The Stirling engine
is a heat engine that is vastly different from the internal-combustion engine
in your car. Invented by Robert Stirling in 1816, the Stirling engine has the
potential to be much more efficient than a gasoline or diesel engine. But today, Stirling engines are used
only in some very specialized applications, like in submarines or auxiliary
power generators for yachts, where quiet operation is important. Although there
hasn't been a successful mass-market application for the Stirling engine, some
very high-power inventors are working on it.
The Stirling cycle uses an external heat source, which could be anything from gasoline to solar energy to the heat produced by decaying plants. No combustion takes place inside the cylinders of the engine.
The Stirling cycle uses an external heat source, which could be anything from gasoline to solar energy to the heat produced by decaying plants. No combustion takes place inside the cylinders of the engine.