Patent Publication Number: US-8539764-B2

Title: Configurations of a Stirling engine and heat pump

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/239,559, filed on Sep. 3, 2009, entitled “DELTA CONFIGURED STIRLING ENGINE AND HEAT PUMP”. The entirety of the above-captioned application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A Stirling engine is a type of heat engine that operates based upon the expansion and contraction of a working gas (e.g., air, helium, hydrogen, etc.) contained in side the working spaces of the engine, where the working spaces comprise a hot workspace and a cold workspace, with a regenerator between them. As the working gas moves into the hot space, it expands, diving the pistons apart, it is then transferred to the cold space where it contracts and fly wheel energy is used to further compress it. The working gas is then transferred back to the hot mace and the cycle repeats. 
     Numerous Stirling engine designs have been developed and recently interest in Stirling engines has been renewed owing to such factors as the ability to power a Stirling engine with a renewable energy source(s), their quiet operation, and low vibration characteristics. 
     Three primary configurations commonly known as alpha, beta and gamma Stirling engines have been developed. While many improvements have been made regarding the efficiency of such engines substantial research and development is ongoing to address such concerns as size, cost, power, torque, variable speed, etc. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following discloses a simplified summary of the specification in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the specification. This summary is not an extensive overview of the specification. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the specification nor delineate the scope of the specification. Its sole purpose is to disclose some concepts of the specification in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is disclosed later. 
     Various Stirling engine configurations are presented comprising of single or multiple pairs of hot and cold side cylinders axially opposed to each other. Each pair of cylinders comprise a cylinder having an internal hot working mace and a cylinder having an internal cold working space where the cylinders are axially aligned. Each cylinder contains a piston which reciprocates along a length of the cylinder and owing to the alignment of the cylinders, the pistons are axially opposed. One or more regenerators separate the hot working space of one cylinder from the cold working space of the other. A working gas is transferred between the hot working mace and the cold working space imparting reciprocating movement of the pistons. 
     The various engine configurations can comprise connecting rods connecting the pistons to crankshafts, where the crankshaft attached to one of the pistons in the piston pairings is a separate crankshaft from that connected to the other piston. 
     In a further aspect, one or more heating components can be located between the regenerator and hot side cylinder, and one or more cooling components can be located between the regenerator and the cold side cylinder to facilitate respective heating and cooling. A computer, processor, or the like can be employed to facilitate control of the respective heating or cooling operation(s). 
     In another aspect, the operating surface of a regenerator, a bore of the heating component, a bore of the cooling component, the bore diameter of the hot side cylinder and the bore diameter of the cold side cylinder can have the same diameter maximizing free flow of the working gas between the hot and cold working spaces through are generator(s), heater(s), and cooler(s), for maximum engine efficiency and power output. 
     In another aspect, operation of the engine configuration can be throttled Timing pulleys can be located on the ends of the crankshafts and a timing belt employed to couple the timing pulleys/crankshafts. A slide mechanism including a slide and idler pulleys can be located on the timing belt between the timing pulleys. Adjusting the position of the slide mechanism up and down adjusts the relationship between the timing pulleys, with rotation of the crank shafts and reciprocating motion of the pistons being altered. As the position of the slice is altered the relationship of the timing pulleys is altered, causing the phase relation between the crankshafts to be altered, and accordingly the position and timing of pistons is affected, allowing control over the efficiency of the engine. In effect, movement of the slide mechanism up and down alters the timing of the crankshafts and can vary engine power output in a rapid and precise manner. Further, movement of the slider mechanism up and down also facilitates compression braking if moved to one extremity of the travel of the slide in direction Z, and/or alto wing the engine to coast if the slider mechanism is moved to the other extremity of the travel of the slide, making rapid and precise changes in engine speed (rpm), coasting and compression braking possible. 
     In another aspect, a plurality of cylinder pairing configuration scan be utilized. Also the cylinder pairings can be scalable, stackable, and customizable for maximum engine efficiency and power output. 
     In another aspect a variety of energy soirees can be employed to dive an engine inducing solar, heat, wood stoves and furnaces, other solid-fuel stoves and furnaces, waste heat sources, sewage, manure, trash, heat escaping from lava, and the like. 
     In another aspect systems for capturing light and converting the light energy into heat energy is presented. In another aspect a system for capturing heat from a remote heat source is presented. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an axially opposed engine configuration, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an axially opposed engine configuration, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an axially opposed engine configuration comprising two regenerators, in accordance with an aspect. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a system to facilitate control of crank shaft timing according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a system to facilitate control of crank shaft timing according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates various engine configurations, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an axially opposed engine configuration, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a system for heating an engine using captured light, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a system for heating an engine using captured according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a system for heating an engine from remotely located heating means, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an axially opposed engine configuration, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an axially opposed engine configuration, according to an aspect. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a methodology presenting the basic operation of an engine configuration, in accordance with an aspect. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a methodology for throttling an engine, in accordance with an aspect. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a methodology for heating an engine, in accordance with an aspect. 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a methodology for capturing light energy and heating an engine, in accordance with an aspect. 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a methodology for employing an engine configuration as a heat pump, in accordance with an aspect. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various aspects are now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of one or more aspects. It may be evident, however, that the various aspects may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing these aspects. 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, one or more examples comprise the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawing set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects and are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the various aspects may be employed. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings and the disclosed examples are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , systems  100  and  200  illustrate a top view ( FIG. 1 ) and a side view ( FIG. 2 ) of an engine configuration comprising four piston assemblies A, B, C, and D.  FIG. 2  is a side view in the direction X of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 1  is a top view of  FIG. 2  in the direction Y. 
     To enable better understanding of the various aspects disclosed herein,  FIGS. 1 and 2  are also presented in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , where  FIGS. 11 and 12  present comparable configurations to those presented in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but without the various components marked. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , piston assembly A is coupled to piston assembly C (via crankshaft  120 ) with the respective piston (pistons  105 A and  105 C) being about one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase, and piston assembly Bis coupled to piston assembly D (via crankshaft  130 ) with the respective piston (pistons  105 B and  105 D) being about one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase. 
     Further, piston assemblies A and C, and B and D are externally coupled via an adjustable crank shaft timing system comprising timing pulleys  140  and  145 , and slide mechanism comprising timing pulley  150  (and slide  152 ), which are connected by a timing belt (not show)), the adjustable crankshaft timing system is further described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , supra. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the crankshaft timing system facilitates the crankshaft assemblies associated with piston assemblies A and C, and B and D to be about ninety degrees (90° out of phase. 
     Each piston assembly A, B, C, and D, includes a number of common components as follows. A cylinder  100 A-D inside of which reciprocates a piston  105 A-D. Each piston  105 A-D is coup led to a connecting rod  110  A-D via a connecting rod pivot assembly  106 A-D, with the connecting rod  110  A-D further coupled to a crankshaft  120  or  130 , via crankshaft pins  115 A-D. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , as a respective piston  105 A-D reciprocates tack and forth inside a respective cylinder, the movement of the piston is transferred by the connecting rod to the crankshaft, and the position of the crankshaft is directly related to the position of the piston attached thereto. For example, piston assembly A has piston  105 A at the bottom dead center of its stroke, where piston  105 A is at its furthest left position while piston  105 B is at midstroke, illustrating the 90° phase relationship of the piston assemblies A and B, and the relationship between the piston posit ions and the crankshaft positions. Piston assembly C, on the otherhand, has piston  105 C at the top dead center of its stroke, where the piston is at its furthest right position along with the connecting rod attachment pin and crank pin  115 C of crankshaft  120 . Piston assemblies B and D are at a respective mid-point of their stroke, though moving in opposite directions, illustrating the 90° out of phase relationship with piston assemblies A and C. 
