The history of the

Hot Air Engine

from
Heron

to
CHP
Combined
Heat and
Power
A review
05/10

Stirlingmotor.com

Contents
Preface
The hot-air drive in the 2nd century before the Christian era.
The requirement of portable power during the Industrial
Revolution,
Stirling, Ericsson, Rider, Lehmann, Buschbaum and others.
The electricity need in remote areas, the Philips idea 1937 - 1979
The Stirling-renaissance, Sun-driven,
Combined Heat and Power
Stirling, the air-independent motor, AISP
Different thermic principles,
Motors, Refrigerators, Heatpumps
The Stirling-refrigerator, Windhausen, Philips, AIM
Different working-mediums, air, gas, water, metals
The hot-air motor as toy, investment or speculation?
The function of the Stirling motor
Construction types, Stirling, Ericsson, Ringbom, Freikolben, Rupp,
Vacuum-motor.
The rulers of the game for the model constructor: The hot-air
engine
Epilogue
Sources
All Copyrights are the property of the author.
Reproduction in any form only with written permission of the author or
inclusion of the source listing: (www.stirlingmotor.com).
-2-

The history of the hot-air motor

Preface
Why is the hot-air motor hardly used
today although it exists for over 2000
years?
Why is the hot-air motor still widely
unknown today although it has a very
simple principle of operation?
The answer is simple: as long as the
apparent energy costs are so cheap, today we pay 3,2 E-Cents* the kWh in
production (!)- and we continue as if
the energy follow-up costs were
irrelevant in equation with the financial
expenditures of energy, it just isnt
affordable!
Its only when individuals will have to
pay for their own CO2 production that
we can hope for the introduction of the
Stirling motor.
As long as we live in the wastefulness
of our energy-paradise, the Stirling
principle will stay in universities and
development-offices, in the military,
and the homes of the model-builders
and environmental-enthusiasts.
Only when we want to reduce the CO2
emissions through CHP (Combined
Heat and Power) so as to make better
use of the energy or to generate CO2
neutral electricity through renewable

2000 years ago, simple hot-air

machines had been used to impress
believers.
200 years ago mobile power and
refrigeration machines were sought so
as to be able to work separatly from
the stationary hydro-power
installations and that there was ice
production not only in winter. These
were the prosperous times of the
Stirling engine. 70 years ago light,
remote power generators were sought
and the Stirling motor was further
developed. Today, due to the
environmental discussions, the
Stirling motor relives a rennaissance
as CHP, as solar motor or as CFCfree refrigerator. This little story will
give a short summary of the hot-air
machines. Nowadays there are yearly
international Stirling engine
conferences. Stirling engines are
interesting and beautiful!
Model-machines are easy to build and
theyreward you with a quick sense of
satisfaction. The diversity of
construction styles allows the
individual a lot of room for creativity
and originality.
To see a model working is amazing
and a running model on the table
can be the source for a
conversation of many hours.

resources, then the time of the

Stirling motor has arrived.
* actual Energy-mix in Germany
Source: BMWi

Stirling motors can simply impress!

G. Hennessy / H. Schmidt, 2010
-3-

Hot-air power in the 2nd century before the Christian era

1

Herons interesting installation for the opening of the door

into the inner-temple area.
When the sacrificial fire was lit, the heat expanded the air on the inside
of the altar (a). This increased the pressure in the flask (b), being
partially filled with water. The water column was pushed via the tube
(c) into the container (d), which then is lowered and which then pulled
on a rope (e). This rope ran over two cylinders (f) which opened the
doors. When the fire was extinguished, the air pressure is normalised in
the altar and the water in the container is syphoned back into the flask
and a counterweight (g) closed the doors again. The uninformed
temple-goers must have believed without doubt in the existence of their
gods!
For a long time very little was known about the characteristics of air. It
has not been documented if other hot-air mechanisms have been used.
Heron from Alexandria lived in the 2nd century before the Christian era.
His most-known invention is the Aelopile, the first reaction-turbine.

-4-

The mobile-power demands of the

Industrial Revolution
Stirling, Ericsson, Rider, Lehmann, and many others.
The 19th Century was the high point of the hot-air
machines. The need for prime-movers was
enormous. There was nearly no alternative to the
remote waterwheel (power station), the combustion
engine hadnt yet been invented, the steam engine
still was in its childrens shoes and, because of the
danger of explosion, was dangerous.

