User:Qchi8375/enes100/engines


 * engines

Give instructor top 3 project choice list

 * I was assigned to the Engines project more precisely the sterling engines.

Write problem statement
Look through the existing problem statements. Find something not yet done on the project. Create a problem statement for it. Think of a new subsystem that needs to be built for the project. The goal is something simple, possible, for zero dollars.
 * I am going to be working towards the possible construction of a workable sterling engine and also the aim of making the available engines a lot more useable than they already are.
 * these links will show u the engines i am starting my work with. From those we have in stock, they do not spin even when heated. I will be seeking an answer to this problem too.
 * [|engines sterling engines design]

Assign Task1
Planned Individual Work
 * My first task will be to seek possible errors which may be hindering the spinning of the available sterling engines i have been given shown in the above link.
 * I will also research the mechanism of a good sterling engines and understand the properties essential to its proper workability.

Compare actual work done to Task1

 * From the available workable engines i came across in storage, there actually seemed to be various common errors made at various parts.The main issue was to make a smooth running crankshaft so as to reduce the friction opposing the engines power as much as possible.This picture will show clearly the way the crankshaft is attached to the power stroke of the displacer
 * Also the engine could not possibly function effectively if there happens to be some air loss between the sides of the displacer. If the expanded air is constantly being lost due to poorly fit in displacer, there will not be enough energy to move the displacer.

Week1 Narrative
I was able to come across some various tips on how to efficiently put together a successful sterling engine based on the ti can design. a number of videos are shown below
 * [|engines how to prepare a stirling engine from tin cans]
 * [|engines making tin stirling engines]

Assign Task2

 * I am going to begin my search for the suitable materials which will be used to begin the the construction of the stirling engine. We already have a tin can available so what is left is a good and light material which will serve as a god displacer. It has to be light such that it can be easily moved by compressed air inside the can and also able to withstand these high temperatures.

Compare actual work done to Task2

 * We started bringing together various parts which we are going to use in the construction of our engine design. They are shown by the pictures below.

Week2 Narrative
based on the below links, we were able to begin collecting the parts we needed. We were basically sawing the tin can and also trying to ensure that all the parts could rub against one another with the least friction as possible, since in this project friction is our greatest enemy.
 * We could now start the construction based on this model.
 * [|engines beginnning to construct the engine]
 * [|engines tips to buil the engine]

Assign Task3
Task 3 now that we have all the parts we need for the project will be to start the construction.

Compare actual work done to Task3

 * we began the construction of our engine as planned using all the various parts we were able to get. this construction was based on the following designs.
 * Full Assembly Snapshot 3-29-11.jpg
 * Duel Displacer Full 4-5-11.jpg
 * Duel Assembly X-Section 4-5-11.jpg
 * Center Holes 4-5-11.jpg

Week3 Narrative
it was now a lot more smooth and this is very necessary because even the least friction cannot be tolerated. a good example of these tin can engines in a row is shown in the following links-
 * Based on the instructions we got from Mr Foerster about how to test for the workability of a tin an stirling engine, that is by heating it from beneath and watching the displacer rise in the column of the tin can when not yet attached to the crankshaft, then putting ice at the top of the tin can and watching the displacer fall. We then decided to try it out and it happened to work just as fine as expected.
 * there was initially the problem of the piston for the displacer being a little bent to one side. this bend caused there to be a lot of friction in the smaller displacer and at first construction the engine did not work. but by attaching the piston at the tip of the smaller displacer to the crankshaft, the bend was now able to be compensated for and thus was going to work out just fine.
 * in order to make the smaller displacer at the top of the tin can, we decided to use epoxy. this was poured in small cylinders surrounded by paper and allowed to dry. once dry, we were able to get them out just fine and smooth. this was also a way to avoid calculating very small measurements which is usually a very difficult process.
 * [| engines larger engine out of tin cans]
 * [| engines tin can motors]

Assign Task4

 * Task 4 is to seek out plans on how a bigger and better stirling engine can be made still out of tin cans. it still has to portray all the characteristics of the smaller one. the only difference is the size.

Compare actual work done to Task4

 * We were able to finally come up with some new cans which were definitely of an ideal size for what we anticipated. there was just a little problem because even though our stirling engine passed the test, it still did not work when fully assembled.

Week4 Narrative

 * we now have fully assembled our stirling engine according to the designs we calculated. the pictures are shown here..

[|possible problems]
 * Unfortunately even though this design happened to pass the test, it still did not function properly when fully assembled. with this in mind, we believed the problem had to bee around the crankshaft and the flywheel since its displacer and power piston functioned properly( if not it would not have passed the test). we then decided that the problem might be the fact that the crankshaft was not perfectly straight. so we disassembled it totally and straightened out the crankshaft .after it was fully straightened, we attached it to the two rods from the displacer and the power piston but it still did not work out.
 * The next solution to its not working came up as we turned the crankshaft around. we noticed that there was a slight bend where the power rod was attached to the extension of the crankshaft rod coming downwards. at this attachment point, it would bend out of place every time a revolution was made by the crankshaft. To solve this problem,we decided to make that point of attachment to be right at the tip of the power displacer itself. this was able to solve this little issue but it never really made our engine function.
 * the third and final thing we tried was to increase the weight of the flywheel. We believed that by doing this,the momentum of the spinning wheel would compensate for the moments when the power piston was moving downwards in the cycle. in order to do this, we attached some quarters as seen in the pictures. when the coins did not suffice, we also attached some paper pins for a temporary test. This did make the crankshaft spin a lot more smoother, but still the engine did not start to work as planned.
 * However i was able to find the following link which proved helpful in answering some of my possible problems

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