     Any suitable material can be employed to construct cylinders  100 A-D. In one aspect, boro silicate glass can be employed to construct cylinders  100 A-D. 
     Further, in another aspect, any suitable material can be employed to construct pistons  105 A-D. It is to be appreciated that while not shown, to facilitate both movement of a piston (e.g., pistons  105 A-D) within a cylinder (e.g., cylinders  100 A-D) and sealing of a gas within a cylinder, each piston can comprise a piston ring(s), sealing ring(s), and/or rider band(s) assemblies. In one aspect, the pistons can be made from graphite. In another aspect, the pistons can have a profile such that a cylinder is so closely fitting to its respective cylinder bore so as to eliminate the need for a piston ring(s), sealing ring(s) and the like. 
     To facilitate operation of systems  100  and  200 , temperature differentials have to be established in the piston assembly pairings A and B, and C and D, where one of the cylinders in the pairings is heated and one of the cylinders in the pairings is cooled. For example, cylinders  100 A and  100 C can be heated and cylinders  100 B and  100 D can be cooled. Along with heating cylinders  100 A and  100   c  heating blocks  160  can be utilized to facilitate heating of the working gas in cylinders  100 A and  100 C. In an aspect heating blocks  160  can be constructed from aluminum, stainless steel, or other material having suitable physical properties to facilitate heating of the working gas in cylinders  100 A and  100 C. In another aspect, cylinders  100 B and  100 D can be cooled, where along with external cool ing of the cylinders  100 B and  100 D, cooling blocks  165  can be utilized to facilitate cooling of the working gas in cylinders  100 B and  100 D. In an aspect the cooling blocks  165  can be constructed from aluminum, stainless steel, or other material having suitable physical properties to facilitate cooling of the working gas in cylinders  100 B and  100 D. It is to be appreciated that while  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate two heating blocks  160  or cooling blocks  165  being employed on a respective piston assembly A, B, C, and D, any number of blocks can be utilized. 
     As discussed above, piston assemblies A and C are being heated, and piston assemblies B and D are being cooled, accordingly, piston assemblies A and C can be referred to as being hot workspaces and piston assemblies B and D can be referred to as cold workspaces. In particular, the hot workspace of piston assembly A is the volume created between cylinder  100 A, piston  105 A, and the associated heating block(s)  160  and regenerator(s)  155  (as discussed below). Correspondingly, the hot workspace of piston assembly C is the volume created bet we en cylinder  100 C, piston  105 C, and the associated heating block(s)  160  and regenerator(s)  155 . Accordingly, the cold workspace of piston assembly B is the volume created between cylinder  100 B, piston  105 B, and the associated cooling block(s)  165  and regenerator(s)  155 . Further, the cold work space of piston assembly D is the volume created between cylinder  100 D, piston  105 D, and the associated cooling block(s)  165  and regenerator(s)  155 . 
     Further, with reference to  FIG. 2 , each cylinder  100 A-D can be mounted inside metal tubing, creating tanks  169  A-D, that surround the cylinders  100 A-D and containing a liquid heat transfer medium or liquid coolant on the hot (assemblies A and C) and cold sides (assemblies B and D) respectively. Tanks 169 Å-D can be mounted in grooves cut into the outer tank/cylinder mounts  168 A-D and the inner tank/cylinder mounts  167 A-D using high-temperature gaskets or high-temperature adhesive and fixed in place concentric to cylinders  100 A-D and the assembly, comprised of outer tank/cylinder mount  168 A-D, inner tank/cylinder mount  167 A-D, tank  169 A-D and cylinders  100 A-D is mounted in intimate physical contact with the respective heat ing or cooling blocks  160  or  165 , on their respective sides, to facilitate heat transfer to their respective heating or cooling blocks  160  and  165 . In a further aspect, inner tank/cylinder mounts  167  A-D can be sealed against their respective heating or cooling blocks  160  or  165  by O-rings housed in grooves ca into the outer faces of the heating and cooling blocks  160  and  165 , to contain the working fps inside of the engine. It is to be appreciated that the O-rings used to seal heating and cooling blocks  160  and  165  to each other and their associated components, could be replaced by many other forms of static seal or high-temperature adhesive. 
     In a father aspect, cylinders  100 A-D can be located concentrically inside the tanks  169 A-D by the use of high-temperature flexible high-temperature adhesive or flexible high-temperature grommets, to allow for differing thermal expansion rates of the various components. 
     In a father aspect, sealing between the regenerator(s)  155  and the heating and cooling blocks  160  and  165  is achieved using high-temperature gaskets or high-temperature adhesive. 
     In a father aspect, the assembly comprised of outer tank/cylinder mount  168 A-D, inner tank/cylinder mount  167 A-D, and tank  169 A-D can be made the same length as the cylinders  100 A-D or slightly shorter, to facilitate a fillet of adhesive or a grommet lip, extending beyond outer tank/cylinder mount  168 A-D. 
     In another aspect, as shown on  FIG. 2 , pipes  141  and  142  are attached to tank  169 . Pipes  141  and  142  facilitate the circulation of a heating medium for the hot workspace assemblies A and C (or with the cold workspace assemblies C and D, circulation of a cooling medium) to facilitate heating (e.g., by circulating hot oil) or cooling (e.g., by circulating coolant). It is to be appreciated that while pipes  141  and  142  are only shown connected to tank  169 A, corresponding pipes are attached to tanks  169 B-D but are not labeled, to facilitate readability of  FIG. 2 . 
     Separating the axially opposed piston assemblies A and B (e.g., cylinders  100 A and  100 B), and piston assemblies C and D (e.g., cylinders  100 C and  100  D), respectively forming the hot and cold workspaces, is a regenerator  155 . It is to be appreciated that while  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate systems  100  and  200  comprising a single regenerator any number of regenerators can be employed to facilitate operation of an engine configuration in accordance with one or more aspects as presented herein. Turning to  FIG. 3 , an engine configuration is presented comprising of two regenerators  310  separating the axially opposed piston assemblies A-D. 
     It is to be further appreciated that while  FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate systems  100  and  200  comprising regenerators  155  being common to all for piston assemblies A, B, C, and D, the various aspects presented herein are not so limited and a first regenerator assembly can be employed between piston assemblies A and B, and a second regenerator assembly can be employed between piston assemblies C and D. Regenerators  155  facilitate passage of a working gas from one sick of the respective assembly to the other side (e.g., piston assembly A to piston assembly B, or piston assembly C to piston assembly D). Regenerators increase the efficiency of Stirling engines by absorbing a portion of heat energy from the working gas as it is transferred from the hot workspace to the cold workspace, then returning a portion of that heat energy to the working gas as it is transferred from the cold workspace to the hot workspace, thereby capturing and reusing heat energy that would other wise have to be wasted by the cooling system(s) or rep laced by the heating system(s) and thus reducing the load on both the heating and the cooling systems. Regenerator(s)  155  can be constructed from stacks of woven metal screens, perforated metal, coils of metal ribbon or other materials, shapes and systems having a sufficiently large surface area and a large heat capacity, thereby enabling a regenerator(s)  155  to act as both a heat storage device(s) and a heat exchanger(s), that both absorb and temporarily store heat removed from the working gas as it flows from the hot to the cold side and transfer heat to the working gas as it flows from the cold to the hot side. Suitable materials for constructing a regenerator(s)  155  include metals having properties that include high thermal conductivity, high heat capacity, etc. Such metals include copper, aluminum, stainless steel, alloys, etc. Further, cobalt-based and nickel-based “superalloys” with extremely hid operating temperatures, having a suitable compromise between heat capacity, thermal conductivity and operating temperature can also be used. 
