Stirling's air engine—a thermodynamic appreciation

Abstract

Stirling's original engine is remarkable for having been the first application of the thermal regenerator—and an instant technological success. While the patents and their intriguing history are the normal focus of study, this paper shifts attention to the insights afforded by reconstructing the thermodynamic personality of the engine itself. The kinematics of the drive mechanism are recovered, and volume variations determined as a function of crank angle. Recently developed thermodynamic tools are introduced and applied to the construction of the fluid particle trajectory map. The map forms the integration grid for calculation of the temperature response of the regenerator. The claim for 2 bhp from the original engine is explored. Potential is identified for an up-to-date version of Stirling's elegant concept in the form of cheap quiet power units of attractive specific output.