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Here's a candle Stirling engine we've just acquired.
It's a kit form which is unusual, I've got one or two in my collection
but not a kit yet.
So if we light the thing and get the thing, at least the power source, going
then it will start performing more quickly.
This is an ordinary night light
which will go on for about two or three hours.
There's about 160 pieces in the kit I think it is,
and it takes about an hour or two to put together,
but it's very easy and very straightforward.
So inside this little tin here is a little displacer;
a very light-weight bit of plastic which displaces the air.
At the moment the air is getting quite hot at the bottom
and as it heats up it will push this little power piston,
this is the real power source, upwards.
That then pushes the displacer down and when the displacer is in the down position
the air inside is going to be in contact with the top which is not...
it's not icy cold but it's quite cold enough.
The air will then contract and pull the piston down again. There's a cycle,
what's astonishing is how quickly the cycle goes and repeats itself.
So we'll see if it's ready to go.
[Spins fan]
Almost, look at that.
[Spins fan for second time]
Just about.
[Spins fan for third time and fourth time]
Fourth time lucky! That's actually going very fast isn't it?
Goodness me, that is going on at quite a speed actually, astonishing.Mine [other engine] goes very slowly.