Engine/Howard Community College/Fall 2011/501 Engine

Link to Team HEMI Page

Write problem statement
The Stirling engine is an external combustion engine. In our project, we will find a way to make it generate enough power to move a set of wheels allowing independent movement.


 * Example of Stirling Engine Motor

Compare actual work done to Task 1
In week 1, we tinkered around with the model engines that were already available to us to see if we could get it to run as is. We were able to get one to run with much assistance eventually. We thought that steam would be a better gas to use in the combustion process but we have no way of trapping steam in the cylinder for use. Air seems to be a better gas to use and placing water inside the cylinder to boil is not a good idea, nor allowed.

Week 1 Narrative

 * Putting water inside the cylinder is not a good idea.
 * We were not very successful with getting it to run just off of air.
 * I believe this is because the cylinder is not airtight so most of the energy that is produced is lost before it can start a cycle.
 * I suggest we find a way to make it airtight. That should solve our problem.


 * Another hypothesis is that we are not generating enough heat to heat the air but the videos that have portrayed a Stirling engine successfully have used flames from candles.
 * We even used the blow torch to no discernible difference or help.

Assign Task 2
I plan to look into other successfully running Stirling engines to see what aspects they used that we could incorporate. Mainly, the types of gases used like air vs. nitrogen. Also, to find the actual numbers that proves air is a good gas to use. I believe it has to do with the specific heat capacity of gasses.

Compare actual work done to Task 2
We worked on the engine more to make it work better with just air in the pressure chamber. The metal of the chamber had seem to expand and meld to the metal around it. This helped to block some of the air from escaping, so it worked to our favor in a way. We were able to get more movement out of the engine and even able to start movement without our having to move it first.

Week 2 Narrative
Model homemade Stirling engine Motor

Week 2 Peer Review
Go to each team mates weekly summary wiki page. Read their activities and narrative. Then go the associated discussion page. Say something positive on this page. Try some constructive criticism. Add your name and 1sfoerster 13:32, 28 August 2011 (UTC) to create a time and date stamp. Create a new category if another team mate has already commented here.

Assign Task 3
Since we don't seem to be making any significant progress in our project. We have been tasked with all building our own versions of stirling engine's at home and then compare our designs in class. We use the best out of all of them to build a functioning engine.

Compare actual work done to Task 3
I am working on my own design of a homemade engine using materials that I have at my disposal.

Week 3 Narrative
Initially, I am finding it hard to make the pieces I need because I do not have proper tools to cut through metal smoothly. Once I do get past this problem, I have looked at several different designs on youtube of people who have successfully made homemade engines before. It seems that the easiest idea would be to make 2 seperate chambers for the pistons instead of filling it into one space.

Week 3 Peer Review
Go to each team mates weekly summary wiki page. Read their activities and narrative. Then go the associated discussion page. Say something positive on this page. Try some constructive criticism. Add your name and 1sfoerster 13:33, 28 August 2011 (UTC) to create a time and date stamp. Create a new category if another team mate has already commented here.

Assign Task 4
Record what you are planning on doing for the team during the weekend between week 3 and week 4 of the project here.

Compare actual work done to Task 4
Rationalize differences

Week 4 Narrative
Upload photos to wikimedia. Upload video to youtube. Convert all spreadsheets, documents, and presentations to wiki format and create wiki subpage of your page for each of them. Link to them here in a narrative that tells a story. High light the problems (engineering problems) you had and how you solved them.

Week 4 Peer Review
Go to each team mates weekly summary wiki page. Read their activities and narrative. Then go the associated discussion page. Say something positive on this page. Try some constructive criticism. Add your name and 1sfoerster 13:33, 28 August 2011 (UTC) to create a time and date stamp. Create a new category if another team mate has already commented here.

Complete Project Page
Follow the "project done" format.

Start Next Project Week 0 activities
During this week you will perform the week 0 activities of the next project.