     The crankshafts  120  and  130  can be supported by any suitable means, e.g., by crankshaft supports  180 . The crankshaft supports  180  can include the necessary components to facilitate operation of the crankshafts  120  and  130 , e.g., bearings, bearing housings, etc. 
     The various components comprising systems  100  and  200  (e.g., cylinders  100 A-D, pistons  105 A-D, connecting rods  110 A-D, crankshafts  120  and  130 , regenerators  155 , crank shaft supports  180 , can be contained M a housing comprising of sides  191 ,  192 ,  193 ,  194 ,  195 , and  196 , and top  198  and base  199 . Further, to contain heat within the hot side of the engine, e.g., piston assemblies A and C, heat shield,  170  can be utilized and placed as required inside the housing. 
     The operating temperature of systems  100  and  200  can be limited by the materials employed to construct the various components comprising systems  100  and  200 , e.g., operating temperature of the graphite piston, cylinders, regenerators, etc. However, the various aspects presented herein are not so limited, and are only limited to the operating properties of the materials comprising the various components and their physical, mechanical properties at a given temperature. In one aspect many of the components can be manufactured from aluminum to take advantage of its high strength to weight ratio. In another aspect, a more exotic material can be employed, such as INCONEL, WASPALLOY, and other materials intended for long-term operation at high temperatures. For example, a hot side operating temperature of about two hundred and sixty degrees Celsius (260° C.) or five hundred degrees Fahrenheit (500° F.), limited by the maximum temperature specification of the graphite piston and glass cylinder sets, but pistons assemblies could be mach that would easily exceed this temperature restriction. 
     It is to be appreciated that the greater the temperature differential between the hot and cold sides, the greater the power that can be produced by an engine. On the one hand, a higher operating temperature facilitates stronger expansion of the working gas, while a cooler operating temperature facilitates easier compression of the working gas, resulting in less energy being extracted from the rotating mass of the crankshafts and pulleys and flywheels, if separate or additional flywheels are used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , crankshaft  120  includes pulley  122 , which can be employed as a power take off shaft to rotationally drive other equipment. Further, crankshaft  130  includes a power take off shaft  123  that provides similar functionality to pulley  122  to rotationally drive other equipment. Pulley  122  and shaft  123  can be employed to deliver rotational energy to an engine when the engine is being utilized as a heat pump (as presented below in  FIG. 17 ). 
     In a father aspect of the design, the crank shafts  120  and  130  can be extended beyond crank case sides  193  and  194  respectively and said crankshaft extensions used to mount additional flywheels and/or pulleys, thereby increasing the rotating mass of the engine, or additional drive pulleys to power equipment, machinery, electrical generators, etc. 
     To facilitate heating and cooling of the respective hot side and cold side components a variety of heating and cooling technologies can be employed. For example, in one aspect the engine can be air cooled, where extraction of heat can be facilitated by passage of air over the cold side cylinders, coo ling structures and crankcases(s) by convection in accordance with ambient conditions, or ambient or cooled air can be forcibly blown to cool the cold side cylinders, cooling structures and crankcases(s). In another aspect, the engine can be water-cooled. For example, in a low-technology configuration, cooling can be provided by a constant-loss tap water system employing a garden hose-style connection. In another example, a recirculating ice water system comprising a small water pump and garden hose-style connections can be employed to circulate the cooling water. It is to be appreciated that any suitable coolant can be employed to facilitate cooling. For example, a water and anti-freeze mixture or a dual-state system employing an alcohol or refrigerant that evaporates as it warms and condenses back to a liquid state in a heat exchanger or radiator, where the liquid condensate can be recirculated to cool once more. 
     In another aspect, to facilitate heating, any suitable heat source can be employed. Such suitable heat sources include, but are not limited to, electric heat lamps, electric heating coils, hot air guns, blows driers, gaseous feel burners (butane, propane, etc.), candles, alcohol lamps or burners, gel stoves, solid fuel stoves, and the like. For pollution-free operation, geothermal energy, waste heat or concentrated solar power are also suitable. 
       FIG. 3 , system  300 , illustrates an axially opposed engine configuration comprising a two regenerators  310  compared with the single regenerator shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 4 , is system  400 , that facilitates control of the engine speed in accordance with an aspect. System  400  comprises a timing belt  410 , crankshaft timing pulleys  140  and  145 , idler pulleys  420 , and a slider mechanism comprising idler pulleys  150 , and linear slick  152 . 
     In one aspect, timing belt  410  can comprise of a toothed timing belt, or other suitable means of coupling crank shafts  120  and  130  to facilitate speed regulation of various components comprising a disclosed engine configuration, e.g., crankshaft timing pulleys  140  and  145 , crank shafts  120  and  130 , pistons  105 A-D, connecting rods  110  A-D, etc. In conjunction with the toothed timing belt  410  and timing pulleys  140  and  145 , idler pulleys  150  which are mounted on the linear slide  152  but free to rotate, and idler pulleys  420  that are fixed in position but free to rotate, can be toothed, or flat-faced, the system  400  working to facilitate accurate control (e.g., speed) of an engine (e.g., systems  100 ,  200 , and  300 ) by varying the timing or phase relationship of crankshaft pairs A and C with B and D. 
     In a further aspect, the timing pulleys  150  are attached to linear slide  152  at a fixed distance apart but free to rotate. By moving the linear slide  152  up and down in direction Z, the relationship of the timing pulleys  140  and  145  is altered by the timing belt  410 , as the timing belt  410  causes the timing pulleys  140  and  145  to rotate in relation to each other, causing timing pulley  140  to rotate clockwise and causing timing pulley  145  to rotate counter clock wise as the linear slide  152  is moved upward or causes timing pulley  140  to rotate counterclockwise and timing pulley  145  to rotate clockwise, as the linear slick  152  is moved downward. As the position of linear slick  152  is altered the relationship of the timing pulleys  140  and  145  is altered, causing the phase relation between crankshafts  120  and  130 , and accordingly the position and timing of pistons  105  A-D (via connecting rods  110 A-D) is effected, allowing control over the efficiency of the engine. In effect, movement of the slider mechanism (comprising slide  152  and idler pulleys  150 ) up and down, alters the timing of the crankshafts  120  and  130  and can vary engine power output in a rapid and precise manner. Further, movement of the slider mechanism (comprising slide  152  and idler pulleys  150 ) up and down also facilitates compression braking if moved to one extremity of the travel of slice  152  in direction Z and/or allowing the engine to coast if the slider mechanism is moved to the other extremity of the travel of the slide  152 , making rapid and precise changes in engine speed (rpm), coasting and corn press ion braking possible. 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 , system  500 , an alternative configuration to facilitate control of engine speed in accordance with an aspect, is illustrated. In comparison with  FIG. 4 , idler pulleys  420  are not employed. As the slider mechanism (comprising linear slice  152  and slideable idler pulleys  150 ) is moved up and down in direction Z, throttling of the engine is facilitated in a less rapid manner in relationship to the distance traveled by linear slide  152 , in comparison with that achievable with system  400 . 
