. Contributions to the Centennial Exhibition. ion is regulated by simply turning a handle, until acei-tain index coincides with a certain bright line producedby the reflection of the suns rays. Plate 07 represents a perspective view of a solar engine,in which the concentrated energy of the suns rays is com-municated to the motor by means of heated atmospheric air,instead of being communicated l)y water heated under and expanded into steam. A glance at the illustrationshows that the upper end of the working-cylin<ler is heatedby the suns rays reflected by a curved mirror. It will
. Contributions to the Centennial Exhibition. ion is regulated by simply turning a handle, until acei-tain index coincides with a certain bright line producedby the reflection of the suns rays. Plate 07 represents a perspective view of a solar engine,in which the concentrated energy of the suns rays is com-municated to the motor by means of heated atmospheric air,instead of being communicated l)y water heated under and expanded into steam. A glance at the illustrationshows that the upper end of the working-cylin<ler is heatedby the suns rays reflected by a curved mirror. It will beseen by carefid examination that the solar rays converge at 672 SUN PO WEE-TEE SOLAR ENGINE. CHAP. XLV. a point beyond the axis of the reflector; heuce tliat theform of the latter is not parabolic, but composed of anirregular curve. The object is that of spreading the con-verging rays over a greater length of the cylinder thanpossible with the divergence which would result from em-ploying a reflector of true parabolic curvature. It will be. perceived on insi^ection that the upper end of the cylinderwill be subjected to a concentration of heat many timesgreater than the concentration at the lower end. Referringto the accompanying diagram representing a vertical section,of the machine, it will be seen that the working-cylinder,open at the lower end, contains two pistons, a working-piston a and an exchange-piston b. The working-piston is CHAP. XLV. SUX rOWEU—TUE SOLAR ENGINE. 573 CDiuiected with tlio crank-shaft d by the beam c and theconnecting-rod is connected witlithe crank-shaft by the bell-ci-aiik // and connecting-rod //.An annular space is formed round tlie excliange-piston,admitting of a free passage of the air from end to end ofthe cylinder during the motion of this piston. It will l;ereadily understood that during the downward motion of theexchange-piston the cold air from the lower end of thecylinder will be transferred to the upper end, heated bythe concentrated so
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectinventi, bookyear1876
