Search found 66 matches

by SScandizzo
Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:52 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

I believe that article is from Scientific American . Looks fairly reasonable, but I suspect that it isn't much more than an oversized tin can engine. There is a book being advertised on http://www.AmericanSterling.com that describes a 5 horsepower engine built in Bangladesh out of scrap. I don't kno...
by SScandizzo
Tue Nov 14, 2006 12:02 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

If all works well, you can determine the timing of the system by moving your heating element by hand and watching the response from the power piston. Cartech: I like the reverse flow idea for the passive solar engine! I would still want to avoid valves and such if possible, but at least you've found...
by SScandizzo
Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:50 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

Tom, I think you may have blurred the purposes of the displacer and regenerator. While they can be physically the same component of the engine, they don't necessarily have to be. In fact, a regenerator is not necessary for a Stirling engine to produce power, it just improves its efficiency. Examinin...
by SScandizzo
Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:23 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

The whole purpose of the displacer is to move the enclosed air from an external heat source to a heat sink. I think this is the genius of Stirling's design: there are no valves or complex passages. Keep in mind that you probably want to keep your displacer as light as possible, since moving it (in c...
by SScandizzo
Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:15 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

JB weld holds up under low flame and super glue almost immediately burns up. Soldering the aluminum will probably be a more permanent solution, but it will require the appropriate solder and flux (it's one more reason I tend to stay away from aluminum in my construction... aluminum requires a specia...
by SScandizzo
Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:44 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

I believe the slotted connecting rod would have to be horizontal in order to work without modification.

Can't wait to see your matching displacer cylinder!

-Stefan
by SScandizzo
Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:31 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

Hi Tom, Alright, I'm gonna break out the big guns here. I think there is a much simpler, mechanical means of generating the "dwell" you are hoping for. In an earlier post, we had a discussion about "intermittent" displacer movement. The idea was, just as you described, to have th...
by SScandizzo
Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:09 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51891

Hi Tom, You have some neat ideas there! Here are a couple of random thoughts I have about what you have proposed: - You're basic notion of how a Stirling engine works is correct. Please note however that you sketch has the displacer and power pistons 180 degrees out of phase; they should be 90 degre...
by SScandizzo
Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:39 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Power piston port size
Replies: 4
Views: 16524

My understanding is that a turbulent air flow is desirable; that being the case I would suspect that off-center and less than full bore ports may actually be beneficial. Just speculating, though.

-Stefan
by SScandizzo
Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:42 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Power piston port size
Replies: 4
Views: 16524

I'm guessing that as long as the port doesn't impose a restriction to air movement (along the lines of a pin hole sized opening), it probably doesn't have much of an effect. It might be a cool experiment if you installed a spot for a restrictor plate in order to test different port sizes, but that m...
by SScandizzo
Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:51 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Engine design
Replies: 1
Views: 11919

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 f...
by SScandizzo
Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:06 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Gamma Beam
Replies: 3
Views: 13983

Hi Folks,

Roy asked me to include additional media, so here it is:

Clearer picture:
http://www.stirlingengine.com/file-stor ... ion_id=259

10 second video:
http://www.stirlingengine.com/file-stor ... ion_id=261

-Stefan
by SScandizzo
Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:57 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Displacer piston material
Replies: 1
Views: 12254

The answer is "yes and no". If the displacer is to be a continuous cylinder, a non-conductive material is well suited. I've read in many places that stainless steel is best. The biggest drawback to stainless is that it is relatively heavy; if you use it, try to get it as thin as possible t...
by SScandizzo
Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:53 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Gamma Beam
Replies: 3
Views: 13983

Gamma Beam

Hi Everyone, Just dropped in to show off my newest engine. http://www.stirlingengine.com/file-storage/download/Stirling2-002.jpg?version_id=258 It's a gamma type beam engine. It stands 7.5 inches high with a 3 inch flywheel and about 2cc volume. My most recent test runs clock it at about 700 rpm wit...
by SScandizzo
Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:03 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Dual Acting Cylinders
Replies: 27
Views: 27079

(Stan) Comment: The pressures on the double acting piston will more than likely not be balanced throughout the cycle. This will result is less output than for two engines running in parallel and phased 180 deg apart. Well, I just started reading chapters of Rizzo's Volume One that I had passed up b...