Sterling engines

Red Squirrel

I was watching various sterling engine videos on youtube and it looks like an interesting concept. Makes me wonder why it is not put to use more.

I was thinking, this would probably work better in very hot climates, but why not have a big sterling engine that uses the attic as a heat source, and the the indoor as the cold air source? The temp difference should be decent to at least get some kind of displacement, no? This energy could be used to help cool down the house, or something.

Or how about a sterling engine generator? It would have a parabolic dish you point to the sun, and you have yourself a fuelless portable generator. Perfect for camping, or boating etc. I don't know how much watts you'd get out of something that is small enough to carry though. Is it insignificant? It seems to me this is a more efficient method of using the sun, then solar power as solar panels are only like 10% efficient, or something like that.

SPS-1

You mean like this --- http://www.tesserasolar.com/north-am...technology.htm

Thats 25 kW ( when the sun is shining ) I don't see a size on the web site, but it looks pretty big. I don't think they are selling those yet, but it sure looks likes its going to cost a heck of a lot more that a 25 kW Generac generator.

Red Squirrel

Yeah seen those before, but yeah think they're like half a million each or something. You can have multiple connect to a controller. They move with the sun and all.

I could see big industrial places using these though.

nap

there are a couple installations out west with those (or some similar)

Daniel Holzman

Solar cells range from 10 to 20 percent efficiency. The pictures posted showing parabolic reflectors are not Stirling engines, they are boiling water or pressurized water steam turbines, where the water is heated directly by sunlight. I believe the maximum efficiency on those types of installations is close to 30 percent, however they are complex because you need a mechanical system to force the reflectors to track the sun.

Stirling engines come in a variety of types. and in theory they can be more efficient than internal combustion engines. They have never become popular because you need a large engine to generate a relatively small amount of power, and they are relatively expensive per kilowatt to manufacture. They operate off the Stirling cycle, named after Robert Stirling I believe, inventor of the concept. Internal combustion engines run off the Carnot cycle, and jet engines (steam turbines) run off the Brayton cycle.

nap

actually, the units I posted are Stirling engines.

http://billbrownclimatesolutions.blo...renewable.html


There are solar powered steam systems as well but the one I pictured is using Stirling engines.