User:MichaelFrey/Manson engine

The Manson engine is a Hot air engine was first described by A. D. Manson in the March 1952 issue of Newnes Practical Mechanics-Magazines.

Manson Engines can be started both ways (clockwise and counter clockwise).

The piston is stepped. The front part is acting as a displacer and the back part as work piston. (Displacer and Piston move as a single component)

The Manson Engine has no commercial or practical application. Engines are mainly build as Desk toys/Physics demonstration/novelties.

The engine is double acting, as it is using both the expansion of the warmed air and the contraction of cooling air to exploit work.

The engine only requires three moving parts (Piston, Piston Rod and crank).

Functioning mechanism

 * Phase 1 (cooling down the work medium, suction stroke)
 * when the Piston is moved towards the heat source, the hot gas inside the engine is moved to the cool side of the cylinder.
 * the gas is cooled there, resulting in a drop in pressure, further moving the piston towards the heat source.
 * Phase 2 (upper death center)
 * When the piston reaches the upper death center, the valve is open, releasing the vacuum.
 * the flywheel keeps the piston moving
 * Phase 3 (heating up the work medium, expansion stroke)
 * when the piston is moving away from the heat source, the air is pushed towards the heat source.
 * the air is then heating up, resulting in the air expanding and the piston being further pushed away from the heat source
 * Phase 4 (lower death center)
 * when the piston reaches the lower death center, the valve is open, releasing the build up pressure and hot air.
 * the flywheel keeps the piston moving

differences to Stirling engines
Stirling engines are typically closed systems. Manson Engines are open system.

Displacer and Work piston of the Manson Engine have zero phase angle.

Variations

 * Manson-Guise Engine

The valve/gas paths are considered by some to be complicated to manufacture, so various variants exists with improved/modified simplified vales/gas paths.

Weblinks
Category:Hot air engines