User:REisemann3937/ENES-100/Project 1/design

Problem Statement
Design and build a fully functioning Stirling Engine. A Stirling Engine a driven by thermal energy, causing expansion and compression of the air or other Working Fluid. This cycle of converting thermal energy into kinetic energy is know as a Stirling Cycle. The engine being built in this case is know as an Alpha Type Stirling Engine, having two cylinders that operate in tandem.

Design
The design process for the Stirling Engine began by researching a simple version of the engine called a "Soda Can Stirling Engine." This was chosen as a starting point due to the simplicity and apparent ease of the design. After learning what was necessary for the design to function, a basic bill of materials was generated and prototyping began.

Materials needed for this assembly included one kebab skewer and two small pieces of double sided tape.

 * 1) The skewer was cut in such a way as to obtain the longest straight piece possible.
 * 2) After being cut, the skewer had to be bent to 90°, 2⅜" from the end.
 * 3) Then bent twice more in half inch intervals to achieve a "U" shape in the skewer.
 * 4) This "U" was to be inside of the main chamber of the engine to drive the main piston.
 * 5) After this was completed another bend at 45° was needed, 2" past the first bend.
 * 6) Then another 45° bend a half inch beyond that to achieve an obtuse "Z" shape in the skewer.
 * 7) This "Z" shape was to drive the second piston, or in this case the balloon diaphragm, which will be discussed shortly.

Materials needed for this assembly included one CD, four 3/8 x 9/32 corks, one 11/16 x 17/32 cork, one piece of double sided tape and the lid off of a juice bottle.

 * 1) The double sided tape was cute into a square and then affixed to the larger cork.
 * 2) This was then attached to the CD, centered over the hole.
 * 3) Next, holes were drilled through the center of each cork using a drill press to ensure an orthogonal hole was drilled.
 * 4) After drilling these holes, two of the smaller corks were slid onto the end of the drive shaft with the 45° bends, and one was slid onto the opposite end.
 * 5) A hole was then drilled in the center of the juice cap.
 * 6) After being drilled the juice cap was slid on to the end of the drive shaft, opposite the 45° bends, with the open end facing outward.
 * 7) Next the CD with the large cork attached to it was slid on to the drive shaft and pressed tightly to the juice lid, but not fastened to it.

Materials needed for this assembly included one 12 oz. soda can, steel wool, fine steel wire, staples, and one kebab skewer.

 * 1) The top and bottom were cut off of the can using a box cutter and a pair of aviation sheers, leaving a 2" section of can.
 * 2) This was then cut down the side, creating a sheet of aluminum.
 * 3) After being cut the two ends of the sheet of aluminum were placed overlapping one another and stapled there using three staples facing inward to avoid unnecessary friction. #Then, the steel wool was rolled into a small bail, slightly less than 2¾' in diameter, and cut to 2".
 * 4) Once rolled and but the bail of steel wool was placed inside of the 2" section of can.
 * 5) Once in place, 1/8" incision were made in the edges of the can every half of an inch.
 * 6) The resulting flaps were then folded down to hold the steel wool in place.
 * 7) Once this was completed the rod connecting the displacer to the drive shaft was made using the kebab skewer.
 * 8) The skewer was cut, like the drive shaft, to leave the longest possible straight section.
 * 9) This was then bent to 90° at one end.
 * 10) The opposite end was then used to pierce the center of the steel wool and pressed through until the 90° bend was touching the steel wool.
 * 11) The fine steel wire was then used to secure the kebab skewer to the displacer by wrapping it round the bent end of the skewer and then piercing the steel wool with the wire, pressing it through the displacer, and then back down through the steel wool creating a loop.

Materials needed for this assembly include two 12 oz. cans, one ¾" PVC pipe elbow, one balloon, one 6" zip tie, one 6/32 bolt, one 6/32 nut, one 6/32 washer, and double sided tape.
At this point all of the components have been assembled and need to be integrated. However, work on this revision ceased here and a new design was adopted.
 * 1) Using a can opener the top of one of the 12 oz. can was removed.
 * 2) Using a box cutter the entire top of the second can was removed.
 * 3) A two inch diameter hole as cut in the front face of the second can.
 * 4) In the first can, two small holes were punched 180° from one another, just big enough for the drive shaft to fit.
 * 5) After this the top of the balloon was cut off and the 6/32 bolt was pressed through the center of the balloon.
 * 6) Then the washer was placed on the bolt and the nut after that.
 * 7) This entire balloon assembly was the placed over one end of the PVC elbow and secured with the zip tie.
 * 8) After this the other end of the PVC elbow had to be shaped to the contour of the can.
 * 9) This was done by wrapping piece of sand paper around the can, then rubbing the elbow on it until fit to shape.
 * 10) After shaped a piece of double sided tape was applied to the elbow, then the entire assembly was pressed to the body of the second can.
 * 11) Then, using an Xacto knife, a hole was cut from inside the can the expose the opening of the PVC elbow.
 * 12) At this point the two cans were taken and pressed together and secured using double sided tape.

Design
After prototyping the Rev. 1 design a new design was adopted. This design has a more compact and study design, while maintaining some of the basic design of the original. Rather than a "Soda Can" Stirling engine, this model will be a "Soup Can" Stirling Engine. In contrast to the "Soda Can" design, this Stirling Engine will have two pistons, rather than one piston and a balloon diaphragm, which is located above the main piston, rather than protruding from one side.

