Stirling engine assembly

1. A Stirling engine assembly comprising a Stirling engine, a mounting frame on which the engine is mounted so that the axis along which the reciprocating components reciprocate is vertical, in use, the engine being hung from the mounting frame by a plurality of tension springs.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a rubber pad is connected in series with each spring.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the springs have a free length of between 100 and 150 mm.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the springs have a length, when the Stirling engine is hung from them, equal to the length of the engine body ±20%.

5. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the springs have a total stiffness of 0.6–0.9 kg/mm.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting frame is connected to the lower half of the engine.

7. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a vibration absorption mass is suspended from the engine on at least one resilient member and is arranged to provide an anti-phase force to the engine.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the vibration absorption mass is annular and surrounds the Stirling engine.

9. An assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the resilient members are arranged asymmetrically about the main axis of the annular member.

10. An assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the asymmetrical arrangement is provided by resilient members of different stiffnesses.

11. An assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the resilient members are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of first axis perpendicular to the main axis.

12. An assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the resilient members are also arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of a second axis perpendicular to the main axis and the first axis.

13. An assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the asymmetrical arrangement is provided by grouping the resilient members close to a first axis perpendicular to the main axis.

14. An assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the resilient members are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the first axis.

15. An assembly according claim 9 , wherein the mass of the vibration absorption mass is reduced adjacent to the resilient members as compared to the rest of the vibration absorption mass.

16. A Stirling engine assembly comprising a Stirling engine, a mounting frame on which the engine is mounted so that the axis along which the reciprocating components reciprocate is vertical, in use, wherein an annular absorption mass surrounds the Stirling engine and is suspended from the engine on a plurality of resilient members, to provide an anti-phase force to the engine, the resilient members being arranged asymmetrically about the main axis of the annular member.

17. An assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the asymmetrical arrangement is provided by resilient members of different stiffnesses.

18. An assembly according to claim 17 , wherein the resilient members are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of first axis perpendicular to the main axis.

19. An assembly according to claim 18 , wherein the resilient members are also arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of a second axis perpendicular to the main axis and the first axis.

20. An assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the asymmetrical arrangement is provided by grouping the resilient members close to a first axis perpendicular to the main axis.

21. An assembly according to claim 20 , wherein the resilient members are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the first axis.

22. An assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the mass of the vibration absorption mass is reduced adjacent to the resilient members as compared to the rest of the vibration absorption mass.