Stirling 1815

Before this time, people such as Leonardo da Vinci and Leibniz also
occupied themselves with hot-air drives. Documents were drawn-up,
however it is not known whether these machines really were ever built.
Two names are closely connected with
the hot-air engines: Robert Stirling
(1790-1878), a Scottish clergyman,
who gave the air engine its name, and
John Ericsson (1803-1889), an
engineer born in Sweden, who went to
America via England, who built many
technically different machines. But
the large number of the manufacturers
and inventors of air engines has not yet
been completely investigated.

Ericsson 1853
4

Buschbaum, Darmstadt 1876

Lehmann 1866
-5-

The mobile motive-power demands of

the industrial Revolution
6

1853: 300 H.P. Hot-air engine drive in the boat ERICSSON

7

Ericsson 1860
Large numbers
of engines
produced
8

Ericsson 1883
Hot-air sun-motor

-6-

The mobile motive-power requirement of the Industrial Revolution

11

10

Stirling 1827 with a Regenerator

Stirling 1816

12

The company Louis Heinrici, in Zwickau (D)

since 1876, built many different stirling engines
with a power output of up to 2 HP. These were
usually used to propel small machines, air or
water pumps. Well known were the Stirlingdriven room and garden fountains.
HeinriciStirling with a
water-pump

13

Heinrici aquarium-pump

-7-

14

Heinrici
Room-fountain

The mobile-power demands of the Industrial Revolution

17

16

15

Rider-Ericsson as
Waterpump

Robinson 1889

Stirlingmotor as Fan

In 1905 Ossian Ringbom invented an engine

which does not have any direct drive to the
displacer piston. Thus the engine runs in both
directions. The internal air pressure works on the
circular area of the piston rod and moves the
displacer piston.

18

From this idea, most probably, the free-piston

engines were developed.

19

Free-piston motor
1870

20

Beale-Free-piston 1990

-8-

21

Beale-Free-piston 1974

The electricity need in remote areas.

The Philips's idea 1937 - 1978
Before the Second World War the Dutch company Philips looked for a heatdriven power supply unit for radios. It should be used where it was simpler
to find the necessary combustible material than batteries.
Philips began with a research program, which
ran until 1978. The work led to important
results. Engines to 400 HP were built, for refrigerators to -200C, and heat pumps to 100C.
Stirling for radio

22

Most of today's stirling engines are based on

this development of Philips. A refrigerator for
the liquification of air is manufactured still by
a subsidiary.

24

23

PHILIPS Swashplate-drive
Licence went to FORD

PHILIPS Rhombic-drive

The development was given up 1978, the licenses were sold (MAN,
FORD, UNITED STIRLING) and co-workers of the group resumed the
development at their own costs.

-9-

The Stirling-renaissance
Sun-driven
to get sufficient motive power, the
factories must move to the sun-belt of
the earth, meant John Ericsson
already in 1850 and he built sundriven hot-air engines.
25
SOLO, SBP 2002

Ericsson 1870

Solo, based in Sindelfingen,

Germany, has occupied itself with
the Stirling Technology and the
structure of solar Stirling-motors
since 1990. The metal diaphragm
parabolic reflector is supplied by
Schlaich, Bergermann and
partners, from Stuttgart. It produces
engines with a shaft output of 10
KW. Dish/Stirling plants can produce
solar electricity in sun-rich countries
very efficiently which is a
meaningful development-aid.

26

27

Sandia - Dish/Stirling-System
Albuquerque, USA, with a SOLO Motor
In USA Sandia National
Laboratories and WGA have
built a 46,5 m2 concentrator out
of glass/metal-sandwich elements
and a supporting structure. The
unit is successfully in operation
since the summer of 1999.

-10-

28

Solarmotor by
SUNMACHINE GmbH

The Stirling-renaissance
Combined Heat and Power
Unfortunately it is an irrefutable physical law that power stations can convert only 30
to 55% of the assigned energy into electric current. Since these power stations
usually are located too far away from human settlements where the waste energy
could be used as warmth, one must release this warmth into the atmosphere. Given the
cheap energy prices, this is not really tragic but thereby much excess CO2 per unit is
produced unnecessarily.

Combined Heat and Power

(CHP)
Because the Stirling engine is
heated from the outside all
kinds of fuels can be used
-from gas, oil, etc, to biomass Therefore th Stirling is
outstanding suitable for the
production of combined heat
and power (CHP) for the
final user.
Thus the assigned energy can
be better used and thus the CO2
output can be reduced.

