How Stirling Engines Work
A Stirling engine uses the Stirling cycle, which is unlike the cycles used in internal-combustion engines. The gasses used inside a Stirling engine never leave the engine. There are no exhaust valves that vent high-pressure gasses, as in a gasoline or diesel engine, and there are no explosions taking place. Because of this, Stirling engines are very quiet. The Stirling cycle uses an external heat source, which could be anything from gasoline to solar energy to the heat produced by decaying plants. No combustion takes place inside the cylinders of the engine. HowStuffWorks “How Stirling Engines Work”
