Online Catalogue last updated 17th of September 2023
Using just temperature difference, hot air engines, usually called `Stirling' engines, produce rotary motion that can be used to power anything, from boats and buggies to coolers and fans. Roy Darlington is one of the world's foremost authorities on small Stirling engines: his engines have puzzled `experts' and yet run on the simplest of principles. They are a delight to watch and the accumulation of knowledge contained within the pages of this book will keep many a potential Stirling engineer fascinated for hours.
This book describes the design ethos and principles that are used in Roy's designs and goes on to look at the machining, workshop techniques and processes that go to build these high-quality engines. A wide selection of different types of Stirling and thermo-acoustic (lag) hot air engines is looked at in detail, and full plans for one of the most ingenious designs - the engine that powers the famous Stirling Silver II model boat - are included.
Stirling and Hot Air Engines provides an essential reference to engineers, teachers, students and hobbyists, and aims to provide a thorough insight into designing and building Stirling and other hot air engines.
Hot air engines, often called 'Stirling' engines, are among the most interesting and intriguing engines ever to be designed. They provide shaft power from a temperature difference, but the very simplicity of the process and the often tiny energy inputs needed have tended to give them an aura of the magical.
This book demonstrates how to design, build and optimize Stirling engines. A broad selection of Roy Darlington's engines is described, giving a valuable insight into the many different types of hot air engines, and a great deal of information relating to the manufacture of these engines is included in the workshop section of the book. A comprehensive set of plans for one of his unique engines is included, and the appendices have useful information that is rarely to be found in the same place.
This book is as relevant to the beginner as it is to the professional, providing unrivalled content covering almost every aspect of Stirling engines, and also maintaining a wider relevance to all engineers and designers. This detailed book, lavishly illustrated with computer-generated images and hundreds of detailed photographs, makes Roy Darlington's many years of engineering excellence and methodology and Keith Strong's extensive engineering and design knowledge available to hobbyists, students, engineers, academics and professionals alike.
Roy Darlington is well known to many model engineering enthusiasts and never tires of explaining the Stirling cycle to ever-increasing audiences.
After his time in the RAF working on Merlin engines, he worked for Allen West making shockproof switchgear for the Admiralty. In retirement he became a founding member of the Stirling Engine Society and has been a leading light in the model engineering world, inspiring many people to investigate the Stirling engine principle. Roy's affable nature has earned him many friends and he has the respect of professionals and hobbyists alike.
Keith Strong has worked in many areas of engineering, starting out in horticultural and agricultural engineering. After CAD training he worked at Jaguar Cars Ltd and later designed electronic enclosures for a digital video broadcast company. He has also worked extensively as an engineer on a research satellite programme. He is currently building a wing-in-ground-effect hovercraft. Keith has created designs for multi-cylinder and rotary Stirling engines, working extensively with CAD, and is drafting plans for more of Roy's engines.
Code No. 011172, 240 pages, ISBN 186126688X, $125.00