Stirling engine generators
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Latest Activity: May 13, 2010
Stirling engines
Stirling engines are well noted for their simplicity and efficiency. Yet, their use in power generation has never really taken off. I envision small scale Stirling engine generators powering individual homes or small communities as it seems their efficiencies are lost when they are built on too large a scale.
Because Stirling engines are able to operate at lower temperatures than other engines, a Stirling generator is able to capture energy that is often wasted in a home. Have you thought about the heat that our homes generate and then waste or vent to the outside? The hot flue gases going up your chimney or wood stove stack, the hot air exiting your clothes dryer. As long as there is a sufficient temperature differential between the heat source and the ambient temperature, the stirling engine can extract that energy.
What if you could capture those energy losses being vented by your home, add in some more energy from a solar collector or mirrored array and generate power for your home. You could power the Stirling generator with a small pellet stove or gases from a septic tank. All of these energy sources are small but the can be captured and they quickly add up.
Because Stirling engines are able to operate at lower temperatures than other engines, a Stirling generator is able to capture energy that is often wasted in a home. Have you thought about the heat that our homes generate and then waste or vent to the outside? The hot flue gases going up your chimney or wood stove stack, the hot air exiting your clothes dryer. As long as there is a sufficient temperature differential between the heat source and the ambient temperature, the stirling engine can extract that energy.
What if you could capture those energy losses being vented by your home, add in some more energy from a solar collector or mirrored array and generate power for your home. You could power the Stirling generator with a small pellet stove or gases from a septic tank. All of these energy sources are small but the can be captured and they quickly add up.
Discussion Forum
An interesting British article on combined heat and power generation using a stirling engine
Started by marc brown Jul 30, 2008.
Comment Wall
Comment
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Comment by BurgessKJ on August 30, 2008 at 6:34am -
Why not tie Stirling into thermal Solar concentrators? For those whose apartment developments would have Photovoltaic (PV) panels costing too much, concentrators can be as simple as aluminum or mirrored reflectors, on up to motorised specialty equipment. The basic configuration should be a lot cheaper than PV though. Just a thought.
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Comment by Richard Topf on August 15, 2008 at 2:14pm -
Geothemal does not provide enough temperature difference to make Stirling cycle engines economical. Yes, they can opperate across a wide temperature range, but they are not thermally efficienct at lower temp. differences. Stirling Energy Systems has the right idea. They use a solar "dish" concentrator to create the high temperatures. I am working on a 1-2 Kw version of the same technology.
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Comment by Len Gould on August 6, 2008 at 11:13pm -
(actually meant "those of us") - sorry.
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Comment by Len Gould on August 6, 2008 at 11:12pm
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Agreed Pat. Good comment, correct intentions (humour without belittling those of use working on real stirling engine-generators. ;<)
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