Stirling engine runs 340 rpm on hot water

The Simple Stirling 1 engine with regenerator running at 340 rpm on hot water. Free plans are available at www.solarheatengines.com

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• diy
• mechanics
• stirling
• engine
• solar

[moonsmilelucide]

I don't care about the rpm, I care about the wattage

[solarheatengines]

@moonsmilelucide The best power I've measured out of this engine (slightly modified to run from a light bulb) was .027w at 138 rpm or about .24 in-lbs/sec. These little low-temperature engines don't have much power. If you want more power you need to run at higher temperatures ratios and higher pressures than atmospheric. A larger engine of mine (on YouTube) puts out about one watt.

[moonsmilelucide]

@solarheatengines hi, thx for responding. I want to make some solar hot water heaters on my rooftop and let this water run a stirling engine to generate electricity. Do you think it could be as efficient as solarcells? I'm living in the Netherlands, so not that much sun.

[solarheatengines]

@moonsmilelucide The short answer is no. The long answer has to do with Carnot efficiency and the absolute temperature ratio between the hot and cold end. You need much higher temperatures like 600 deg C. The most efficient low-temperature engine I've seen is by Nissearne12. He was getting about 2% efficiency pumping water.

[U2BBOSS]

RPM / 2 as you have two arms crossing your tachometer per revolution

[solarheatengines]

It really is 340 RPM.

[lukegondowski]

now throw a couple of magnets on the ends of that rotor nd u can turn it into an electromagnetic energy source now if electromagnetic sources product is electricty you can use that electricity to light a flame with which to use in a vaccum stirling engine to create more power... but im just sayin

[NewYankee01]

what would it do on 1000 degree liquid metal!! erm fall to bits

[nucleochemist]

Try heating a pan full of table salt (sold usually as 'pure sea salt' at grocery stores...) to as hot as your oven can go and place it on the engine.

[NOBOX7]

cool machne where did u get the tachometer

[firedude201234]

i think he means it looks faster?