Simple solar Stirling engine with solar reflector

A simple low temperature engine running from a solar reflector on a slightly overcast day in the UK.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• low
• temperature
• stirling
• sterling
• engine
• parabolic
• reflector
• mirror

[kennethvanhorn]

take your idea and enhance it. i will tell you take your home made parabolic dish and make a focal point that will reflect the suns bright light down into mirrored tubing the mirrored tubing will then send the light into a mirrored box(mirrors must reflect inward)then inside box put in solar panels(must spin to keep cool)then use the exhaust heat to heat up your home. kenneth van horn's invention...!

[Uniflow]

@kennethvanhorn

Half the fun here was to use the hard drive discs. Also the engine has a 5" dia heating surface which requires heating evenly all over, so the discs do a good job.

[Uniflow]

If you spend half your working day filling you office bin with old discs they are a good option!

[Uniflow]

There are acres in the southern USA covered in huge solar powered stirling engines, all tracking the sun. I don't know how much power they get out of them, but they must be commercially viable.

[AKAOJ]

a parabolic disk would work far better.

[Uniflow]

A parabolic dish is not required. It would give a pin-piont of heat, whereas each of the hard drive discs reflect over the whole of the area giving an even distribution of heat and the total input works very well.

[furzeham]

Excellent

[jonnyasprin]

Is that a solar powered airplane?

[Lenangreal]

hahaha cool!

[DevynGrayer]

armsterfinancial. com

[Jordankewl]

I junked so many hard drives last year, i wish i had saved all the platters now! This is a great idea :D

[VonZegen]

Wonderfully executed! My only suggestion would be painting the area where the reflectors hit black so that more radiation is absorbed. Cheers!

[astrialkil]

A more powerful one of these engines would be great for your wood stove to blow hot air around the room!

[specallez]

Superb!

[piespokladowy]

Super!