Engine Parts

Discussion on Stirling or "hot air" engines (all types)
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Sivart
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:38 pm

Engine Parts

Post by Sivart »

So I learned about the existance of Stirlings years ago and forgot about them. Now I am going green on a lot of things and I have a few projects I want to use them on(small things of course). I am curious after reading hundreds pf articles and reviewing lots of plans and theories I had a thought. Instead of making crankshafts and pistons has anyone ever looked into RC parts and pistons? Like these:Image
Sivart
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:38 pm

Re: Engine Parts

Post by Sivart »

Also of coarse bearings and other parts even cylinders.
Ian S C
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Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Engine Parts

Post by Ian S C »

Sivart, generally IC engine, and compressor parts are more heavily built than required for a Stirling Engine.
V twin compressors have been tried (not too successfully).
The pistons are of the wrong type, a Stirling Engine does not normally use rings, these if of the type used in an IC engine cause too much friction, it is normal to use close fitting, ringless pistons, cast iron being the best metal material, in a cast iron or steel cylinder.
Ian S C
Sivart
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:38 pm

Re: Engine Parts

Post by Sivart »

See I figured with some adjustments to the cylinders taking out a few thousands you then could make the rings close fitting reducing the friction. You could also leave off the rings that normally go in and put in some Teflon(or carbon) rings that give the right clearances. Also don't use the v-twin config use single cylinders the same size in this configuration:
Image
You get easy to buy and maintain parts.

If someone could find a configuration that would work and be readily available instead of having to custom build everything it might make them more interesting to a larger audience.

I know a few friends into steam punk who would love a toy car they could maintain and tinker with without a full metal shop being required for basic repairs of wear parts. There are thousands of RC engine setups I can't imagine that absolute all have been looked at or that all have been tried.
Ian S C
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:15 am
Location: New Zealand

Re: Engine Parts

Post by Ian S C »

The diagram you have there is for a V type ALPHA motor. In the actual motor the hot piston has an extension to the top of the piston that works similar to the displacer in a BETA, or GAMMA motor, this is called the Heylandt Crown. The only thing that may cause a bit of head scratching is the clearance required for the hot piston.
It's probably best to start with a small, simple motor, my first one was a V type GAMMA motor.
The only problem(apart from the cost) with large motors is the size of machinery to make parts.
Ian S C
Sivart
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:38 pm

Re: Engine Parts

Post by Sivart »

My main reason for looking into this was to find a crankshaft. though it is a start and this is already balanced so you could potentially get more RPM with a smoother engine.
Sivart
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:38 pm

Re: Engine Parts

Post by Sivart »

I had also considered this as a cooler/heater. Fit the piston in the center tightly and it would greatly increase your surface area allowing a very large amount of heat transfer. Image

On the hot side the sun or flame would hear the copper and transfer it all to cilinder. I would fit a collector over it to trap the air in. It would retain a lot of heat between cycles.

On the cool side blow air through it just a little bit and the heat removal would be many times the amount without it.
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