Looking at the stirling cycle (for Mark)

Reid · Looking at the stirling cycle (for Mark)

Made this tonight after reading Mark's question elsewhere.

I hope to render the head-scratcher easier to understand.

I think I have found a hook by which to make the process-description simple as a light bulb.

Please, let me have your thoughts: does the written description make sense for you folks?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldN1xdS3iRA

Mister Occlusion

My problem is more of chicken and egg in nature. I can't see the cause for the effect, as it were. I see the bits moving, but trying to link the movement of the pistons through the connection to the flywheel just makes me dizzy. I just accept that it works..

Slide valve engines took me a bit to wrap my head around too, for that matter.

Good description, but unfortunately I'm a visual learner (which explains why I seem to have a hard time explaining things so that someone other than I can understand it).

Reid

Hi Mark,

Yes, think of it this way for a moment, forgetting that big displacer, as if it were not even there.

What would cause the piston to push out and suck in?
Ans: if we change the pressure of the air in the displacer chamber.

OK, so that's clear now, right? This is why I made the machine run very slowly in the video.

More later. Sleep on it. I've had six months with the toy to ponder its perfection in eco-motion

Mister Occlusion

Actually, that helps it click: ignore the big piston

Now I must