Thermodynamic analysis of a heat engine: experiments with the Stirling cycle

This paper presents a practical thermodynamic analysis of a desktop Stirling engine to demonstrate some of the fundamental principles involving the conversion of heat to work as part of an introductory undergraduate course. Experimental measurements of temperature, pressure and volume using an Arduino microcontroller allows for the construction of P-ν and T-s process diagrams from thermodynamic relationships. By comparing the quantitative data from actual and ideal cycles, the Stirling engine represents an effective teaching tool for reinforcing core content with students.