This is a variation on the conventional method of displacer and piston connection. In the Low Temperature Differential (LTD) Stirling engine the piston and displacer are normally connected at opposite ends if the main axle. In this engine I have connected them on the same pivot and aligned the piston at 90° to the displacer. The displacer is thus kept the required 90° phase angle ahead of the piston. The expanding and contracting air inside the main bottom chamber is ported up the inside of the piston pillar, out through a flexible rubber hose and into the end of the glass cylinder. The black disc under the engine is solid plastic. It was left in the sun for a while, until it was good and warm, then the engine was put on it and started. The engine will run comfortably on hand heat but using the black heat disc is more convenient when filming.
Main dimensions:
Piston diameter: 9.5mm
Piston stroke: 7mm
Chamber height: 16mm
Chamber internal diameter: 74mm
Displacer height: 8mm
Flywheel diameter: 82mm
Right-angled Low Temperature Stirling Engine from Chris Guise on Vimeo.
Runs on hand heat
Front view
Back view
Power cylinder
Right-angled crank
Looking upwards
Top view
Conrods, pivot, piston
Cylinder with piston removed