If the Stirling engine is heated with

renewable raw materials, the output
equales the CO2 admission with growth,
and is CO2 neutral in this case.
-11-

The Stirling-renaissance
Combined Heat and Power
30
29

29

Gas-drven CHP from

BOSCH-THERMOTECHNIK
Free Piston Stirlingengine

31

32

Pellet-driven CHP from SUNMACHINE GmbH

Stirling, the air-independent drive

AISP, Air Independent Stirling Propulsion
Since the Stirling engine needs
only warmth which is supplied
from the outside for the drive, it
is particularly suitable for
underwater drives.

33
34

-12-

The enterprise Kockums, in

Sweden, builds such drives
especially for submarines.

Stirling, the air-independent drive at space

AISP, Air Independent Stirling Propulsion

67

67

In the dark space (back moon, Mars crater, etc.) no solar

paddles can be used. Because of the reliability, a free-piston
Stirling engine is in use. The heat source is an isotope.
In addition, to power an artificial heart a
AISP Stirling is suitable, whereby an alpha
isotope is used as a heat source.
Martini artificial
heart 1967

35

Different thermal principles of the air engines.

Engine, cooler and heat pump
If the stirling engine is
driven, it produces
cooling. If the
direction of rotation is
changed, the cold and
the hot end exchange
themselves. By the
extraction of heat at the
cold end the entire
produced warmth is
higher than the power
of the used energy
(heat pump).
-13-

The Stirling - Refrigerator

Windhausen, Philips, AEG
Already in 1847 the cooling function of the Stirling engine was described by
Sir William Thomson (Lord Kelvin). This was -of course- revolutionary at
that time, because there was
only ice in winter in natural
form which had to be processed
to be stored until the summer
months for use. This rapidly
formed an industry , which
manufactured refridgerators.
36
These machines were used in
breweries and on cooling ships.
Windhausen refrigerator 1870
37

During the Philips developments the research

continued. These Machines are still being produced
today for the liquefaction of air and nitrogen.
For many years now and quite unnoticed by the
public Stirling-refrigeration units were applicated in
large numbers for military use.

PHILIPS
refrigerator

Motor

Since the machines can be built substantially

smaller than Linde-refrigerators, they are well
suited for the cooling of mobile infrared sensors.
39

Refrigerator

38

Stirling-refrigerator
for sensors

The environmental debate about CFCfree refrigerators has made the stirling
refrigerator interesting again.
SOLO V161
as
refrigeraor
-14-

Different working gasses

Air, gas, water, metal
Usually the Stirling engine works with warm air (air engine). A loading
(piston pump), which can be managed easily, generates a large
performance increase.
Modern machines normally work with gas,
especially hydrogen or helium. This creates
an enormous increase in power output.

40

41

West Motor with a liquid-piston

Malone Motor with a

working-medium of water

As a working medium one can use also metals or water. Liquid pistons
are also possible to be utilised. Generally this is a further research field
still to be explored.

The hot-air engine as toy.

The big investment or only a speculation?
Around 1900 the first air engines emerged - in particular Stirling and
vacuum engines- in the catalogues of the sheet metal toy industry.
Maerklin, Bing, Carette, Schoenner, Plank, Hensel (REBI) supplied such
engines. Apparently no large numbers of items were manufactured, so
that toy engines from this time are in high demand and are expensive
today. Prices up to 3,000 Euros are no rarity. Out of ignorance such
engines are often offered on flea markets as steam engines. The on-line
auctions in the Internet give a good general view. Excellent information
is to be found in the book: Dampfspielzeug (steam toy) by
Kaiser/Baecker.
-15-

The hot-air motor as toy

Investment or speculation?

Possibly the first

toy-Stirling
from SCHNNER
Around 1900.
The chimney
is the cooler
67

68

Carette Vacuum Motor ca. 1914

Plank
vacuum-motor
ca. 1920

69

70

Mrklin
4172/2
Stirling motor
ca. 1922

REBI
vacuumMotor
ca. 1951

71

REBI
vacuumMotor
ca. 1948

-16-

72

The function of the Stirling motor

Functioning:
The stirling engine does not possess
valves! Air (gas) is moved back and
forth by the displacer-piston. Thus air
is quickly heated and cooled down.
The associated pressure change drives
the working piston. The displacer
piston is always offset 90 (or 270)
to the working piston. Thus the
direction of motion is clearly fixed.
If the cold end and the hot end is changed, the direction of rotation
will change.

The warmth is supplied

from the outside to the
stirling engine, hence one
can use all kinds of fuels
or heat sources e.g. also
solar radiation. The
engine can be operated in
all positions.

-17-

Construction types:
Stirling, Ericsson, Ringbom,
Free-piston, Rupp, Roper, Vacuum-motor.

