Manson engine
The Manson engine is a hot air engine that was first described by A. D. Manson in the March 1952 issue of Newnes Practical Mechanics-Magazines. Manson engines can be started in either direction. It has a stepped piston. The front part acts as a displacer and the back part acts as a work piston. The engine only requires three moving parts: piston, piston rod, and crank.
The engine is double acting, using both the expansion of the warmed air and atmospheric pressure overcoming the reducing pressure of the cooling air to do work.
The engine currently has no commercial or practical applications. The engines are built mainly as desk toys, physics demonstrations, and novelties.
Functioning mechanism
Phase 1- * when the Piston is moved toward 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 pressure dropping below atmospheric, further moving the piston toward the heat source.Phase 2
- * When the piston reaches top dead centre, the inlet valve is open, releasing the vacuum.
- * the flywheel keeps the piston movingPhase 3
- * when the piston is moving away from the heat source, the air is pushed toward the heat source.
- * the air is then heating up, resulting in the air expanding and the piston being further pushed away from the heat sourcePhase 4
- * when the piston reaches bottom dead centre, the exhaust valve is open, releasing the build up pressure and hot air.
- * the flywheel keeps the piston moving