Find out how a Stirling Engine works!
With this cardboard kit you can actually build a working Stirling Engine. Just place the engine on a cup with hot water (tea / coffee) and it will run quietly for up to an hour!
Heavenly help?
The revolutionary concept of this engine was devised by the Scottish priest Robert Stirling. The enthusiastic fusspot lived during the most vibrant time of the industrial revolution, whose hunger for energy was fed by the steam engines invented by James Watt in 1776. His compassion for victims of boiler explosions led him to envision an engine that would work without the high pressure of ordinary steam engines.
This is how it works:
A sealed cylinder is heated at one end and cooled at the other. A piston moves the enclosed air back and forth between the ends. Each time the air expands and contracts, the resulting pressure change is transmitted to a working piston that turns a crank shaft. The engine can use any any energy source that produces a temperature difference between the two ends of the cylinder: open fire, solar energy, otherwise unused heat or cold, etc.
Tip:
Instead of putting the engine on top of a cup of tea, place it on a frozen cold pack and start the flywheel the other way round.
The kit comes complete with all necessary parts such as laser-cut aluminium plates, low-friction PVC bearings, steel crank, and vinyl seal. The instruction booklet also contains information about the historical background and tuning tips for longer running time.
This kit contains:
- 4 pre-cut and printed sheets of construction cardboard, A4
- accessories:
1 sheet aluminium plate, Ø 126 mm (base of the main cylinder)
1 sheet aluminium plate, 126 x 126 mm (cover of the main cylinder)
2 strips of PVC film, 182 x 18 x 0.5 mm, transparent (wall of the main cylinder)
1 foam disc, Ø 113 x 8 mm (displacement piston)
2 brass tubes, 2 mm (OD) x 1 mm (ID) x 18 mm
3 pieces of spring steel wire, Ø 1 mm, 3 x 41 mm, bent (piston rods)
1 piece of spring steel wire, Ø 1.5 mm, 117 x 6 x 6 mm, with two offsets (crankshaft)
4 perforated discs made of rigid PVC, 20 mm (OD) x 1.5 mm (ID) x 1 mm, white
8 perforated discs made of rigid PVC, 8 mm (OD) x 1.5 mm (ID) x 1 mm, white
1 silicone tube, 3 mm (OD) x 0.8 mm (ID) x 110 mm, transparent
1 latex glove - detailed construction manual
Dimensions of the built item: approx. 16.5 x 12.6 x 12.6 cm
Construction time: approx. 30 hours
Producer: AstroMedia GmbH, Im Wirrigen 30, 45731 Waltrop, Germany, astromedia.de
Below you can download the instructions for this kit.
Things you will need for assembly:
- a firm and flat working surface
- a cutting surface
- a sharp scalpel or craft knife
- a pair of scissors
- a dull knife or a folding bone for folding
- a piece of fine sandpaper
- a good universal glue
- a 2-component glue
- thin, resin-free machine oil or silicone oil
- wooden sticks, e.g. a toothpick
- a cup with a diameter of about 10 cm
- a set square
- a thick felt-tip pen or a round wooden stick with a diameter of approx. 17 mm and a smooth, not curved end
- a pair of pointed pliers
- a few clothes pegs or paper clips
- a pencil
- some adhesive tape
- a rubber ring
- some thin sewing yarn
Adult supervision:
Children under the age of 14 should use the kit under adult supervision to avoid risks due to improper handling.
Take care with small parts:
Choking hazard! Keep small parts out of the reach of small children.
Risk of injury:
Take particular care when handling pointed and sharp parts! Use sharp tools carefully and take suitable safety measures to avoid injury if necessary.
Do not touch the main cylinder (aluminium plates) during and after operation until it has cooled down completely. Keep children and unauthorised people away from it during operation.
Fire hazard:
Handle open sources of fire and heat with care. Product contains highly flammable materials. Never leave unattended when in operation.
Adhesive use:
When using adhesive, follow the manufacturer's safety instructions. Work in well-ventilated areas and avoid skin or eye contact.
Intended use:
The kit should be used in accordance with the enclosed instructions. Independent modifications may impair the functionality and safety of the model built.