     In the above discussion regarding systems  400  and  500 , the location of slideable timing pulleys  150  are presented as being positioned with a fixed distance apart on slide  152 . In another aspect, one or both of the idler pulleys  150  can be located/secured on slide  152  such that a degree of movement is enabled along slide  152 . Accordingly, the distance between the idler pulleys  150  can be altered to compensate for various lengths, thicknesses, etc., of various components comprising systems  100  and  200 . For example, different thicknesses of regenerator(s)  155  and  310  can be used and the variation in regenerator thickness can be compensated by adjusting the distance between the idler pulleys  150  on linear slide  152 . In another example, more or fewer heater  160  and cooler  165  cooler plate pairs can be used and the resulting difference in crankshaft center-to-center distance can be compensated for by adjusting the distance between the idler pulleys  150  on slice  152 . To facilitate adjustment of the distance between the two idler pulleys  150  mounted on slide  152 , one or both of the slideable idler pulleys  150  can be mounted to an adjustment slot on slide  152  or by using a spring-loaded, linear belt-tensioning mechanism, or the like, thereby allowing the distance between the idler pulleys  150  to be adjusted and also to maintain a constant, or near-near constant tension on drive belt  410 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the linear slide  152  is located outboard of the timing belt  410  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ), so that its support does not cause a thermal short-circuit between the separate crankcases represented by the sides  194 ,  195  and  196  and the sides  191 ,  192 , and  193 . 
     In a further aspect, while not shown, movement of the linear slide  152  can be controlled by a compiler, processor, or the like, in conjunction with a means for accurate positioning of the slide, where such means includes an electric motor driven linear motion device. The computer/motor combination facilitates automatic throttling of an engine configuration, e.g., systems  100  and  200 . 
     In another aspect, computers can also be employed to control the respective heating and cooling operations being utilized to heat or cool the hot workspace or the cold work space. 
       FIG. 6 , system  600 , presents a variety of possible engine configurations. As indicated, the rectangle symbolizes a piston assembly (e.g., piston assembly A, B, C, or D) and the circle symbolizes a crankshaft (e.g., crankshafts  120  or  130 ) to which one or more piston assemblies are coupled. Configuration  610  is comparable to systems  100  and  200 . Configurations  620 ,  630 , and  640  present various geometric arrangements of piston assemblies and crank shaft couplings. Configuration  650  comprises a plurality of systems  100  and  200 . It is to be appreciated that the various aspects presented here in are not limited to the configurations illustrated in  FIG. 6 , but can be utilized in any configuration of piston assembly/assemblies and crank shaft combinations. 
       FIG. 7 , system  700 , presents a top view and an end view of a possible engine configuration for use as an aircraft engine application. A plurality of piston assemblies  710  (e.g.,  FIGS. 1 and 2 , piston assembly A, B, C, or D) are connected to a plurality of crankshafts  720  (e.g.,  FIGS. 1 and 2 , crankshafts  120  and  130 ). During operation of the piston assemblies  710  converting heat energy into mechanical energy, rotation of a propeller (not shown) attached to propeller hub  730  is effected. In one aspect, piston assemblies operating as hot workspaces (denoted in  FIG. 7 , as H) can be located inside engine cowling  740 , thereby allowing heat for the hot workspaces to be contained within the cowling  740 . In another aspect, piston assemblies operating as cold workspaces (denoted in  FIG. 7 , as C) can be located externally to engine cowling  740 , thereby facilitating extraction of heat from the cold work spaces, e.g., as the aircraft flies. It is to be appreciated that the various aspects presented herein are not limited to the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 7 , but can be utilized in any configuration of piston assembly/assemblies and crankshaft combinations. 
     Turning to  FIG. 8 , system  800  presents a system for heating one or more engine cylinders. System  800  comprises of a lens system which directs/focuses light onto one or more pipes to facilitate heating of a fluid conveyed by the pipes, where the fluid can be employed to heat a piston assembly (e.g., piston assemblies. A plurality of lenses  820  are located in a lens mounting structure  810 , whereby the lenses  820  have a suitable profile and arrangement to facilitate focusing of lint received from an external source, e.g., light soiree  895 , onto one or more heat pipe(s)  830 . It is to be appreciated that while system  800  depicts seven lenses  820  and four heat pipes  830  being combined to form the heating system, any suitable number of respective lenses and heat pipes can be employed. 
     In one aspect, the heat pipes  830  can be mounted onto a plate  840  having desired thermal conductivity properties, whereby plate  840  can prevent the generation of hotspots (e.g., one heat pipe  830  is being heated to a higher temperature than another owing to the position of a light source being aligned preferably to a particular lens  820  than another lens  820 ). One end of a heat pipe is formed to create an oval shape that closely fits the outside of a length of a sleeve  890  that surrounds one or more cylinders  870 ,  880 , etc (e.g., cylinders  100 A and  100 C of piston assemblies A and C having a hot work space as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The heat pipe  830  can be filled with any medium suitable to convey heat collected at the lens mounting structure  810  and lenses  820 , and convey the heat to the sleeve  890 , and piston assemblies  870  and  880 . For example, the mecum can be water, glycol, mercury, sodium, and the like. Further, the sleeve  890  can be constructed from any suitable material having desired thermal conductivity and temperature operation, for example, sleeve  890  can be constructed from stainless steel, sheet steel, etc. In one aspect the sleeve  890  can be made to the same length as the cylinders  870  and  880 . 
     In one aspect, the heat pipe  830  is brazed or welded to sleeve  890  to facilitate maximum heat transfer of heat being carried in the heat pipe  830  to the sleeve  890 . 
     In one aspect the heat pipe  830  is of sufficient length to extend beyond the bulk head (e.g., side  194 ) comprising an engine configuration (e.g., systems  100  and  200 ). 
     In another aspect the heat pipe(s)  830  can be supported from underneath by a plate  840  to which the heat pipe  830  is attached, e.g., by clamping or welding. In a further aspect, plate  840  sits on rigid insulation or an insulating ceramic board  850 , to protect any surfaces below the heat pipe(s)  830 . 
     In one aspect, the remaining volume  860  inside the sleeve  890  is filled with a material facilitating transfer of the heat being cony eyed in the heat pipes  830  to the cylinder  870  or  880 , thereby by causing the cylinder  870  and/or  880  to be heated. In one aspect, volume  860  can be filled with molten bismuth alloy, via fill hole/fill plug  895 . Owing to the expansion and contraction of the bismuth alloy a variable volume of a it space can be created in volume  860 . In one aspect, fill plug  895  can be replaced by a short length of pipe and a suitable bellows assembly (not shown) to create the variable volume of air space, to allow for expansion and contraction of the bismuth alloy or other heat transfer medium. 
     The heat transfer medium inside the heat pipe(s)  830  can determine the maximum temperature the heat pipe(s)  830  will conduct efficiently. This feature allows the heat pipe(s)  830  to automatically regulate the amount of heat transferred to the hot side cylinders  870  and  880 . heat pipe(s)  830  constructed from stainless steel and being water-filled can limit heat transfer to a maximum of about two hundred and twenty-seven degrees Celsius (227° C.) or four hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit (440° F.). 
     In a further aspect, cooling fins (not shown) can be affixed to the exterior of the heat pipe(s)  830 , between the portion of the heat pipe  830  that is heated (e.g., by solar) by lenses  820 , and the bulkhead (e.g., side  194 ) surrounding the area where the hot side cylinders  870  and  880  are located. Employing cooling fins can limit the amount of heat energy that can be transmitted through the heat pipe(s)  830 , to the hot side cylinders  870  and  880 . It is to be appreciated that any suitable heat sink stricture can be utilized instead of, or in addition to, the cooling fins. Further, the cooling fins can be constructed to perform an ancillary function such as supporting cook ware. If the cooling fins and/or other heat sinks, prove ineffective in preventing overheating of the hot side cylinders  870  and  880 , the heat pipe(s)  830  can be parted between the cooling fins and the bulkhead, and a length or loop of reinforced high-pressure flexible hose, like that widely used in industrial hydraulic systems, can be used to provide a break in the heat path provided by the heat pipe(s)  830 . 
