@FrancoisTheChef im using medium and sometimes course steel wool i stretch it out long ways with the strands all paralell to each other and cut them to around 1 inch long so i end up with a 1 inch thick regenerator x the diameter of the tube not packed too tightly though needs to be somwhat loose i have found.just slightly squeezed into the tube i guess better air flow between the hot and cold side.
This is very impressive. You've managed to do what a lot of us have been working towards. As for counterbalancing w/o a flywheel, try a flexible compression spring having a movable (adjustable) backstop. This is the future of alternating current generation, few parts, simple heat source (waste heat, cogeneration, solar) and local.
Wow! I really like this. I am just learning this type, but I do know linear alternators. Refinements to the coils and magnet spacing will yield the results you are looking for. Go to three phase, 3 coils, 4 magnets. Magnet wire needs to be coiled tighter and only as wide as magnets. Place magnets N-N, S-S face with steel washers between. This will turn flux outward. You'll have to bolt magnet assembly together on an aluminum or brass threaded rod. Spacing is critical - 1 phase at a time
From my experiences with these things, you can make the hot end MUCH smaller. I had one running with a small tube, where the stroke was over 20 mm, and the hot end was less than 10 mm. So, with my engine, the hot end was only half the stroke length!
Counterbalancing is an interesting one. Rubber mounts are rubbish because they damp the resonance and take up valuable energy. And, of course, it's not counterbalancing! You could try an spring attached to the piston and an equal mass on the end. 'Ideally' they could counter each other if tuned. Keeping them tuned might be the problem.
Your work is looking very promising. I can see you setting the benchmark for these types of engines!
Balancing... is difficult. Especially at low frequencies its hard. You can try to get higer frequency by lowering the piston mass, or by adding a spring.
The only way to "really" balance something like this is to hang it in free air, meaning the hot end will also move. If you get the mass of both moving parts the same, they will only move relative to one another (in the opposite directions) cancelling the imbalance out.
You would need to hang them both in springs, maybe thin steel sheet strips
Wow! I love your work. Not sure what counter balance is on the free piston. Can you educate me? Now without knowing what you mean - neodymium magnets repulsing each other would give a nice soft bounce.
How are the small tubes you describe positioned?
Use me as a resource if I can help. I know how to boost your four volts up if you want.
I better pickup coil would improve the output, multiple even.
Anothercoilgun 1 year ago
this is fantastic man
keep going
TheGoodInventor 1 year ago
What are you using for a stack or regenerator?
FrancoisTheChef 1 year ago
@FrancoisTheChef im using medium and sometimes course steel wool i stretch it out long ways with the strands all paralell to each other and cut them to around 1 inch long so i end up with a 1 inch thick regenerator x the diameter of the tube not packed too tightly though needs to be somwhat loose i have found.just slightly squeezed into the tube i guess better air flow between the hot and cold side.
boyettewhite 1 year ago
This is very impressive. You've managed to do what a lot of us have been working towards. As for counterbalancing w/o a flywheel, try a flexible compression spring having a movable (adjustable) backstop. This is the future of alternating current generation, few parts, simple heat source (waste heat, cogeneration, solar) and local.
JoeNieroski 1 year ago
Wow! I really like this. I am just learning this type, but I do know linear alternators. Refinements to the coils and magnet spacing will yield the results you are looking for. Go to three phase, 3 coils, 4 magnets. Magnet wire needs to be coiled tighter and only as wide as magnets. Place magnets N-N, S-S face with steel washers between. This will turn flux outward. You'll have to bolt magnet assembly together on an aluminum or brass threaded rod. Spacing is critical - 1 phase at a time
LynxSteam 2 years ago
Oh yeah! great work this!
From my experiences with these things, you can make the hot end MUCH smaller. I had one running with a small tube, where the stroke was over 20 mm, and the hot end was less than 10 mm. So, with my engine, the hot end was only half the stroke length!
It ran like the devil ;)
electrique527 2 years ago
Brilliant!!!
fortytwotheanswer 2 years ago
does anyone know how to counter balance a free piston engine without using a flywheel
boyettewhite 2 years ago
As far as I know, the only way is to run 2 end to end...that is how I have seen engines from NASA...
IronGoober 2 years ago
Hi. Another fine development!
Counterbalancing is an interesting one. Rubber mounts are rubbish because they damp the resonance and take up valuable energy. And, of course, it's not counterbalancing! You could try an spring attached to the piston and an equal mass on the end. 'Ideally' they could counter each other if tuned. Keeping them tuned might be the problem.
Your work is looking very promising. I can see you setting the benchmark for these types of engines!
Keep up the fab work!!
mowerofdoom 2 years ago
Balancing... is difficult. Especially at low frequencies its hard. You can try to get higer frequency by lowering the piston mass, or by adding a spring.
The only way to "really" balance something like this is to hang it in free air, meaning the hot end will also move. If you get the mass of both moving parts the same, they will only move relative to one another (in the opposite directions) cancelling the imbalance out.
You would need to hang them both in springs, maybe thin steel sheet strips
electrique527 2 years ago
Wow! I love your work. Not sure what counter balance is on the free piston. Can you educate me? Now without knowing what you mean - neodymium magnets repulsing each other would give a nice soft bounce.
How are the small tubes you describe positioned?
Use me as a resource if I can help. I know how to boost your four volts up if you want.
LynxSteam 2 years ago