In a context where the debate on transport revolves between fossil fuels and electricity, a British aerospace engineer developed an unexpected alternative: a bicycle driven by a thermal motor without combustion, designed more than two centuries ago.

The person in charge of the project was Tom Stanton, known for his YouTube channel, who decided to recover the Stirling engine, invented in 1816 by Robert Stirling.

This system is based on the gas expansion and contraction when passing between hot and cold areas, without requiring fuels or batteries.

According to the specialized site Ecoinventos, the engine works without internal combustion, so does not use gasoline, diesel or electricity.

“Their bicycle shows that created solutions can inspire lasting proposals for the present.”

Instead, you need an external heat source to stay active.This can be of renewable origin, such as solar energy or biomass, or non-renewable, such as gas burners.

Stanton’s goal was to reach a power between 100 and 150 watts, equivalent to 0.2 steam horses, sufficient amount for the vehicle to move at a maximum speed of 24 km/h on flat surfaces.

After several tests with scale models, the engineer built a mechanized aluminum block and commissioned the hot camera to a third, made of steel. In addition, he incorporated a water cooling system to improve thermal efficiency.

Beyond the experimental, Stanton’s project raises a debate on the role of historical technologies in current energy and transportation challenges.

Their bicycle shows that created solutions can inspire sustainable proposals for the present. This experience invites you to reconsider forgotten inventions and ask if they could become viable alternatives in the search for cleaner mobility.

the process was not free of failures.Stanton detected air leaks and compression losses that reduced engine performance. he also faced difficulties due to friction in the pistons and in the movement of the axis.

To solve it, he tried different materials until a flexible stamp that avoided pressure escape without increasing resistance.With adjustments in the length of the crankshaft and in the airway between hot and cold areas, it achieved a more stable and silent operation.

the engine was installed between the bicycle frame pipes. The movement of their pistons is transferred to inertia flyers, which drive a pulley connected to the rear wheel through a strap. This allows the vehicle to advance without a conventional energy source.

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