     System  800  can utilize any suitable lens  820  array, for example, a hemispherical or arched tubular array of domed, convex or Fresnel lenses, to concentrate sunlight onto one or more heat pipes  830 . Owing to a proximity of one heat pipe  830  to another heat pipe  830 , and the heat pipe(s)  830  can be mounted on a thermally conductive plate  840  and located thereby with welding or clamping the concentrated solar energy does not have to be accurately aimed. 
     Turning to  FIG. 9 , system  900  presents a system for gathering sunlight and transmitting the sunlight to facilitate heating of an engine cylinder. Panels  910 , comprising a plurality of optical fibers  920 , are used to gather sunlight. In an aspect, a light-gathering end  980  of each optical fiber  920  can be domed thereby forming a lens that gathers sunlight, concentrates the sunlight and focuses the sunlight into the center of the optical fiber  920  for transmission to the other end of the optical fiber  920  which is located in housing  930 , where the sunlight is utilized to heat the hot side cylinder  970  of an engine (e.g., cylinders  100 A and  100 C of piston assemblies A and C having a hot work space as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Housing  930  can comprise of a plurality of optical fibers  920 , where the optical fibers  920  are located across the whole region local to cylinder  970 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , housing  930  comprises a plurality of evenly spaced holes into which are located an optical fiber  920  to facilitate even heating of cylinder  970 . In an aspect, light collected by the optical fibers  920  comprising housing  930  can be directed across an insulating air gap  940  and directed on a container surface  950  which contains any suitable heat transfer medium in the volume  960  created between the container surface  950  and the outer surface of engine cylinder  970 . 
     Panel  910  can be of any shape or size and have incorporated therein any number of optical fibers  920  to facilitate heating of cylinder  970 . In an aspect, system  900  is suited to applications where there is a large surface area near an engine, such as fenders, a hood (bonnet), engine cover, walls, doors etc., or on motorcycles, where a large part of the bodywork could be in shadow at any one time. System  900  can provide light weight, flexible light-gathering panels  910  suitable for use as curved or flat vehicular body panels, for mounting on walls, roofs, engine compartments and other structures, or panels  910  that are made rigid and self-supporting or capable of supporting a substantial load. System  900  also allows existing car hoods, fender building walls, etc. to be retrofitted by simply drilling an array of holes in them, of the right size for mounting the optical fibers with a compatible adhesive, to create a panel  910  comprising a plurality of optical fibers  920 . 
     In an aspect, the minimum thickness of a light gathering panel  910  may be controlled by the minimum bending radius of the optical fibers  920 . However, optical fibers  920  having a suitable light gathering end configuration can be employed, where the light gathering end configuration can be comprised of mirrors, prisms, or have mirrors or prisms affixed to them, allowing the optical fibers  920  to lay flat, or nearly flat, against their mounting surfaces, so thinner, more flexible panels  920  can be made, or to allow more panel interior area to be dedicated to structural members, for making thicker, more rigid panels that can be used as structural members for buildings, vehicles, etc. 
     Aspects of system  900  can be employed in conjunction with aspects of system  800 . In one aspect, board  850  can be left off of the bottom of plate  840  to which heat pipe(s)  830  are fixed, such that solar energy can be transmitted by optical fibers  920  to plate  840 , either from a light-gathering panel  910  or from a light pipe configuration described below. The solar energy the optical fibers  920  provide could be directly applied to the hot side cylinder containment structure, but then the automatic temperature regulation feature of the heat pipes would be lost. The system works becalm sunlight that is gathered over a large area and concentrated into a small arm, that of the hot side cylinders or their heat transfer and/or containment devices and/or structures. 
     In another aspect, light pipes can be utilized to provide a cost effective way of transmitting sunlight over a distance to an engine (e.g., systems  100  and  2000 . Optical fibers  920  are small, hence a large bundle of optical fibers  920  can be expensive. When transmitting light from one point to another, e.g., from the back to the front of a long truck or trailer, light pipes could be a less expensive option. Traditionally, light pipes are made using stainless steel tubes whose interior is plated with gold or aluminum, then polished. A cheaper alternative light pipe can be created by polishing the interior of thin-walled aluminum tubing. In an aspect, the light pipe ends are sealed with convex lenses, dome lenses, parabolic concentrator lenses, optical windows, etc., as required. In another aspect, air can be paged from the tubing and replaced with nitrogen, preventing oxidation of the polished surface. By using such a system on all four sides of a vehicle or on the roof of the cabin, cargo box, etc., in a circular arrangement or facing in at least four directions, an omnidirectional light gathering system can be created. Such a system could also easily be mach into bumpers, rollover bars and side bars. A light pipe bawd system can be an ideal supplement to both the lens and heat pipe system  800  and the fiber optic system  900  presented above. Any or all of above described systems can be combined to produce a hybrid solar heating system, to provide the most effective and/or cog-effective solar heating system possible, for both mobile and stationary applications, e.g., a system comprising system  800 , system  900 , and the light pipe system. 
     Turning to  FIG. 10 , system  1000 , an application of heat pipe technology for heating an engine utilizing a stove is presented. Heat pipes  1010  (having features as presented with regard to heat pipes  830 ) can be made into a grating  1020  that is used to support hot coals and fuel inside a solid-fuel stove or furnace  1030 , providing a way to easily couple an engine  1040  (e.g., systems  100  and  200 ) to existing wood stoves and furnaces, other solid-fuel stoves and furnaces, and waste heat sources. Excellent heat transfer is facilitated owing to the hot coals being in direct contact with the heat pipes  1010 /grating  1020 . Unlike flue-Eased heat exchangers, there is no creosote build-up and the grating  1020  can be easily cleaned with a manual or motorized shaker system or by simply brushing and/or tapping the heat pipes comprising the grating  1020  occasionally, as necessary. An ash drawer or auger system can be used to regularly remove excess ash, to help prevent clogging of the grating  1020 . System  1000  can be easily retrofitted into existing solid-fuel stoves and furnaces, or incorporated into new production. The heat pipes  1010 /grating  1020  can also be fitted into many commercial and industrial flues, vents, etc. As with the solid-heated water-filled heat pipes  830 , hydraulic hoses can be used to provide a thermal break and prevent overheating of low-temperature engines and to iso late said engines from the shock loads created by replenishing the fuel in the stove or furnace. High-temperature engines using sodium-filled heat pipes could be rigidly mounted to the stove, furnace or wage heat so urce. A plurality of systems  1000  can be stacked or scaled to take advantage of almost any quality heat soiree. 
     In another application, an engine configuration can be utilized in conjunction with a lava sled heating system. The lava sled heating system provides a simple and effective way to take advantage of open lava floes as a heat source for a high-temperature configured engine. An anchor post or beam is set in the ground uphill from a bend in the lava floe. A sled is attached to said post via cable. The sled contains one or more configured engines (e.g., systems  100  and  200 ). The hot side cylinders of said engines are either directly coupled to the sled and/or windows are made into the bottom of the sled, to directly expose the hot sidle cylinders to the infrared heat energy given off by the lava. Fresh or seawater for cooling, is provided to the cold side(s) of the engine(s) by a large hose that is concentric to the attachment cable and also contains the electric power cables, keeping all of them cool. Excess water is drained off of or sprayed from the hick of the sled, to prevent cooling the lava as it flows under the sled. In operation, the hose and cable bundle is always suspended above the lava and never allowed to touch it. The anchor post or beam can be easily relocated as the course of the lava floe changes over time. The base of the sled should be double-walled and the anchoring attachment point and any other structures should be boxed in, to provide flotation, should the sled lose anchorage and ride the lava floe into the water. The engine(s) can be monitored using wireless sensor technology. 
