Replacing glass cylinder with metal cylinder on a Stirling engine.

Is there any reason why the glass cylinder on this Stirling engine could not be replaced with a metal cylinder ? What would be the best metal from which to make a cylinder ?

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To answer the questions: 'No' and 'copper' respectively.

Does mean that the displacer cannot be seen, which will make the engine look marginally less interesting to look at. It will also conduct heat quite well to the cold end, so thinning the copper to the greatest extent possible towards the cold end would be good. Or having a stainless section between the copper and the finned cold end to reduce conduction along the tube. Glass is quite good for this as the conduction rate is fairly poor.

Regards,

Richard.

Isn't half the point ofthe design to be able to see the displacer moving? It is not as if it is built to power anything.

Also it needs a bigger base as it looks odd with the burner seperate and makes it liable to damage as it is shown.

Yes, I intend to put this base on top of a larger base so that the burner can rest on it.

My steam engines do not power anything  and I cannot see the pistons moving on them either. The point is to watch the flywheel and the eccentric turn

Edited By Brian John on 29/07/2015 13:01:21

Brian, No and Stainless steel, copper is not a good metal for this (1) It's too conductive, conducting heat direct too the cold end rather than to the air in the hot end. (2) It oxidizes and flacks on the inside.

I'm not too sure, but is the displacer on this motor also made of glass normally, if so this can also be made of Stainless.

This little motor has a hot end made from the steel case of an AA size NiCad battery.

Ian S C

It's easy to buy a test tube - ebay. I've not done this for a long time but to shorten it use a 3 square file to cut a notch then touch with a red hot piece of wire / low diameter bar. You'll find other ideas on the web and may need them if it's not soda glass.

Rather than buying a kit why not try this one. I'm particularly keen on this design. It looks good.

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The flywheel might be difficult for some but the spokes could be omitted or done some other way.

John

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The flywheel on the above motor is made of stainless steel, the spaces between the spokes chain drilled, and the spokes filed to shape. You could make a flywheel like this one, made in two parts to get the required thickness. It's got bigger holes in it now, and it will get a bit of a clean up.

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 30/07/2015 15:59:05