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Use of Springs in stirling engine

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:08 am
by jinx
Hello,
I have been reading about stirling engines for a while and most inspiring design I've found was:

Image

Displacer, and power piston here uses springs to oscillate what I believe singnifically reduce friction. Has anyone tried that approach?

What force makes displacer not to stop? I believe, since Hot side and cold side are connected, pressure is the same on both sides. Simply changes of pressure makes power piston to move but what makes displacer keep going?

Re: Use of Springs in stirling engine

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 2:09 pm
by exile
pressure is the same on both sides.
No, it is not the pressure will have a little difference between the hot and cold sides. It has to do with the regenerator slows down the gas.
The difference is not huge, but enough to give the displacer enough energy.

By the way, I do not think this type of Stirling engine has less friction than normal Stirling engine, instead it is less moving ​​parts and simpler manufacturing as one is looking for. (That's what I think)

Re: Use of Springs in stirling engine

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 1:55 am
by Ian S C
There is more than one way of springing a free piston motor, the one in your diagram uses gas, another way is to use a mechanical spring, and the method I use is to use two magnets with like poles facing each other so that they repel. On the displacer I use two mechanical springs to act as stops at each end of the stroke.
Ian S C
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