube, the gas is forced from the hot end of the tube to the cold end, and as the gas moves, it gives off heat to the wall of the tube.

Process 3 → 4 Heat is removed from the working gas and the volume decreases, the syringe plunger moves down.

Process 4 → 1 Ends the loop. The working gas moves from the cold end of the tube to the hot end as the marbles displace it, receiving heat from the wall of the tube as it moves, thus increasing the pressure of the gas.