The first component attempted was the Drive Shaft assembly.

 * 1) Cut Kebab Skewer where it bends to form the handle
 * 2) Use a vise to straighten
 * 3) Make first 90° bend 1¾" from the flywheel end.
 * 4) Make three more successive 90° bends at half inch intervals to from a "U" shape.
 * 5) Move a half inch further down the drive shaft and repeat steps 3 and 4, orthogonal to the first "U" shape.
 * 6) After the two "U" shapes are bent, use a vise to flatten where possible.

The second component attempted was the Flywheels assembly.

 * 1) Cut square piece from double sided tape.
 * 2) Place the tape square over the center hole of the CD.
 * 3) Place the number 5 cork on the tape square, wide end down.
 * 4) Use 1/16" drill bit to puncture hole in middle of juice cap.
 * 5) Place juice cap centered on the opposite side of the CD from the cork.
 * 6) With cork facing outward, slide the entire Fly Wheel assembly onto the appropriate side of the Drive Shaft Assembly.

The third component attempted was the Piston Chamber.

 * 1) Cut a two and a half inch segment from the 1/2" diameter Plexi-glass tube.
 * 2) Use an XACTO knife and 220 grit sandpaper to smooth edges.
 * 3) Roll six inches of the 220 grit sand paper into a roll with a diameter smaller than 1/2".
 * 4) Slide the sandpaper roll into the plexi-glass tube and smooth the inside of the tube.

The fourth component attempted was the Piston assembly.

 * 1) Cut a 2" section of the 1/2" diameter dowel.
 * 2) Use 220 grit sandpaper to smooth edges.
 * 3) Test fit by sliding piston through the plexi-glass piston chamber.
 * 4) Using 1/16" drill bit, make a pilot hole in the center of the piston's top.
 * 5) Cut one and a half inch piece from kebab skewer.
 * 6) Use grinder to bring one end to a point.
 * 7) Use a tap the thread 1/3" of the pointed side.
 * 8) Bend opposite end 45° starting at top of thread.
 * 9) 1/4" further make 135° bend in the opposite direction, the another 135° bend a quarter inch beyond that to create a triangle shaped eyelet.
 * 10) Cut away any excess length.
 * 11) Take this eyelet screw and twist it into the hole in the piston, being careful not to strip the inside of the hole.

The fifth component attempted was the Stirling Engine Body assembly.

 * 1) Cut a 2¾" diameter can 1½" from the top.
 * 2) Repeat step 1 a second time on another can.
 * 3) Make a small pilot hole in the center of the first can then use 5/32" bit to finish the hole.
 * 4) Make a small pilot hole 11/16" from the edge of the first can then use successively large bits up to 7/16".
 * 5) Use grinder bit to smooth hole and finish to a diameter of 1/2".
 * 6) Using EPOXY glue the plexi-glass piston chamber vertically above the larger hole (you can center and support it with remaining piece of 1/2" dowel).
 * 7) Use hack saw to cut 1" piece of 1/16" aluminum tube.
 * 8) Use file to smooth edges and make sure the tube is still round on the inside.
 * 9) Using EPOXY glue the aluminum tube into the small hole (be sure it is vertical).

The sixth component attempted was the Vertical Support Rod assembly.

 * 1) Cut Kebab Skewer where it bends to form the handle.
 * 2) Use a vise to straighten the two pieces produced from the cut.
 * 3) Using needle nose pliers bend small eyelet in each rod.
 * 4) Check to make sure drive shaft will slide easily through eyelet.
 * 5) Cut each rod to ???".

The seventh component attempted was the Displacer assembly.

 * 1) Print this Microsoft Viseo drawing on cardstock paper.
 * 2) Cut out each shape using either a paper cuter or scissors (the two circles are the top and bottom, the bar is the side).
 * 3) Using scissors cut 9 evenly spaced small slits from the larger circle to the smaller circle of each end piece.
 * 4) Bend all of the newly cut tabs flat onto the blank side.
 * 5) Take the side piece and bend it into a circle around one of the end pieces.
 * 6) Use a stapler to secure it in place with three staples.
 * 7) Take one of the end pieces and press it through the side piece, so the "X" is facing out, until flush.
 * 8) Take a can of "Good Stuff" filler and squirt a small bead around the seam inside the displacer and some in the center.
 * 9) Take the other end piece and squirt some "Good Stuff" onto the center.
 * 10) Cut Kebab Skewer where it bends to form the handle.
 * 11) Use a vise to straighten.
 * 12) Press one end through the center of the "X" of the separated end piece and slide it up a few inches while working with it.
 * 13) Press the same end into the center of the "X" of the end piece that is attached to the side piece to create a hole.
 * 14) Remove and reverse the end and side piece, then press the skewer through the hole you created from the inside and slide it up a few inches while working with it.
 * 15) Bend a 90° elbow in the bottom of the rod and slide the end piece and side down to rest on it.
 * 16) Use a light amount of EPOXY to secure the displacer to the rod.
 * 17) Squirt a small bead of "Good Stuff" around the open end of the displacer and slide the end piece down into the side piece until flush.

Poster
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: