Mostly models... until this winter

Ed's machines are about
the best I have seen
on this field.

Ed, I wanted to know, if you ever
tried to run your stirling engines
with parabolic solar mirrors.

I've tried my small 'Wilesco' model steam
engine with a solar mirror made of
a satellite antenna dish of 80 cm diameter.
That dish is even too much for the engine,
so I think that your stirling engines
would work with a suitable dish.

***********
I'm thinking about
low technology solar
stirling engines
for battery charging
for developing countries.

I think that it
would be possible
if some people would join
their efforts to develop
these things.
************

That's a very interesting subject, I too have been doing a bit of research into it lately. Getting ready for the cold Ontario winter...

Anyhow, here are a few links:

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/tmsb/stirling/doc/55TDC_data.html

http://www.stirlingengine.com/site-map/

http://www.stirlingsteele.com/Index.html

http://www.geocities.com/hustierhof/index.html

http://www.tellurex.com/CZ1-1.4-127-1.65.html

http://www.ent.ohiou.edu/~urieli/stirling/simple/scaling.html

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~khirata/academic/kiriki/programs/index.html

http://www.scopetronics.com/pmresearch.htm

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~khirata/academic/kiriki/home.html

http://www.sesusa.org/SEDAF2.htm

Happy Reading!

Here's a nice link with a good overview of what's out there:

http://www.stirlingengine.com/faq/one?scope=public&faq_id=1

I have also built a few stirling engines, primarily models.  Here's my low delta temp version:

I have a modest library of books concerning constructing hobby sized stirlings.  It was a little demoralizing to read about all the technological hoops you have to jump through to get a fairly efficient powerful engine built. Compressed helium or hydrogen as a working fluid, extremely low friction bearings and seals, very high precision machining, exotic materials, etc etc etc.  So I chickened out on building a real generator and stuck to models for fun.

I'm pretty sure it's possible to build a good solar powered stirling gennie, but I'm also pretty sure it will either be expensive or time consuming or both.

I'd dance a happy jig if someone came along and got it done though...

Good luck and have fun!

some really nice links, monte.
Especially that Japanese page.

I've checked sometimes most of them, even
copied lots of the drawings. One of my
friends here once made a series of
7 model stirling engines based on a very old
design from Finland (originally 1914, I think).
So I translated some more modern designs for him
into Finnish, because he cannot read English.

Later  I found a link for an interesting
simple rotary engine:
http://www.emachineshop.com/engine/

Anyone built anything like that?
I'm wondering if it would work
as a scaled-up machine.
It is very simple to construct.

One of my favorites is
the Manson engine:
http://www.geocities.com/kenboak/Manson.html

Anybody built anything like that?
This seems to be a candidate
for developing bigger engines.
It is simpler than many
other hot air engines.

http://www.windstuffnow.com/TinCan.pdf

These are the plans to my "Tin Can" engine built using old soup cans, coffee cans, and beer cans ( gota couple layn' round?) and of course wood.  The most difficult part is making the power piston and cylinder to seal good.   You can however use a wood cylinder, piston made from washers and a rod, and an old inner tube to make up a diaphram type system which works fairly well.  Also, be careful and wear some good gloves, working with cut tin cans can cause some nasty cuts!!!

If your interested in building a precision, almost friction free unit, Airpot Corporation makes surgical tubes that make some very nice glass tubes with a graphite piston with virtually no leakage and no friction.   I'm not sure what their web site is but it's out there somewhere.  Really nice for low delta machines.

I've been interested in the stirling for  a couple years now, just havn't had the time to build one. this "free piston" stirling Nasa is playing with, do you think a low tec version could be built? and is it worthwhile?

http://search.ebay.com/Stirling-Engine_W0QQsokeywordredirectZ1QQfromZR8

I think that this publication will
encourage many new people to build
simple hot air engines.

Ed!

I'm curious as usual.  Are you still working on a Steam/Stirling hybrid?  If so, I can't wait to see it.  One day...my Friend, Stirlings will take their rightful place in RE power production.

Mean time, I've got a 1.25" (diameter) pyrex cylinder and graphite piston to give away.  The first person to email me at elliottbell505@aol.com in the Continental U.S. gets it.  Send me your mailing address (no PO Box!).  The pyrex has a big chip in it, but will still work on an LTD Stirling with about a 1/2" stroke.

Have a Good'un.

E-man