Analysis of the symmetric Rhombic Drive In Figure 1 we show the schematics of a rhombic drive with power piston connected

to the upper and displacer to the lower section. The bars 12, 1'2', 13, and 1'3' have identical length, L, and are connected to the cross-bars 22' and 33' by pin/hole connections. Joints 1 and 1' are pin-hole connections as well. The crank throws 01 and 0'1' have identical length, r, and the crank centers 0 and 0' are at equal distance, d+e, from the piston axis. The size of the cross bars, 22' and 33', d, is has no bearing on the analysis of the variation of the height of the expansion space, Ve, and the compression space, Vc, as the angle changes. In the configuration shown, the left crank will turn clockwise and the right crank counter clockwise in order to achieve proper phase lag between expansion and compression space. They turn at the same angular velocity which can be accomplished by two intermeshing counterrotating gears.

Figure 1 : Schematics of symmetric rhombic drive with power piston connected to the upper and displacer to the lower section.

General Geometric Relations (1) (2) Ve Vc = = Ce - R sin() + L sin(&beta); Cc -2 L sin()

The angles and are related to each other by : (3) e = R cos() + L cos()

The constants Ce and Cc will be set such that the minima of Ve and Vc are zero, respectively. Also note that the angle occurs between the horizontal and each of the 4 bars, 12, 1'2', 13, 1'3', respectively. Finally, the crank can make complete revolutions only if : (4) L > R+e

Determine Ce for Eq.(2) based on min{Ve}=0 It can be shown ( set derivative with respect to of Eq. (1) to zero and taking Eq. (3) into account ) that the minimum of Ve occurs when in Fig. 1 the points 1 and 3 are exactly on opposite sides of crank center 0, with point 1 above and to the left of point 0. For this position the angles and can be determined : (5) (6)

cos()

= =

e/(L - R) 180 -

Substituting this into Equation (1) and setting the constant Ce such that the minimum of Ve becomes zero we get : (7) Ve = -(L-R) sqrt [ 1 - e/(L-R) ] - R sin() + L sin(&beta);

Maximum of Ve It can be shown ( set derivative with respect to of Eq. (1) to zero and taking Eq. (3) into account ) that the maximum of Ve occurs when in Figure 1 the points 1 and 3 are exactly in line with crank center 0 but this time both are below and to the right of point 0. For this position the angles and can be determined : (8) (9)

cos()

= =

e/(L + R) 360 -

Substituting this into Equation (7) we get for the maximum value of Ve : (10) max{Ve} = sqrt [ (L+R) - e ] - sqrt [ (L-R) e ]

Determine Cc for Eq.(2) based on min{Vc}=0 We have to distinguish between the case eR and e<R which result in different equations for the value and location of the mimimum of Vc. We treat the case of eR first. Vc reaches its minimum when =0 and (11)

cos()

(e-R)/L

With that and the condition that min{Vc}=0 we obtain : (12) Vc = 2 L ( sqrt[ 1 - ((e-R)/L)] -

sin(&beta) )
For the case of e<R, min{Vc} is reached when =90 which occurs twice : (13)

cos()

e/R

Eq. (13) has two solutions, one on either side of &alpha=0 with a local maximum for Vc in between at &alpha=0. Again, we demand min{Vc}=0 : (14) Vc = 2 L ( 1 - sin(&beta) )

Maximum of Vc Vc reaches its maximum when =180 and : (15) cos() = (16) max{Vc} = = Volume Amplitude Ratio To first order, two properties of a drive mechanism influence the performance of Stirling engines, the volume amplitude ratio and the phase lag between expansion and compression space. With min{Vc}=min{Ve}=0 the volume amplitude ratio (VAR) is equal to the ratio max{Vc}/max{Ve}. We use now the results from Eq. (16) and (10) but introduce first the two parameters and defined by : (17) (18) = = e/L R/L

(e+R)/L (

2 L ( sqrt[ 1 - ((e-R)/L)] - sqrt[ 1 - ((e+R)/L)] ) eR ) 2 L ( 1 - sqrt[ 1 - ((e+R)/L)] ) ( e<R )

With that we obtain : (19) VAR = sqrt [ 1 - (-) ] - sqrt [ 1 - (+) ] 2 -----------------------------------------------) sqrt [ (1+) - ] - sqrt [ (1-) - ] 1 - sqrt [ 1 - (+) ] = 2 -----------------------------------------------( < ) sqrt [ (1+) - ] - sqrt [ (1-) - ] (

Phase Lag It is generally assumed that Vc as function of crank angle lages behind Ve by some 90 for optimum performance of a Stirling engine. Looking at the occurrence of the maximum of Vc located at =180 and that of Ve in the range of 270 to 360 we see that our engine has to turn clockwise in the direction of decreasing . Because the rhombic drive needs different amount of time for the upward and downward stroke there is no unique definition for the phase lag. Instead we are looking separately at the phase lag based on the occurences of the maxima and of the minima of the volumes. (20) VPL = 180 - acos ( /(1+) ) ( for the maxima )

180 - acos ( /(1-) )

( for the minima )

In Eq. (20) we took =0 as the angle at which Vc reaches its minimum regardless of the special circumstances for <&rho .

Numerical Results In the table below we display the numerical results. Each entry lists for the a pair of values of e/L and R/L the three quantities : VAR (VPL between minima) [VPL between maxima] Note that in order for the drive to make complete revolutions : e/L + R/L < 1
e/L ------R/L

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.1

0.201018 (96.38) [95.22] 0.229101 (97.18) [94.78] 0.276748 (98.21) [94.41] 0.332932 (99.59) [94.10] 0.397312 (101.54) [93.82] 0.472658 (104.48) [93.58] 0.565685 (109.47) [93.37] 0.694710 (120.00) [93.18]

0.402101 (102.84) [100.48] 0.408619 (104.48) [99.59] 0.436611 (106.60) [98.85] 0.487832 (109.47) [98.21] 0.555953 (113.58) [97.66] 0.644620 (120.00) [97.18] 0.770333 (131.81) [96.76]

0.603328 (109.47) [105.83] 0.613703 (112.02) [104.48] 0.632456 (115.38) [103.34] 0.674299 (120.00) [102.37] 0.747878 (126.87) [101.54] 0.863182 (138.59) [100.81]

0.804816 (116.39) [111.32] 0.819955 (120.00) [109.47] 0.847864 (124.85) [107.92] 0.894427 (131.81) [106.60] 0.984758 (143.13) [105.47]

1.006765 (123.75) [117.04] 1.028349 (128.68) [114.62] 1.069694 (135.58) [112.62] 1.145683 (146.44) [110.92]

1.209574 (131.81) [123.06] 1.241041 (138.59) [120.00] 1.307048 (149.00) [117.49]

1.414214 (141.06) [129.52] 1.464588 (151.04) [125.69]

1.624015 (152.73) [136.66]

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Zig Herzog; hgn@psu.edu

Last revised: 06/01/05