Stirling Engine

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The Stirling engine is a type of heat engine that converts thermal energy into mechanical work. This engine was invented by Reverend Robert Stirling in 1816 and has been used in various applications since then. It consists of a closed system with two cylinders connected by a piston, which moves back and forth due to the pressure difference between the hot and cold chambers. The process begins when the engine is heated from outside, causing the gas inside the hot cylinder to expand. This expansion forces the piston to move towards the cold chamber, creating a vacuum that pulls in air through an inlet valve. As the piston reaches the top of its stroke, it closes the inlet valve and opens an exhaust valve at the same time. Now the engine cools down as it expands into the cold cylinder, causing the gas inside to contract. This contraction forces the piston back towards the hot chamber, closing the exhaust valve in the process. As the piston reaches the bottom of its stroke, it closes the inlet valve and opens an outlet valve, allowing the air to exit through this valve. The Stirling engine operates on a cycle that repeats continuously as heat is constantly being transferred into or out of the system. The key benefit of this type of engine lies in its ability to achieve high efficiency at low temperatures compared with other types of engines.