thumb|A model of a Stirling engine showing its simplicity. Unlike the [[steam engine or internal combustion engine, it has no valves or timing train. The heat source (not shown) would be placed under the brass cylinder.]]

A Stirling engine is a heat engine that is operated by the cyclic expansion and contraction of air or other gas (the working fluid) by exposing it to different temperatures, resulting in a net conversion of heat energy to mechanical work.

Amontons was later followed by Sir George Cayley.

Operational considerations

thumb|Video showing the compressor and displacer of a very small Stirling Engine in action

Size and temperature

Very low-power engines have been built that run on a temperature difference of as little as 0.5 K.

General and cited references

  • E.H. Cooke-Yarborough (1970). "Heat Engines", US patent 3548589 . Granted to Atomic Energy Authority UK, 22 December 1970.
  • E.H. Cooke-Yarborough (1967). "A Proposal for a Heat-Powered Nonrotating Electrical Alternator", Harwell Memorandum AERE-M881.

Further reading

  • W.T. Beale (1971). "Stirling Cycle Type Thermal Device", US patent 3552120 . Granted to Research Corp, 5 January 1971.
  • R.C. Belaire (1977). "Device for decreasing the start-up time for stirling engines", US patent 4057962. Granted to Ford Motor Company, 15 November 1977.
  • C.D. West (1970). "Hydraulic Heat Engines", Harwell Momorandum AERE-R6522.
  • How Stirling Engines Work (YouTube video)
  • How Beta-type Stirling Engines Work (YouTube video)
  • Stirling Cycle Machine Analysis by Israel Urieli
  • How to build your Stirling engine (2017). Stirling Engines: Design and Fabrication
  • Simple Performance Prediction Method for Stirling Engine
  • Inquiry into the Hot Air Engines of the 19th Century
  • Interactive computational model of Stirling engine cycle with polytropic processes