Rudy Kouhoupt Stirling Engines

[deverett]

Here is a hint for people who use the silicone type of gasket sealer.

Put a thin layer of sealant on to the cleaned surface and then set the object (sealer side down) on a piece off wax paper. Come back the next day and lift the object of the wax paper, trim away any that squeezed out and you have a gasket attached to one side of the joint but the parts will not be glued together permanently.

Stan, that's clever. Thanks for the idea.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[MarioM]

Thanks to all. I have learned a lot of things from this first engine. I realized need some extra tools to get some jobs done faster and easier. I will work the tools before I start a new project.

 

[Harold Lee]

Mario,

Great work!!! I personally have a great appreciation for Rudy's designs. Please share your next project with us.

Harold

 

[smuttley]

WOW that is a lot of heat.

I have put a new post up here http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=16408.0 on tips and tricks on building and running Stirling engines. You look like you have done a nice job on this build and should not have any problem getting this baby running off a low flame alcohol burner. Also you should get around 500 – 800 RPM on alcohol and 1300 – 1800 on propane gas,

nice looking engine and hope you build more soon dude,

Smuttley

 

[Springbok]

Hi
There is another thread in this forum I am sure will inrerest you
How to build and run a Stirling engine the first time out

Hope of some help

 

[MarioM]

Thank you very much. Very interesting post.

 

[Longboy]

I don't remember what plans I used, but I built a Stirling that looks like the one in the video.

............My other problem was I used stainless steel for the hot end and SS has poor heat conduction...............

SS is not considered a problem but rather an ideal material for the hot cap in Stirling for that reason, poor heat conduction. You are trying to heat the air with in the hot cap without the heat migrating to the body of the engine by use of lower conducting materials.

 

[Stan]

I am completely lost on that comment. How do you heat the air inside the hot cap if the hot cap is not conducting heat?

Granted, SS will conduct some heat but require a much larger flame than a better conducting material. There is no real problem to heat isolate one component from adjacent parts.

 

[smuttley]

I am completely lost on that comment. How do you heat the air inside the hot cap if the hot cap is not conducting heat?

Granted, SS will conduct some heat but require a much larger flame than a better conducting material. There is no real problem to heat isolate one component from adjacent parts.

No problem using stainless steel, just have to keep the wall thickness as thin as you can and this also goes for the end cap. I have been told that titanium is the best material to use, but never tried machining it before.

 

[robcas631]

Not yet but that will be project #2!

 

[kilocharlie]

Well, it's now 2013....has anyone thought about making several cylinder heads (end caps) from different materials and seeing which one runs best? Should be a fairly cheap materials test with very real-world results.

Those of you looking to build Gamma-type Stirling engines for low-temperature differential power sources, design the displacer to be very large diameter with a very short stroke, and seek to minimize friction all over. Don't expect much power - power comes from cylinder pressure!

Does anyone know of an Alpha-type Stirling engine design parameter list? I'm hoping to start with "intended power output" and work from there. I'm aiming for fairly high torque, and my target is 15 to 20 horsepower. Thank you.