Which outcome arises when a Stirling engine heated side reaches its material fatigue limit repeatedly during cycles?

💡 Explanation

When the heated side experiences cyclical stress due to repeated heating and cooling to the material limits, fatigue crack propagation initiates because microscopic imperfections grow under stress reversals, leading to fracture. Therefore crack propagation results, rather than leakage, more power, or seizure, which require different failure mechanisms or conditions.

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