     In a further application, an engine can be utilized in conjunction with a sewage, manure and trash to power systems. When a sewage dewatering system is combined with a shredder and a briquette press, manure, bedding, sewage solids and other combustible solid wastes (garbage) such as paper, cardboard, sawdust, scrap wood, lawn clippings, food scraps, etc., can be converted from health, pollution and disposal problems into fuel for a stove or furnace to heat an engine as presented herein, turning waste into mechanical or electrical power, while providing press liquor for use in methane-producing digesters, as a liquid fertilizer or for disposal in a municipal wastewater system, leach field or finger system, etc. A small automatic-feed briquette-burning stove can be used a lone, to heat an engine, or it can be used to act as a backup system for a solar-heated engine. Solid-state igniters are available or a small amount of biofuel, propane or other fossil fuel, could be used to quickly light briquette, sawdust-pallet, or grain stoves using manual or automated controls, based on engine hot side cylinder temperature. 
     In another aspect of operation, the engine can be utilized to condense water out of atmospheric air with the cold side cylinders, helping to alleviate water shortages around the world. To provide a large surface area for condensation to occur, the bottom of the area that encloses the cold side cylinders, should be filled with a plastic or rubber part having many snail holes, in which lengths of thin-walled stainless steel tubing can inserted and held in place by friction. The tubes should extend down into a suitable water, collection container. This solution allows the tubes to be removed one at a time, after use, and any remaining water to be blown out or wiped off, into the water container, then air-dried or sun-dried to prevent any mold, fungal or bacterial contamination. The heat pumps can also provide cold for freezers, refrigerators, dehumidifiers or for cooling dwellings, while also providing heat for cooking, hiking, boiling water or warming a dwelling. The heat pumps can be powered by a hand crank, foot pedals, a treadmill, and the like, or can be wind powered or driven by a motor or engine, etc. They can also drastically reduce the amount of indoor air pollution in households where wood or dung stoves are traditionally used, and help end deforestation. The system will also provide a defense against terrorist attacks that target municipal or community drinking water systems. 
       FIGS. 11 and 12 , present systems  1100  and  1200 , which are comparable to systems  100  and  200  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but, to facilitate better understanding of the various aspects disclosed herein, the various components comprising systems  1100  and  1200  (and correspondingly systems  100  and  200 ) have not been indicated. 
     In another aspect, rather than piston-cylinder assemblies being used, bellows assemblies can be substituted. Bellows assemblies have a nearly infinite life of over 500,000,000 cycles. The bellows require work to compress them, but like a spring give hick almost all of the energy put into them as they extend again. A can in the center of the bellows takes up the dead space when the bellows is closed. As pleats open, surface area increases exponentially. To facilitate heat ing of the bellows, electric heating elements can be attached to the outer edges of the bellows. Bellows assemblies can be employed and work with the same heaters, coolers and regenerators employed on piston engines. Bellows are available with outside diameters and lengths of less than an inch to more than six inches. One effect of using bellows is the air surrounding the bellows can provide resistance to the concertina movement of the bellows, hence to minimize the resistance, operation of a bellows engine in a vacuum or partial vacuum may be desirable. Bellows have almost zero friction, except for the linear slides (comparable to ball bearings). Bellows have a large surface area when compared to the smooth inside diameter of a cylinder. 
     In view of exemplary systems shown and described herein, methodologies that may be implemented in accordance with the disclosed subject matter, will be better appreciated with reference to various flow charts. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the number or order of blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or at substantially the same time with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement methodologies described herein. It is to be appreciated that functionality associated with blocks may be implemented by software, hardware, a combination thereof or any other suitable means (e.g. device, system, process, component). Additionally, it should be further appreciated that methodologies disclosed throughout this specification are capable of being stored on an article of manufacture to facilitate transporting and transferring such methodologies to various devices. Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a methodology could alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. 
       FIG. 13 , presents methodology  1300  presenting the basic operation of an engine configuration. At  1300  cylinders (e.g., cylinders  100 A-D) which will respectively form a hot workspace and a cold workspace are axially aligned. The two cylinders are separated by a regenerator (e.g., regenerator  155 ) which facilitates passage of a working gas from a hot workspace to a cold workspace. Further, the cylinders can be separated by heating and cooling components (e.g., heating blocks  160  and cooling blocks  165 ), which can be employed to facilitate creation of a temperature differential between the hot workspace and the cold workspace as the working gas passes therebetween. 
     At  1320  pistons are axially aligned. Each cylinder includes a piston assembly (e.g., piston  105 A-D) which act to seal the cylinders to create the respective hot workspace and cold workspace on either side of the regenerator. 
     At  1330  the pistons are connected to an output. Operation of a Stirling engine comprises of capturing energy in the form of heat and converting that captured energy as mechanical energy. In the hot workspace the working gas is heated which causes the working gas to expand, and in the cold workspace the working gas is cooled causing the working gas to contract. Such expansion and contraction of the working, along with the accompanying transfer of the working gas between the respective hot workspace and cold workspace generates motion of the pistons within the cylinders. By connecting the pistons to crankshafts (e.g., crankshafts  120  and  130 ) the motion of the pistons can be captured along with the mechanical energy generated by the passage of the working gas between the hot working space and the cold working space. Connection of the pistons to the crankshafts can be facilitated by connecting rods (e.g., connecting rods  110 A) coupled to the pistons which transfer the piston motion to the crankshafts. Further to facilitate collection of the mechanical energy, maintain timing and to also create required phase angles between the pistons, connecting rods, and crankshafts a timing mechanism (e.g., timing pulleys  140  and  145 , timing belt  410 , idler pulleys  420 , idler pulleys  150 , linear slide  152 , etc.) is coupled to the ends of the crankshafts  120  and  130 . 
     At  1340  a temperature differential is created between the respective hot workspace and the cold workspace which creates passage of the working gas between the respective hot workspace and the cold workspace. The passage of the working gas, in conjunction with the pistons being coupled to the crankshafts, causes the pistons to reciprocate back and forth along a length of their respective cylinders. Heat is externally applied to the cylinder comprising the hot workspace. Various means are available for generating the heat including concentrated solar power (e.g., produced by systems  800  and  900 ), combustion, convection, forced heating, burners, stoves (e.g., system  1000 ), geothermal, waste heat, and the like. Alternatively, on the cold side heat is extracted to cool the working gas in the cold workspace. Various technologies can be applied to cool the cold workspace including water-cooling, blowing cooled air, cooling using liquid mediums (e.g., water/glycol mix) refrigeration, condensation, heat exchanger, and the like. 
     At  1350  the mechanical energy generated by the engine is collected. The heat energy of the working gas is transferred into mechanical motion of the pistons, which is transferred, via the connecting rods, to the crankshafts, power take off shaft (e.g., shaft  123 ) of a crankshaft, a pulley (e.g., pulley  122 ) connected thereto, etc. 
       FIG. 14 , presents methodology  1400  present ing a process for throttling an engine. At  1410  engine crankshafts (e.g., crankshafts  120  and  130 ) are coupled. Reciprocating motion of engine pistons (e.g., pistons  105 A-B) facilitates the transformation of heat energy being applied to hot workspace and cold workspaces (e.g., the respective enclosed volume created by cylinders  100 A-D, pistons  105 A-D, heater(s)  160 , cooler(s)  165 , and regenerator(s)  155 ) into mechanical energy (rotational energy) of the engine crankshafts. To facilitate timing and maintain phase angles between the pistons, connecting rods, and crankshafts, a timing mechanism (e.g., timing pulleys  140  and  145 , timing belt  410 , idler pulleys  420 , idler pulleys  150 , linear slid  152 , etc.) are coupled to the ends of the crankshafts  120  and  130 . 
