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This is a hot-air machine (stirlingengine), built with some old computer-parts (heatsink and the head of an old harddisk). This Stirlingengine (and all others also) works with a temperature difference between the hot bottom side (e.g. heatet with a candle) and the colder topside (cooled with the heatsink of an old 486 CPU) of an metal can (e.g.hairspray).
Simplified the engine works as follows: The candle heats up the air in the tin can. Hot air needs more volume. While we have a nearly constant volume in the tin can, the pressure rises up. This will affect, that the main-piston moves up. Coupled over a simplified crank, a second auxiliary piston (inside the can and so big, that his volume is nearly half the volume of the can) moves down. So the hot air moves from the bottom side along the big piston to the topside with the heatsink. It cools the hot air so that a vacuum occurs and the main piston will be drawn down. Now the auxiliary piston moves up and the cold air moves from the upper side to the bottom, were the candle heats it up again. This will occur solang, as the temperatur difference between the top and bottom side is great enough.
But now lets go. Have fun with this instructable.
Simplified the engine works as follows: The candle heats up the air in the tin can. Hot air needs more volume. While we have a nearly constant volume in the tin can, the pressure rises up. This will affect, that the main-piston moves up. Coupled over a simplified crank, a second auxiliary piston (inside the can and so big, that his volume is nearly half the volume of the can) moves down. So the hot air moves from the bottom side along the big piston to the topside with the heatsink. It cools the hot air so that a vacuum occurs and the main piston will be drawn down. Now the auxiliary piston moves up and the cold air moves from the upper side to the bottom, were the candle heats it up again. This will occur solang, as the temperatur difference between the top and bottom side is great enough.
But now lets go. Have fun with this instructable.
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Signing UpStep 1The main material
At first go shopping and buy canned-beer, coke, peanuts or something else which is useable as a container.
You see, its not really important what kind of can you prefer.
ATTENTION: ALL DIAMETERS are in mm (Millimeter). 1 mm is 0.03936996 inch
The raster of the paper in some pictures is 5mm
Furthermore you need:
2 Lithium CR2032 cells (3V) and 2 LEDs .
A pipe (brass or aluminium) with an approx. diameter of 20 mm and a length of 40 mm. I used an old chromed pipe from a shower (that part, where the shower-head was mounted).
An old CPU heatsink.
The head of an old harddisk.
Bare wire (1.2mm) and a drill also 1.2 mm
Wire 0.8mm (elctronic equipment)
U-profile alumnium 20 mm x 7 mm x 100 mm.
2 component epoxy cement (coldmetal stick) or normal 2 component epoxy glue.
A small piece of styropor/styrofoam.
You see, its not really important what kind of can you prefer.
ATTENTION: ALL DIAMETERS are in mm (Millimeter). 1 mm is 0.03936996 inch
The raster of the paper in some pictures is 5mm
Furthermore you need:
2 Lithium CR2032 cells (3V) and 2 LEDs .
A pipe (brass or aluminium) with an approx. diameter of 20 mm and a length of 40 mm. I used an old chromed pipe from a shower (that part, where the shower-head was mounted).
An old CPU heatsink.
The head of an old harddisk.
Bare wire (1.2mm) and a drill also 1.2 mm
Wire 0.8mm (elctronic equipment)
U-profile alumnium 20 mm x 7 mm x 100 mm.
2 component epoxy cement (coldmetal stick) or normal 2 component epoxy glue.
A small piece of styropor/styrofoam.
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>insert jaw dropping sequence here.<
>Insert jaw lifting sequence here.<
But still very good idea.
I don't know
Q2: where can i find a hdd head from?
An old harddrive laying around
Q3:where can i find a heatsink from?
An old heatsink laying around
My best suggestion if you don't have these just laying around--go to a thrift store until you find an old pc--then harvest it.