4 ms·
A small stirling engine would be easier and safer than a steam setup.
by learc83 7y ago
A small stirling engine would be easier and safer than a steam setup.
- 8bitsrule 7y agoThe good ol' Stirling engine was tried out -- at a few locations in the US Southwest 10 years back -- to generate megawatts of solar-powered electricity (25kW per engine) at the focus of parabolic mirrors. It got beat out by subsidized Chinese-produced PV panels (SES was forced into bankruptcy). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applications_of_the_Stirling_engine#Solar_power_generation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applications_of_the_Stirling_e... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Signal_Solar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Signal_Solar
- abdullahkhalids 7y agoMy senior year project ten years ago was exactly this - solar thermal + a Stirling engine. When we started the project, we estimated it 20% or so cheaper than solar PV. In that one year solar prices halved or so, leaving us at a dead end. I ended up consulting with leather plant for their hot water needs via solar thermal. At least that is still viable.
- 8bitsrule 7y agoInteresting. I just learned about that energy combo, and Stirling also makes a lot of sense for someone with a non-solar heat source! Amazing how China came along at the time it did. The hardball politics aimed against US solar startups since Carter has been a fascinating tale with little mainstream coverage.
- arghwhat 7y agoI'd argue that a steam setup is considerably easier and more proven, but a Stirling engine is certainly safer and more efficient. (A homemade setup would not be very efficient regardless of technology chosen, so I'm ignoring complexities of elaborate high-performance boilers.)