     At  1420  the position of a slid (e.g., linear slide  152 ) and accompanying idler pulley(s) (e.g., idler pulleys  420 ) is adjusted the relationship between the timing pulleys attached to the end of the crank shafts is altered by movement of the timing belt in response to the idler pulley position adjustment. 
     At  1430  the relationship of the timing pulleys is altered by the timing belt, as the timing belt causes the timing pulleys to rotate in relation to each other, causing a first timing pulley to rotate clockwise and causing a second timing pulley to rotate counterclockwise as the linear slide is moved upward or causes the first timing pulley to rotate counterclockwise and the second timing pulley to rotate clockwise, as the linear slid is moved down ward. As the relationship of the timing pulleys is altered, a corresponding adjustment of the phase relation between the coupled crankshafts results thereby affecting the position and timing of the connected pistons, allowing control over the efficiency of the engine. Effectively, movement of the slide up and down, alters the timing of the coupled crankshafts to vary engine power output in a rapid and precise manner. Further, movement of the slider mechanism up and down also facilitates compression braking if moved to one extremity of slide travel or allowing the engine to coast if the slider mechanism is moved to the other extremity of slide travel, facilitating rapid and precise changes in engine speed (rpm), coasting and compression braking possible. 
       FIG. 15 , presents method logy  1500  presenting a process for heating an engine. At  1510  a heating system is coupled to a hot workspace cylinder (e.g., cylinder  100 A or  100 C). The heating system facilitates conveying heat collected from a remote source and transferring the heat to the hot work space cylinder. In one aspect the heating system can comprise one or more tubes (e.g., heat pipe  1010 ) containing a medium facilitating heat transfer, e.g., the medium can be water, glycol, water-glycol mix, mercury, sodium, and the like. The tubes can be arranged to form a grating (e.g., gating  1020 ). 
     At  1520  heat local to the heating system causes the medium being conveyed by the tube to be heated. The medium retains the heat and the heat is conveyed to the hot workspace cylinder. 
     At  1530 , working gas in the hot workspace is heated causing the gas to expand. Expansion of the working gas accordingly facilitates a reciprocating movement of a piston (e.g., piston  105 A or  105 C) contained in the hot workspace cylinder. As the engine proceeds to operate with transfer of the working gas, heating of the working gas, cooling of the working gas, etc., piston motion is transferred to a crankshaft (e.g., crankshaft  120  or  130 ) thereby facilitating the conveyance of heat from a remote heat source to the hot workspace, and further conversion of the heat energy to mechanical energy. 
       FIG. 16 , presents methodology  1600  presenting a process for capturing light energy and heating an engine. At  1610  a heating system is coupled to a hot workspace cylinder (e.g., cylinder  100 A or  100 C). The heating system facilitates conveying heat collected from a remote source and transferring the heat to the hot work pace cylinder. In one aspect the heating system can comprise one or more tubes (e.g., heat pipe  830 ) containing a medium facilitating heat transfer, e.g., the medium can be water, glycol, water-glycol mix, mercury, sodium, and the like. 
     At  1620  light capturing equipment is coupled to the heating system. The light capturing equipment can comprise a housing (e.g., housing  810 ) which includes one or more lenses (e.g., lens  820 ) which focus light falling thereon onto the one or more tubes. 
     At  1630 , the light focused on the tubes causes the medium being conveyed by the tube to be heated. The medium retains the heat and the heat is conveyed to the hot work space cylinder. 
     At  1640 , working gas in the hot workspace is heated causing the gas to expand. Expansion of the working gas accordingly facilitates a reciprocating movement of a piston (e.g., piston  105 A or  105 C) contained in the hot workspace cylinder. As the engine proceeds to operate with transfer of the working gas, heating of the working gas, cooling of the working gas, etc., piston motion is transferred to a crankshaft (e.g., crank shaft  120  or  130 ) thereby facilitating the cony ers ion of light energy (e.g., solar energy) to mechanical energy. 
       FIG. 17 , presents methodology  1700  for employing an engine configuration as a heat pump. At  1710  a mechanical drive is coupled to an engine (e.g., system  100  and  200 ), where the mechanical dive is connected to the power take off shaft of a crankshaft (e.g., crankshaft  120  or  130 ). The mechanical drive can be attached by any suitable means such as a pulley (e.g., pulley  122 ) or a shaft (e.g., shaft  123 ). The mechanical drive can be any of a hand crank, foot pedals, treadmill, or the like, or can be wind powered or driven by a motor or engine, and the like. 
     At  1720  mechanical energy, via the mechanical drive and the crankshaft, is input into the engine from the external mechanical drive. In response to the mechanical energy, the crankshafts are rotated. At  1730  rotation of the crankshafts causes connect ing rods (e.g., connecting rods  110 A-B and pistons  105 A-B) to undergo reciprocating motion in their respective assemblies (e.g., cylinders  100 A-D). Owing to the phase relationship between respective piston assemblies (e.g., piston assemblies A and B, and piston assemblies C and D) a hot workspace is created owing to compression of a working gas and a cold workspace is created owing to expansion of the working gas. Effectively, a temperature differential is created between the respective piston assemblies. 
     At  1740  the hot workspace and cold workspace temperatures can be utilized in a plurality of ways. The hot workspace can be used to boil water, cooking provide a heat source, etc., while the cold side can be wed facilitate condensation of water from the atmosphere, provide a cold source, etc. 
     The various aspects provided herein improve over existing systems in a number of ways, various improvements, etc., are presented as follows. In one aspect, configuring single or multiple pairs of hot and cold side cylinders (e.g., piston assemblies A and B or piston assemblies C and D) axially opposed to each other, in axial alignment, provides an optimal, straight-line flow path where the flow path has the full diameter of the cylinder bores, maximizing free flow of the working gas between the hot and cold working spaces through the regenerator(s)  155 , heater(s)  160 , and cooler(s)  165 , for maximum engine efficiency and power output. 
     In another aspect, hot and cold working spaces that are as close as possible to each other provide the shortest possible straight-line flow path and minimize the amount of dead space or working space not swept by the pistons  105  A-D, maximizing engine efficiency and power output. 
     In a further aspect, utilizing thermally insulating tubes, spacers or bulkheads to mount the regenerator(s)  155 , such that the regenerator(s)  155  are sandwiched between opposing hot and cold side cylinder pairs (e.g., piston assemblies A and B or piston assemblies C and D) allow the distance between the hot and cold side working spaces to be adjusted to accommodate any regenerator thickness, allowing the diameter, thickness, density and material composition of the regenerator(s)  155  to be altered, to find an ideal balance between dead space, the free flow of the working the heat storage capacity and heat transfer area of the regenerator(s)  155 , for maximum engine efficiency and power output. 
     In another aspect, the use of thermally insulating tubes, spacers or bulkheads to mount the regenerator(s)  155 , such that the regenerators are sandwiched between the opposing hot and cold side cylinder pairs (e.g., piston assemblies A and B or piston assemblies C and D), allow a wide temperature differential across the thickness of the regenerator(s)  155 , maximizing regenerator effectiveness and efficiency for maximum engine efficiency and power output. 
     In another aspect, regenerator(s)  155  can be made with constant porosity or by using thermally insulating washers, spacers, O-rings or gaps between layers of the stack of woven wire and/or perforated metal screens used to construct the regenerator(s)  155 , allow a wide temperature differential across the thickness of the regenerator(s)  155 , maximizing regenerator effectiveness and efficiency for maximum engine efficiency and power output. 
     In another aspect, regenerator mounts that have an inside diameter larger than that of cylinders  100 A-D, so that the thermally insulating adhesive material that is used to seal the edges of the regenerator(s)  155  and fix them in place, does not interfere with the free flow of the working gas, for maximum engine efficiency and power output. 
