Drag the flywheel to turn the crank, use the Run button to start or stop the engine, and tap a cycle step to jump straight to that part of the stroke.
Spirit burner & slide valve: ingests flame, then snaps shut at bottom dead center8 Annular cooling fins & vacuum gauge: rapid heat sink collapses internal pressure to 0.44 barConnecting rod & heavy spoked flywheel: atmospheric pressure drives the power stroke into kinetic storageHow a flame licker engine (vacuum engine) works: Unlike internal combustion or steam engines, it produces power by creating an internal depression. During the outward stroke, the eccentric opens the slide valve, drawing the spirit burner flame into the cylinder. At bottom dead center, the valve snaps shut. The 8 annular cooling fins rapidly cool the trapped gas, collapsing its pressure to a partial vacuum (0.44 bar). Higher atmospheric pressure (1.01 bar) outside the cylinder pushes the piston inward—the vacuum power stroke—driving the heavy flywheel across top dead center.