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The idea behind this instructable was to make an easy to build Stirling engine, that can be built by almost anyone. It runs on only one candle, which is a bonus, although I can't honestly say it moves much air! This engine is easier to build than my last one, and should be more reliable.
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Signing UpStep 1Tools and materials
I'd like to be able to magic a Stirling engine out of thin air, unfortunately, I can't. So you'll need some materials and tools, they are listed below. If you spot an omission, please post a comment and let me know.
Materials :
Materials :
- 6 - 8 Coke cans
- A small scrap of wood about 6cm x 2cm x 2cm
- A balloon
- A tuna paste lid
- A spoke from a bicycle wheel
- 1.2mm steel wire
- Epoxy
- Super glue
- A 2p coin for counterbalancing
- Sellotape
- 2 x Electrical screw blocks
- Piece of thick cardboard about 15cm square
- BBQ Skewers
- Paper
- 1.59mm (1/16") brass rod
- 2.38mm (3/32") brass tube
- Another scrap block of wood for the jig at least 75 x 75 x 20mm
- Plastic bottle lid
- Steel wire wool
- A drawing pin
- Scissors
- Drill with 2mm and 6 - 8mm HSS drill bit
- Tin Snips (you can get away without these, but they make life easier)
- Pliers (two pairs of pliers comes in very handy)
- Needle nose pliers
- Can opener
- Stanley knife
- Half round file
- Saw to cut wood, if necessary
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In the other engine I use a fishing line for simplicity, the speed is limited by gravity so you can't get very high rpms, not more than about 450rpm, with the brass rod you can get '000s of rpm if you build the engine well.
Well I wasn't successful in making the engine run but I did some software magic and ran it. Here's the video I made of it. Hope you like it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HePOO2Y38Bg
when i rise my displacer it the diaghram moves but it doest have enough stength to push against the cranks .plz help me
Could you please send me a pdf file of the whole instructable
Im not a pro member so i cant veiw it.
i want to print it out,
Thanks
Im 11ys old and i love your instructables( nice layout, wording and pits)
PS: insted of peice of wood as a tube(it conects to the ballon) Can i use a pvc
90 degree elbo.
thanks.
Thanks, im planing on makeing this. this weekend
Is this version, alpha beta or gamma stirling?
My knowledge says that
Alpha has two cylinders for 2 pistons, beta has whole assembly in one cylinder.
Can you please explain me in your terms, the difference between these?
First of all, I'll like to appreciate the great work you've done by making an instructable of your work. I'm sure it must've been hard work.
Secondly, I was making almost exact replica of your stirling model for a mini-project and followed your steps to about 95%(I didn't use the wood thing in front of air hole, instead i used an elbow). But after working on it for 2 weeks and finally completing it 2 days ago, I've not been able to run it. :(
For past 2 days, I've been trying to correct it, somehow, trying to make it work but it's not working. :( The whole thing's pretty air tight. The crankshaft is at right angle. The bushing is in place. The displacer falls on it's own weight. Everything is right where it's supposed to be(apart from flywheel, firebox which I didn't install yet because I first wanted to make it work) still it's not working. And I'm reaching the fine line between interesting work and frustrating work. Is there anything you can suggest that may help me in this matter.
If it still doesn't run, once you have a flywheel:
Try changing the stroke of the diaphragm cranks arm, try longer and shorter. I've built a few of these and adjusting the stroke of the diaphragm can make a big difference to the RPM.
Sometimes, adding a small air leak by placing some cotton thread under the edge of the diaphragm can help, if the engine is creating too much dead pressure.
Hope this is of some help,
And I've wrote down the things I'll change in this engine tomorrow. This list includes changing the diaphragm(which I made from rubber gloves). Although they work pretty well when I rotate the crankshaft manually, but I'm starting to think it's probably less flexible. Secondly, my crankarms are straight so I can't really adjust them(maybe as a last resort when my engine is working but giving less rpm) but they're not the problem I think as I worked really hard to get them right. The crankarm on diaphragm side compresses the diaphragm by approximately 5-10 mm.
Also, Although I've epoxied everything but there are two things I haven't superglued/epoxied.
(i) The diaphragm, around which I rolled thread really tightly and 3 seperate times.
(ii) The crankshaft/displacer cans are also not epoxied yet but have been taped really tightly. ( I didn't epoxy them yet as I thought I may have to open the displacer can again but I think I should epoxy it now as I have already adjusted the height of wire wool on displacer so that crankshaft can rotate freely).
I'll install the flywheel and change the diaphragm but that's just about all i can think of right now. :(
You can make the flywheel out of pretty much anything you feel like, but cardboard is easy to attach.
You should be able to adjust the diaphragm crank arm easily, just grip the straight part it with needle nose pliers near the bearing point and brand the arm by hand. There's little chance of deforming the rest of the cranks this way.
Also, try it with more heat say 2 or 3 candles and see what happens.
My heat source is a stove at the moment but I keep the can at a safe distance so that it doesn't get burned plus I also poured some water near the bushing area.
I have now tested stirling with the new changes but it still doesn't run. However, I did get a slight sensation of moving by itself when the displacer starts to fall. Although it would fall anyway but there was a really small increase in speed while falling , I feel.
I have followed everything written but still it's not working and now I'm all out of ideas what to do. Is there any way I can make it run for sure??
I've attached a picture just in case you spot anything.
Does the balloon do anything when you heat it up ? Also what kind of stove are you using, gas, elec, wood ? The reason I ask is it doesn't look like you've got it very hot. You can heat it up enough that the bottom of the coke cans discolour safely, just don't but it in a gas flame for long as it will melt the can :) I use an electric hob on ful blast to test my new engines.