4F20.10 • Stirling Engine Model

Photo Shows the Apparatus Used at the University of Texas at Austin

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Concepts Conveyed:

• This Stirling Engine model demonstrates core operational principles of the Stirling Engine that are better visualized for clear understanding, like the Stirling cycle, heat transfer, pressure variation, and energy conversion.
• Although it is not a fully functional Stirling Engine, it brings theoretical ideas into practical application for its role in sustainable energy systems.

Instruction/ Notes:

• Show the audience the full model:
  • Large ring = Flywheel
  • Box = Displacer Base
  • Foam in box = Displacer
  • Black cylinder in plastic cylinder = Piston

• Rotate the Flywheel to show the main processes of the Stirling Cycle: Compression, Heat Addition, Expansion, and Heat Rejection
  • When the displacerr is near the top of the base, most of the gas is exposed to the heat source and expands
  • Since pressure increased, the power piston will push up
  • When the displacer is near the bottom of the base, the engine gas cools and contracts, decreasing pressure and allowing the power piston to move down

• This is the non-functional version of the Stirling Engine, the smaller Stirling Engine functions!

Staff Notes / Tips:

• This is a structural model only; it doesn't simulate a working Stirling Engine

Last updated on November 19, 2025