Alpha-type Stirling engine

Inspiration from Wikipedia.

engine_stirling_alpha-001.pngengine_stirling_alpha-002.pngengine_stirling_alpha-003.pngengine_stirling_alpha-004.png

Edit and compile if you like:

% Author: Izaak Neutelings (March 2019)
% Inspiration: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alpha_Stirling.gif
\documentclass[border=3pt,tikz]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\tikzset{>=latex} % for LaTeX arrow head

\colorlet{mylightblue}{blue!10}
\colorlet{mydarkblue}{blue!30!black}
\tikzstyle{arrow}=[->,line width=2,mydarkblue]
\tikzstyle{vector}=[->,line width=2,green!50!black]
\tikzstyle{gas}=[top color=red!30,bottom color=blue!20,shading angle=-45]
\tikzstyle{cold gas}=[blue!20]
\tikzstyle{hot gas}=[red!30]
\tikzstyle{knob}=[line width=2,mydarkblue,fill=blue!20!black!70]
\tikzstyle{arm1}=[very thick,mydarkblue,top color=blue!20!black!25,bottom color=blue!20!black!50]
\tikzstyle{arm2}=[very thick,mydarkblue,top color=blue!20!black!50,bottom color=blue!20!black!60]
\tikzstyle{piston1}=[very thick,mydarkblue,top color=blue!20!black!40,bottom color=blue!20!black!50,middle color=blue!20!black!40,shading angle=90]
\tikzstyle{piston2}=[very thick,mydarkblue,top color=blue!20!black!50,bottom color=blue!20!black!60,middle color=blue!20!black!40,shading angle=0]


% ANGLE
\newcommand{\getangle}[3]{%
    \pgfmathanglebetweenpoints{\pgfpointanchor{#2}{center}}
                              {\pgfpointanchor{#3}{center}}
    \global\let#1\pgfmathresult  
}


% ENGINE
\def\engine#1{
  \def\R{2}    % flywheel
  \def\Ra{1.8} % arm attachment on flywheel
  \def\l{5.0}  % arm length
  \def\w{0.2}  % arm width
  \def\wa{0.3} % piston rod width
  \def\ha{1.5} % piston rod length
  \def\wp{3.8} % piston width
  \def\hp{2.0} % piston height
  \def\wt{1.0} % tube width
  \def\W{4.0}  % wall width
  \def\H{8.4}  % wall height
  \def\T{2.5}  % wall thickness
  \def\cl{1.3} % cooling length
  \def\ct{.25} % cooling thickness
  \def\rb{0.1} % bolt
  \def\d{.4*\R}
  \coordinate (O)   at (0,0);
  \coordinate (R)   at (#1:\Ra);
  \coordinate (Pc)  at (0,{\Ra*sin(#1)-sqrt(\l^2-(\Ra*cos(#1))^2)});
  \coordinate (Ph)  at ({\Ra*cos(#1)+sqrt(\l^2-(\Ra*sin(#1))^2)},0);
  \getangle{\ac}{Pc}{R}
  \getangle{\ah}{Ph}{R}
  
  % GAS
  \fill[gas]
    (\W/2-\wt,-\R-\d-\H) \pipeoutside --++
    (0,-\wt) |-++ (-\H,-\H-\d);
  \fill[cold gas] (Pc) ++ (-\W/2,-\ha-.2*\hp) rectangle (\W/2,-\R-\d-\H-.01);
  \fill[hot gas] (Ph) ++ (\ha+.2*\hp,-\W/2) rectangle (\R+\d+\H+.01,\W/2);
  
  % FLYWHEEL
  \draw[very thick,mydarkblue,top color=blue!20!black!40,bottom color=blue!20!black!50,shading angle=0]
    (O) circle (\R);
  \draw[knob] (O) circle (.25*\R);
  
