My experience with stirling engines (researching stirling-cycle generators to run on biogas) is that they're not much more efficient or reliable than a regular piston engine running at a constant speed. You would probably be better off running a small turbine engine if all you want to do is generate electricity.
Stirling engines are cool.. been wanting to build one for a while now..
The whole Jalopnik explination doesn't exactly lead to a clear idea of exactly what happens.
The engine has a hot side and a cold side.. an external heat source heats up the hot size and forces a gas to expand.. this expansion forces a piston to move in one direction, the gas then expands to come in contact with the cold side, which then makes the gas contract, and force the piston the other direction.
exceptional traditional otto engines are lucky to reach 30% efficiency.. stirlings generally reach 50% efficiency, it's just been easier to make a traditional internal combustion engine, than it has to make an externally fueled one.
The swedes and danish use stirling powered submarines (nuclear / stirling power) and are reputed to be the worlds quietest subs. The stirling engines used in the subs are approx 1300hp, built by this company. [www.stirlingenergy.com]
@Rust-MyEnemyEnjoysPleasure!!!!: Lego is a trade-marked name. The owner, the Lego Group *really* hates it when people add an s at the end... Just like Google does not want people to use their name as a verb like this:
What's a Sterling engine? Well I guess I'll have to Google it. (bring on the hate Google: I'm ready!)
@dwegmull: He's not the only one. I hate it when I hear "Legos". I hate it when I hear Newsreaders say "Legos". I went to Legoland Denmark the other month and even there people were saying "Legos" and I wanted to smack them.
@Rust-MyEnemyEnjoysPleasure!!!!: what do you call one Lego brick? A Lego? I know I do. What would you call more than one Lego brick? You are playing with more than one, right?
I contend that Legos is acceptable shorthand for Lego Bricks.
I cannot, however wrap my head around more than one math.
@Rust-MyEnemyEnjoysPleasure!!!!: Don't feel to alone, I'm with you Rusty. Some of the colonies decided to do things the right way.
Warning - uneducated opinion coming up. Maths is a subject you do at school, if you are going to use further, then it splits (algebra, calculus, stats, etc), just like most other subjects.
It pains me to have to call myself a scientist to the outside world (despite having an engineering degree), since they have now understanding of (in order of specialisation): materials engineering/science, metallurgy, process metallurgy, pyrometallurgy, ferrous metallurgy, ironmaking.
Sweet! A Segway car! I can't wait!!@! It'll use expensive and ultra high-tech hydraulic systems to balance on two wheels on one axle, when it could just...add another in the front for about 6$.
I think there was something about superheated gas and fruiting in there somewhere.
All kidding aside, though, it is an interesting idea; the question, though, is what kind of "heat source" will it use. As Ben mentioned, there is a great deal of inherent flexibility in terms of its fuel source, but the reality doesn't support anything other than gasoline and perhaps electricity. Whatever the end decision, it is something that holds quite a bit of promise.
@pauljones: Sorry, a bit off thread here, but when you all were talking about "heat source", it made me think of that car in the "Escape From Berkeley" race that burnt woody bits they would scavenge from the side of the road. Were the results of that race posted, and I just missed them, or are they still racing? Or did they never make it past Burning Man?
11/13/08
"Your Stirling is showing"
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The whole Jalopnik explination doesn't exactly lead to a clear idea of exactly what happens.
The engine has a hot side and a cold side.. an external heat source heats up the hot size and forces a gas to expand.. this expansion forces a piston to move in one direction, the gas then expands to come in contact with the cold side, which then makes the gas contract, and force the piston the other direction.
exceptional traditional otto engines are lucky to reach 30% efficiency.. stirlings generally reach 50% efficiency, it's just been easier to make a traditional internal combustion engine, than it has to make an externally fueled one.
[www.stirlingengine.com] great site to get model engines or learn more..
The swedes and danish use stirling powered submarines (nuclear / stirling power) and are reputed to be the worlds quietest subs. The stirling engines used in the subs are approx 1300hp, built by this company. [www.stirlingenergy.com]
11/13/08
I do maths and play with Lego.
You do math and play with Legos.
Weird.
Sorry, what was the question? I got distracted.
11/13/08
What's a Sterling engine? Well I guess I'll have to Google it. (bring on the hate Google: I'm ready!)
11/13/08
Anyway, I'm off to eat Sushis.
11/13/08
I contend that Legos is acceptable shorthand for Lego Bricks.
I cannot, however wrap my head around more than one math.
/'Murican
11/13/08
Hey, ain't the world crazy?
11/13/08
Anyway, I play with something else entirely, so I could care less.
11/13/08
Warning - uneducated opinion coming up. Maths is a subject you do at school, if you are going to use further, then it splits (algebra, calculus, stats, etc), just like most other subjects.
It pains me to have to call myself a scientist to the outside world (despite having an engineering degree), since they have now understanding of (in order of specialisation): materials engineering/science, metallurgy, process metallurgy, pyrometallurgy, ferrous metallurgy, ironmaking.
11/13/08
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11/13/08
mmm....Ginger....
11/13/08
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11/13/08
I think there was something about superheated gas and fruiting in there somewhere.
All kidding aside, though, it is an interesting idea; the question, though, is what kind of "heat source" will it use. As Ben mentioned, there is a great deal of inherent flexibility in terms of its fuel source, but the reality doesn't support anything other than gasoline and perhaps electricity. Whatever the end decision, it is something that holds quite a bit of promise.
11/13/08
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11/14/08
11/14/08
No, not at all. There was a little bit of sarcasm there.
11/16/08