Hot-air Engines
Roper

Stirling

Vacuum

Ericsson

Inner combustionopen
circulation

External combustion
closed
circulation

External combustion
open
circulation

External combustion
open
circulation

LTS- Lowtemperature

Ringbom

Free-piston

Rupp

The advantage of the Stirling engine with is closed cycle is that it can be
charged easily. Also another gas can be used as working medium. All of
which contributes to an increased output.
The stirling engine has also the highest thermal efficiency.
(like the CARNOT). Eta = (Tb-Te)/Tb [K]
-18-

The large playing-field for the model constructors: The air engine.
In the meantime there are many working model engines for sale, by which
one can study the function of the stirling engine quite easily.

44

42

43
Simple
working
Stirling Models

48

45

46

49

50

A running
Stirling engine is
also a decorative
item on the desk,
which can give
rise to many
interesting
discussions.

-19-

47

The big playing-field of the model constructor: The hot-air engine

Because of the fact that the hot-air engine permits such a constructional
freedom and is relatively easy to build, the model constructor finds himself
in a large space in which to live his fantasy.
52

53

51

57

54
58

56

59
61
60

62

64

Real treasures can be

found in the photogalleries of the model
constructors and
collectors in the
internet.
-20-

63

Epilogue
The hobbyist can get a sense of satisfaction very quickly when he or she
succeeds in building a functioning model from simple materials.
Unfortunately the working of the Stirling principle is not so easily
explained. try it out in your circle of friends! - The easiest and most
impressive demonstration of the functioning is with a SCHLAGENHAUFMOTOR. The materials required can be found for just a few Euros in your
local hobby store.

SCHLAGENHAUF-MOTOR

65

1 Test-tube as the displacer cylinder

2 Cushion made of steel-wool
3 Glass balls (marbles)
4 Cork
5 Tube (Bike-valve tube)
6 Fixation clamp
7 Plate for height adjustment
8 Frame
9 Pneumatic cylinder (Fischer-Technik)
10 Base plate (Cutting-board)

This brochure gives a short historical review of hot-air engines. To hose who
would like to attain a more exact view into the history and the present state
of the development of the Stirling motor the following books can be
reccommended :
Hot Air Caloric and Stirling Engines, Vol 1, A History, 331 S. bound, 27,5x19,5 cm,
1999, with numerous pictures and drawings, by Robert Sier, and
STIRLINGMASCHINEN-TECHNIK, History, application-possibilities, future, 464S.
155 Imgs., in German, Steimle (Hg.)
66

An inexhaustable source of information for free can

be obtained through the patent listings. As well as
this there is a free Stirling-Newsletter by E-Mail.
There are many model-builders who show their
projects in the internet. The enthusiasts-circle
Viebach is occupied with power motors and CHP.
A Stirling motor is interesting and beautiful.
One is simply impressed!

500 Watt Stirling, Viebach

-21-

Source listings:
The machine by Sigvard Strandh: Title picture, 1
Bosch-Thermotechnik, 29, 30
SOLO Kleinmotoren GmbH, Web page: 25, 27, 39
Historical Stirling motors 1815-1990 by Ivo Kolin/Frster: 2, 3, 4,
5, 8, 10, 11, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41
The development of the hot-air motor by Ivo Kolin/C. Frster: 6,7, 9,
36, 37
Catalog Louis Heinrici, Zwickau, ca. 1920: 12, 13, 14
Catalog DeLamatter Iron Works, NY. ca. 1890: 15
Hot Air Caloric and Stirling Engines, von Robert Sier: 16
Private archive Author: 17, 61, 64, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72
Lexikon: 19
SUNPOWER INC. Athens, OH, Data sheet: 20
SUNMACHINE GmbH, Nrnberg: Title picture, 28, 31, 32
KOCKUMS, Sweden: 33, 34
STIRLINGMASCHINEN-TECHNIK, Geschichte,
Einsatzmglichkeiten, Zukunft, Steimle (Hg.): 38
Catalog E. Schmidt, Oberursel: 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
Private archive Rudi Bayha, Filderstadt 1: 51, 57
Private archive Hans Temme, Hannover: 59
Private archive Ren Schaffer, Burgdorf, Schweiz: 53, 54
Private archive Dieter Schager, Offenbach: 52, 58
Private archive Van den Berg, Holland: 63
Private archive Julian Wood, Newport Monmoutshire, UK: 56, 60, 62
Private archive Prof. Dr. Wilfried Schlagenhauf, Kirchzarten: 65
Development office Viebach, Kolbermoor: 66

-22-

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The History of the hot-air motor

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