Beta-type Stirling engine

Inspiration from Wikipedia.

engine_stirling_beta-001.pngengine_stirling_beta-002.pngengine_stirling_beta-003.pngengine_stirling_beta-004.png

Edit and compile if you like:

% Author: Izaak Neutelings (March 2019)
% Inspiration: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stirling_Animation.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=3,green!50!black]
\tikzstyle{gas}=[top color=blue!20,bottom color=red!30]
\tikzstyle{knob}=[line width=2,mydarkblue,fill=blue!20!black!80]
\tikzstyle{wall}=[line width=2,mydarkblue,top color=blue!10!black!50,bottom color=blue!10!black!40]
\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!60,bottom color=blue!20!black!70,middle color=blue!20!black!30,shading angle=90]
\tikzstyle{piston2}=[very thick,mydarkblue,top color=blue!20!black!40,bottom color=blue!20!black!50,middle color=blue!20!black!40,shading angle=90]


% 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\Rb{1.8} % arm attachment on flywheel
  \def\l{5.5}  % arm length
  \def\w{0.2}  % arm width
  \def\wa{0.5} % piston 1 rod width
  \def\wb{0.3} % piston 2 rod width
  \def\ha{6.8} % piston 1 rod length
  \def\hb{1.0} % piston 2 rod length
  \def\Wa{3.6} % piston 1 width
  \def\Wb{3.96} % piston 2 width
  \def\Ha{2.5} % piston 1 height
  \def\Hb{1.8} % piston 2 height
  \def\L{13}   % wall height
  \def\W{4.0}  % wall width
  \def\T{.2}   % wall thickness
  \def\cl{1.3}  % cooling length
  \def\ct{.25}  % cooling thickness
  \def\rb{0.1} % bolt
  \coordinate (O)   at (0,0);
  \coordinate (R1)  at (#1:\Ra);
  \coordinate (R2)  at (90+#1:\Rb);
  \coordinate (P1)  at (0,{\Ra*sin(#1)-sqrt(\l^2-(\Ra*cos(#1))^2)});
  \coordinate (P2)  at (0,{\Ra*cos(#1)-sqrt(\l^2-(\Rb*sin(#1))^2))});
  \getangle{\aa}{P1}{R1}
  \getangle{\ab}{P2}{R2}
  
  % GAS
  \fill[gas] (P2) ++ (-\W/2,-\hb-.2*\Hb) rectangle (\W/2,-1.9*\R-\L);
  
  % 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 (LOOSE)
  \draw[arm1,shading angle=\aa-90]
    (P1) ++ (\aa-90:\w) arc (\aa-90:\aa-270:\w) --
    ($(R1)+(\aa-270:\w)$) arc (\aa+90:\aa-90:\w) -- cycle;
  \draw[piston1]
    (P1) ++ (180:\wa) arc (180:0:\wa) --++ (0,-\ha) --++
    (\Wa/2-\wa,0) --++ (0,-\Ha) coordinate[midway] (L) --++
    (-\Wa,0) --++ (0,\Ha) --++ (\Wa/2-\wa,0) -- cycle;
  \draw[knob] (R1) circle (\rb);
  \draw[knob] (P1) circle (2*\rb);
  s
  % PISTON 2 (TIGHT)
  \draw[arm2,shading angle=\ab-90]
    (P2) ++ (\ab-90:\w) arc (\ab-90:\ab-270:\w) --
    ($(R2)+(\ab-270:\w)$) arc (\ab+90:\ab-90:\w) -- cycle;
  \draw[piston2]
    (P2) ++ (180:\wb) arc (180:0:\wb) --++ (0,-\hb) --++
    (\Wb/2-\wb,0) --++ (0,-\Hb) --++ (-\Wb,0) --++ (0,\Hb) --++ (\Wb/2-\wb,0) -- cycle;
  \draw[knob] (R2) circle (\rb);
  \draw[knob] (P2) circle (\rb);
  
  % COOLER
  \foreach \x in {-1,1}{
    \draw[mydarkblue,line width=2,fill=blue!80,xscale=\x]
      (\W/2+\T,-5*\R) --++ (\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=2,fill=red!80,xscale=\x]
      (\W/2+\T,-\L-1.9*\R) to[out=0,in=-90]++ (2*\ct,2*\ct) --++
      (0,.2*\L) coordinate (H\x) to[out=90,in=0]++ (-2*\ct,2*\ct);
  }
  
  % WALL
  \draw[wall]
    (-\W/2,-1.9*\R) --++ (0,-\L) -| (\W/2,-1.9*\R)
    --++ (\T,0) --++ (0,-\L-\T) --++ (-\W-2*\T,0) |- cycle;
}



\begin{document}


% 1
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \engine{110};
  \draw[vector] (195:1.4*\R) arc (195:140:1.4*\R);
  
  \node[below left=3,align=right,scale=2.5] at (C-1) {cold\\[-.5mm]end};
  \node[below left=3,align=right,scale=2.5] at (H-1) {hot\\[-.5mm]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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