KONTAX KS90R BLUE STIRLING ENGINE

Plates made from anodised blue aluminium
Ultra Low temperature difference Stirling Engine
Can run from the heat of your hand
Runs on heat sources such as set top box, cup of coffee
Will even run on ice
Runs on surprisingly little temperature difference

THE ROSS YOKE MECHANISM

This version of our hugely popular KS90 engine has a unique and fascinating new linkage arrangement. This new linkage is known as a Ross Yoke, named after Andy Ross, its inventor.

It allows both the piston and displacer to be connected on the same side end of the axle while at the same time maintaining the 90 degree offset between the piston and displacer. For larger engines it makes dramatically reduces the crank area. Ross yoke mechanism also often has stroke-multiplication meaning the crank-throw diameter can be shorter than the actual piston stroke.

The yoke itself is attached to the crank and pivots on two precision flanged ball bearings. The oval section at the bottom of the yoke pivots on one precision ball bearing. All other specifications on this engine are identical to our KS90 model.

LOW FRICTION	BALANCED	MICRON PRECISION
EXTREMELY LOW FRICTION GRAPHITE PISTON INGENIOUS SELF-LUBRICATING PISTON PROVEN GLASS/GRAPHITE COMBINATION PRECISION CLEAR BOROSILICATE GLASS ULTRA LOW FRICTION THROUGHOUT	FULLY MACHINED BRASS + ALUMINIUM WHEEL INTEGRAL FLYWHEEL BALANCING	RUNS ON A WARM HAND OR HOT WATER RUNS BACKWARDS WHEN PLACED ON ICE KONTAX GUARANTEED TO RUN ULTRA LOW TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE ENGINE BEST PERFORMING LTD ENGINE ON THE MARKET
THERMODYNAMICS	DESIGN	PERFORMANCE
SUPER-FLAT OPTIMISED CHAMBER ALL DIMENSIONS CALCULATED FOR OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE HOLLOW BRASS PILLARS, PROVIDING SURPRISING HIGH THERMAL INSULATION REGENERATING DISPLACER PISTON	PROVEN LONG LASTING DESIGN ELEGANT NO COMPROMISE DESIGN BRITISH DESIGNED AND MADE (KS90 polished shown in image above) NO SCREWS PROTRUDING FROM PLATES	MICRONS ACCURACY POWER PISTON NO SQUEAKING, QUIET DESIGN AIR SEALED DESIGN MINIATURE BALL RACE BEARINGS PRECISION STAINLESS STEEL DISPLACER ROD

THE SIMPLE STIRLING ENGINE CONCEPT

What is a Stirling Engine?

Stirling engines convert a small temperature difference into motion. As long as one plate is warmer (about 5°c) than the other then the engine will run. It doesn't matter which plate is warmer, as long as the other is cooler. If you reverse the temperature differential, and cool the plate that was warm, and warm the plate that was cool then the engine will run in reverse. The Stirling engine is named after its inventor, Rev. Robert Stirling, who patented his idea in 1816.

How do they work?

Stirling engines work by cyclically heating and cooling the air inside the main chamber. As the air heats up it expands, and as it cools down it contracts. This expansion and contraction drives a small piston which in turn drives the flywheel. The clever thing about Stirling engines is that the mechanism for cycling the heating and cooling of the air is built into the engine in the form of the displacer, which is driven by the flywheel and moves the air from the warm side to the cool side and back again over and over.

Eco-friendly

The Kontax KS90 Low Temperature Differential Stirling Engine is the ultimate eco-friendly device, showing with one spin of the flywheel a clean and simple way of converting waste heat into motion. Because these engines rely on a temperature difference for operation, they will run on almost any source of warmth. Typical heat sources include hot coffee or tea, warm sunlight, CRT monitor, TV digibox and the human hand.

Efficiency

Because Stirling engines have a theoretical 40% greater efficiency than photo-voltaic (PV) panels worldwide energy companies are investigating using them as a way to provide energy in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Such companies use our full range of low temperature engines to demonstrate the principles behind generating electricity using Stirling engines.

ENGINE FEATURES

Stainless steel screws (except for pillar screws)
Micron precision Borosilicate glass cylinder and Graphite power piston
Low-profile heat insulated chamber pillars;
Giving flat bottom and good surface contact with heat source
Both connecting rods are positively located using low friction PEEK and stainless steel screws
All airtight seals are made with high strength precision screw threads and nitrile O rings
Ultra low friction demagnetised and de-greased bearings, NO lubrication required
Fully CNC machined, giving crisp, clean and tidy edges all over
Engine parts ultrasonically cleaned before hand assembly

MATERIALS

Stainless steel connecting rods and ball-race bearings
Micron precision Borosilicate glass cylinder
Micron precision Graphite power piston
Aluminium main pillar, hub and spokes
Brass chamber pillars and flywheel rim
Brass gland and cylinder holder

MAIN DIMENSIONS

Base plates - 92mm diameter (3.62"), 2mm thick
Displacer - 70mm diameter (2.75"), 7mm thick
Flywheel - 82.5mm diameter(3.25"), 4mm thick
Power piston - 9.5mm diameter (0.375")
Overall height - 130mm (5.11")

KS90R Blue Ross LTD (KIT)

(Kit or Assembled)