Stirling cycle

physics

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July 14, 2026

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The Stirling cycle is a thermodynamic cycle that describes the operation of a Stirling engine, an external-combustion engine invented by Robert Stirling in 1816. This cycle uses a regenerator and features two isothermals (constant temperature processes) and two lines of constant volume on its indicator diagram.12

Stirling engines heat a gaseous working fluid externally, causing it to expand and drive pistons. The fluid then cools and contracts, repeating the cycle. This design allows for quiet operation, the use of various fuel sources, high efficiency, and low pollution. While early commercial use was limited by cost, modern research continues to explore its potential for applications like refrigeration and power generation.13

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energy conversion
Stirling engine
…Scotland to invent a power cycle that operated without a high-pressure boiler. In his engine (patented in 1816), air was heated by external combustion through a heat exchanger and then was displaced, compressed, and expanded by two pistons. Stirling also conceived the idea of a regenerator to store thermal energy…
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…Scotland to invent a power cycle that operated without a high-pressure boiler. In his engine (patented in 1816), air was heated by external combustion through a heat exchanger and then was displaced, compressed, and expanded by two pistons. Stirling also conceived the idea of a regenerator to store thermal energy…
Read More