  % PISTON 1 (COLD)
  \draw[arm1,shading angle=\ac-90]
    (Pc) ++ (\ac-90:\w) arc (\ac-90:\ac-270:\w) --
    ($(R)+(\ac-270:\w)$) arc (\ac+90:\ac-90:\w) -- cycle;
  \draw[piston1]
    (Pc) ++ (180:\wa) arc (180:0:\wa) --++ (0,-\ha) --++
    (\wp/2-\wa,0) --++ (0,-\hp) coordinate[midway] (L) --++
    (-\wp,0) --++ (0,\hp) --++ (\wp/2-\wa,0) -- cycle;
  \draw[knob] (R) circle (\rb);
  \draw[knob] (Pc) circle (\rb);
  
  % PISTON 2 (HOT)
  \draw[arm2,shading angle=\ah-90]
    (Ph) ++ (\ah-90:\w) arc (\ah-90:\ah-270:\w) --
    ($(R)+(\ah-270:\w)$) arc (\ah+90:\ah-90:\w) -- cycle;
  \draw[piston2]
    (Ph) ++ (270:\wa) arc (270:90:\wa) --++ (\ha,0) --++
    (0,\wp/2-\wa) --++ (\hp,0) --++ (0,-\wp) --++ (-\hp,0) --++ (0,\wp/2-\wa) -- cycle;
  \draw[knob] (R) circle (\rb);
  \draw[knob] (Ph) circle (\rb);
  
  % COOLER
  \foreach \x in {-1,1}{
    \draw[mydarkblue,line width=2,fill=blue!80,xscale=\x]
      (\W/2,-\R-\d-.9*\H) --++ (\ct,0) |-++
      (\cl,\ct) |-++ (-\cl,\ct) |-++
      (\cl,\ct) |-++ (-\cl,\ct) |-++
      (\cl,\ct) |-++ (-\cl,\ct) |-++
      (\cl,\ct) |-++ (-\cl,\ct) |-++
      (\cl,\ct) |-++ (-\cl,\ct) |-++
      (\cl,\ct) coordinate (C\x) |-++ (-\cl,\ct) |-++
      (-\ct,\ct);
    \draw[mydarkblue,line width=1.5,fill=red!80,yscale=\x]
      (\R+\d+.9*\H,\W/2) to[out=90,in=0]++ (-2*\ct,2*\ct) --++
      (-.3*\H,0) coordinate (H\x) to[out=180,in=90]++ (-2*\ct,-2*\ct);
  }
  
  % WALL
  \draw[line width=1.7,mydarkblue,double=blue!20!black!60,double distance=\T,line cap=rect]
    (-\W/2,-\R-\d) |-++ (\W-\wt,-\H)
    \pipeoutside --++ (0,\W-\wt) --++ (-\H,0)
    ( \W/2,-\R-\d) |-++ (\H+\d,-\H) |-++ (-\H,\H+\d);
}


\def\pipeoutside{
            to[out=-90,in=180]++ (\wt,-\wt) --++
  (\H+\d,0) to[out=0,in=-90]++ (\wt,\wt) --++
  (0,\H+\d) to[out=90,in=0]++ (-\wt, \wt)
}

\def\pipeinside{
            to[out=-90,in=180]++ (\wt,-\wt) --++
  (\H+\d,0) to[out=0,in=-90]++ (\wt,\wt) --++
  (0,\H+\d) to[out=90,in=0]++ (-\wt, \wt)
}


\begin{document}


% 1
\begin{tikzpicture}
  %\def\d{-10}
  \engine{110};
  %\draw[vector] (\d:.6*\R) arc (\d:\d-80:.55*\R);
  
  \node[below right=3,align=left,scale=2.5] at (C1) {cold\\[-.5mm]end};
  \node[left=13,below right=-1,scale=2.5] at (H-1) {hot end};
%  \node[right=2,align=left,scale=2.5] at (20:1.1*\R) {fly\\[-.5mm]wheel};
%  \draw[arrow] (L) ++ (-.6,-.1) --++ (10:2)
%    node[right=-2,align=right,scale=2.4] {loosely\\[-.5mm]fitting\\[-.5mm]piston};
  
\end{tikzpicture}


% 2
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \engine{25};
\end{tikzpicture}


% 3
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \engine{-70};
\end{tikzpicture}


% 4
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \engine{-170};
\end{tikzpicture}


\end{document}

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Open in Overleaf: engine_stirling_alpha.tex

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