012-08375A
Small Piston Heat Engine
1
Tubing for connecting
chamber to cylinder
one-way
check valves
Air chamber for
immersing in hot
or cold water
Note:
Use only non-caustic/non-toxic
gases such as air or helium.
pressure port mating connectors
The PASCO TD-8592 Small Piston Heat Engine is used
for quantitative experiments involving the Ideal Gas Law
(as described below) and for investigations of a working
heat engine. The equipment allows the amount of work
done by thermal energy to be measured.
Introduction
The heart of this apparatus is a nearly friction-free piston/
cylinder system. The graphite piston fits snugly into a
precision-ground Pyrex cylinder so that the system
produces almost friction-free motion and negligible
leakage.
The apparatus includes the following equipment:
• Base apparatus (Figure 1)
- piston diameter: 15.9 mm ± 0.1
- mass of piston and platform: 15.9 g ± .06
• Air chamber (Figure 2)
• Three hose configurations: one with one-way check
valves and one with a clamp (Figure 2), and one
plain piece of tubing (not shown)
• One each, one-holed and two-holed rubber stopper
Figure 2. Air chamber and tubing
The Small Piston Heat Engine is designed with two
pressure ports with quick-connect fittings for connecting
to the air chamber tubing.
The apparatus can be connected to a Low Pressure Sensor
for use with PASCO computer interfaces.
Always release the tubing clamps prior to
storage to avoid permanently deforming the
tubing.
Do not apply lubricant to the piston or
cylinder.
Maximum Pressure: 345 kPa.
Precision-bore
pyrex cylinder
inside a protective
plastic shield
Graphite piston
with mm scale for
measuring piston
displacement
Pressure port
mating
connectors
Figure 1. Base apparatus with piston
Piston-holding
thumbscrew
Do not immerse the base apparatus in
liquid.
Equipment
clamp
Mass platform for
adding a load to
do work
experiments