     In another aspect, self-lubricating materials that can operate at both high and low temperatures can be utilized e.g., pistons  105 A-D constructed from graphite. facilitating operation of one or more of the disclosed aspects at temperatures high enough to maximize power and efficiency potential. Self-lubricating materials negate the use of liquid lubricants which can contaminate the working gas and when heated, could result in harmful carbon deposits that could clog the regenerators and/or damage the pistons and cylinders as such carbon particles travel throughout the working maces of the engine and/or damage the bearing surfaces of the crankshafts, connecting rods and/or wrist pins. 
     In another aspect, an engine configuration can be both scalable and stackable, allowing the engine or engines to take full advantage of almost any available heat source and a flowing the engine to meet almost any required power output. 
     In another aspect, the use of an axially opposed preferred cylinder configuration wherein single or multiple pairs of hot and cold side cylinders are axially opposed to each other, in axial alignment, with the crankshafts at opposite ends of the cylinder pairs and with each crankshaft or set of crankshafts being supported by and/or housed in separate hot and cold side crankcases, eliminating the heat path that the crankcase normally provides between the hot and cold working spaces, for the best possible thermal isolation of the hot and cold sides of the en one, maximizing engine efficiency and power output; 
     In another aspect, the use of separate hot and cold side crankcases, allowing the entire cold side of the engine to be air and/or water cooled and/or insulated, while allo wing the entire hot side of the engine to be heated or warmed and/or insulated, minimizing parasitic heat loss from the working spaces and maximizing the temperature differential between the hot and cold side working spaces, maximizing engine efficiency and power output; 
     In another aspect, the use of separate crankshafts, connecting rods, piston assemblies, etc., for each of the hot and cold sides, eliminating the heat path that these components normally provide between the hot and cold working spaces, for the best possible thermal isolation of the hot and cold sides of the engine, maximizing engine efficiency and power output; 
     In another aspect, the use of parts and materials that are poor thermal conductors, to connect and thermally isolate the opposing hot and cold side cylinder pairs, crankcases and crank shafts, for the best possible thermal isolation of the hot and cold sides of the engine, maximizing engine efficiency and power output; 
     In another aspect, the elimination of crankcase pressure spikes by timing the throws of the crankshafts to maintain a constant crankcase volume, wherein if two pairs of cylinders are used, the two throws of each crankshaft would be made to be one hundred and eighty degrees (180°) out of phase, or if four pairs of cylinders are used, the throws of each crankshaft could be made either ninety (90°) or one hundred and eighty (180°) out of phase, or if three pairs of cylinders are used, the throws of each crankshaft would be made one hundred and twenty (120°) out of phase, and so on, eliminating crankcase pressure spikes caused by variations in crankcase volume, allowing an engine configuration to be pressurized to the full capacity of the seals and structures used to contain the working is inside the engine, for maximum engine efficiency and power output; 
     In another aspect, the use of an external drive system to connect the hot and cold side crankshafts, which allows infinite and precise adjustment to the timing or phase relation ship of the separate crankshafts, allowing the engine to be optimized for maximum efficiency and power output at a wide variety of operating temperatures, loads and speeds, and 
     In another aspect, the use of an external drive system to connect the hot and cold side crankshafts in a way that allows rapid and precise changes in engine speed and power output, without loss of engine pressure or temperature, by altering the timing or phase relationship of the separate hot and cold side crankshafts, within a set range of motion, allo wing the engine to serve in a much broader range of the applications than constant-speed or slow acting variable-speed engines and also allowing the engine to rotate freely or act as a compression brake for the rotating load; 
     In another aspect, when driven by a motor, engine, foot pedals, hand crank, water wheel, wind mill, etc., the various engine configurations presented herein can act as a heat pump that provides a number of improvements over other kinematic Stirling cycle heat pumps in a number of non-limiting aspects, such aspects include the following: 
     A configuration, wherein pairs of hot and cold side cylinders are axially opposed to each other, in axial alignment, with separate hot and cold side crank shafts at opposite ends of the cylinder pairs, supported and/or housed in separate hot and cold side crankcases, using separate connecting rods, piston assemblies, etc., for each of the hot and cold sides, with said crankcases, crank shafts and cylinders being connected by thermally insulating materials for maximum thermal isolation of the hot and cold sides, maximizing heat pump efficiency; 
     An optimal straight-line flow path for the working gas, the full diameter of the cylinder bores, for maximum heat pump efficiency; 
     Hot and cold working spaces that are as close as possible to each other, minimizing dead space and providing the shortest possible flow path for the working gas, for maximum heat pump efficiency; 
     An easily altered distance between the working spaces, where the amount of de ad space is composed of the porosity of the regenerator(s) and a snail piston-to-regenerator clearance, so that any regenerator thickness can be accommodated, allowing the regenerator(s) to be optimized for maximum heat pump efficiency in a wide variety of operating condition. 
     The use of thermally insulating tubes, spacers or bulkheads to mount the regenerators, so that the regenerators are sandwiched between opposing hot and cold sick cylinder pairs, allowing the distance between the hot and cold side working spaces to be easily altered, allo wing the diameter, thickness, density and material composition of the regenerators to be altered, to find the ideal balance between dead space, the free flow of the working gas and the heat storage capacity and heat transfer area of the regenerators, for maximum heat pump efficiency; 
     The use of thermally insulating tubes, spacers or bulkheads to mount the regenerators, so that the regenerators are sandwiched between the opposing hot and cold side cylinder pairs, allowing a wide temperature differential across the thickness of the regenerators, maximizing regenerator effectiveness and efficiency for maximum heat pump efficiency; 
     Regenerators that can be made using thermally insulating washers, spacers, O-rings or gaps between layers of the stack of woven wire and/or perforated metal screens used to construct them, allowing a wide temperature differential across their thickness, maximizing regenerator effectiveness and efficiency for maximum heat pump efficiency; 
     A constant crankcase volume when two or more cylinder pairs are used and the throws of the crankshafts are properly timed, allowing the heat pump to be pressurized to the full capacity of the seals and structures used to contain the working gas, for maximum efficiency; 
     Self-lubricating materials that can operate at both high and low temperatures; 
     A design that is both scalable and stackable, to meet almost any hot or cold temperature output requirements; 
     An external dive system that allows precise adjustment of the phase relationship or timing of the separate hot and cold side crank shaft allowing said timing or phase relationship to be optimized for maximum heat pump efficiency under a wide variety of operating conditions. An external drive system that allows rapid and precise changes in the timing or phase relationship of the separate hot and cold sick crankshafts and their pistons, during operation, for rapid and precise temperature control, and 
     An external dive system that provides a simple and effective method of defrosting by reversal of the direction in which heat is pumped by altering crankshaft/piston timing. 
     One or more engine configurations presented herein facilitates a wide range of applications and utility of one or more disclosed aspects. The various configurations presented herein can be employed in a variety of applications including trailer-mounted systems could provide toilet facilities, trash disposal, power, heat for cooking and drinking water, in disaster areas, refugee camps and at concerts and other public events. Septic tank mounted systems could make use of all organic wastes in homes, factories and commercial buildings everywhere. Mobile systems can end high way and airport noise pollution. Solar-powered, geothermal and waste heat systems can help end global climate change by drastically reducing the demand for fossil fuels. 
     The methods, devices, systems, inventions, improvements and applications described and/or illustrated herein may be used made, modified and/or applied in many ways and/or in many other situations and/or applications. The specifications, illustrations and description contained herein are intended to provide clear examples of possible construct ion methods, us and/or applications of the invention and are not exhaustive or intended to limit the many possible applications or versions of the engine and heat pump configurations presented herein, or its/their associated or component parts or systems, in any way. Many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the various mechanical and physical arts. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.