Configurations of a Stirling engine and heat pump

A method for adjusting the reciprocating frequency of a stirling engine, comprising:

• controlling the reciprocating frequency of at least one pair of pistons, a first piston in the at least one pair of pistons reciprocating along a length of a first cylinder operating as the hot side of the sterling engine and a second piston in the at least one pair of pistons reciprocating along a length of a second cylinder operating as the cold side of the sterling engine, wherein the controlling being performed by adjusting a working length of a timing belt connecting a first timing pulley connecting via a first crankshaft and a first connecting rod to the first piston and a second timing pulley connecting via a second crankshaft and a second connecting rod to the second piston;
• adjusting the working length of the timing belt above or below a centerline drawn between the first crankshaft and the second crankshaft by slidably adjusting a position of a first idler pulley and a second idler pulley relative to the centerline, the first idler pulley and the second idler pulley are fixed to a slide;
• applying at least one of heat to the hot side cylinder or cooling to the cold side cylinder facilitating reciprocating motion of the first piston and the second piston, causing, via the respective the first crankshaft and the first connecting rod and the second crankshaft and the second connecting rod, rotary motion of the first timing pulley and rotary motion of the second timing pulley, wherein the rotary motion of the first timing pulley and second timing pulley are initially a clockwise direction;
• and
• performing one of:
• moving the slide in a direction upwardly perpendicular to the centerline facilitating an initial slowing of the stirling engine, and further moving the slide resulting in compression braking of the stirling engine;
• or
• moving the slide in a direction downwardly perpendicular to the centerline facilitating an initial slowing of the stirling engine, and further moving the slide resulting in coasting of the stirling Engine, wherein the respective moving of the slide in the upwardly perpendicular direction and in the downwardly perpendicular direction causing an adjusting of a phase relation between the first piston and the second piston.

A computer-implemented method for adjusting the reciprocating frequency of a stirling engine, the method comprising:

• controlling, by a system including a processor, the reciprocating frequency of at least one pair of pistons, a first piston in the at least one pair of pistons reciprocating along a length of a first cylinder operating as the hot side of the sterling engine and a second piston in the at least one pair of pistons reciprocating along a length of a second cylinder operating as the cold side of the sterling engine, wherein the controlling being performed by adjusting a working length of a timing belt connecting a first timing pulley connecting via a first crankshaft and a first connecting rod to the first piston and a second timing pulley connecting via a second crankshaft and a second connecting rod to the second piston;
• adjusting the working length of the timing belt above or below a centerline drawn between the first crankshaft and the second crankshaft by slidably adjusting a position of a first idler pulley and a second idler pulley relative to the centerline, the first idler pulley and the second idler pulley are fixed to a slide;
• applying at least one of heat to the hot side cylinder or cooling to the cold side cylinder facilitating reciprocating motion of the first piston and the second piston, causing, via the respective the first crankshaft and the first connecting rod and the second crankshaft and the second connecting rod, rotary motion of the first timing pulley and rotary motion of the second timing pulley, wherein the rotary motion of the first timing pulley and second timing pulley are initially a clockwise direction;
• and
• performing one of:
• moving the slide in a direction upwardly perpendicular to the centerline facilitating an initial slowing of the stirling engine, and further moving the slide resulting in compression braking of the stirling engine;
• or
• moving the slide in a direction downwardly perpendicular to the centerline facilitating an initial slowing of the stirling engine, and further moving the slide resulting in coasting of the stirling Engine, wherein the respective moving of the slide in the upwardly perpendicular direction and in the downwardly perpendicular direction causing an adjusting of a phase relation between the first piston and the second piston.