Author Topic: solar engine  (Read 6418 times)

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hiker

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solar engine
« on: December 08, 2006, 07:37:46 PM »
had this little engine for a few years--cant seem to get it to start up ..

any ideas?

all it has on it is---phoenix arizona  solar engines--


  it has a screw on the smaller cylender--air screw-?

  and a wick on the underside of the big cylender that burns white gas or alcohol..

  fired up the wick--but no go..

  cant seem to find anything about it on google--just a picture of it..

  no idea when it was built..50s 60s just a guess....



« Last Edit: December 08, 2006, 07:37:46 PM by (unknown) »
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willib

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2006, 12:45:54 PM »
it looks like a stirling engine?

and from your description it sure sounds like one :)
« Last Edit: December 08, 2006, 12:45:54 PM by willib »
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Titantornado

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2006, 01:22:53 PM »
Yea, it's a stirling. It should run when the wick is lit, after a bit of waming up.  Perhaps whatever is used for piston rings is dried up and leaking compression.  Might be something that requires an oiling to seal it up.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2006, 01:22:53 PM by Titantornado »

Titantornado

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2006, 01:31:22 PM »
A bit of research led me to find they are still being manufactured: http://www.pmresearchinc.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=3094&cat=5&page=1
« Last Edit: December 08, 2006, 01:31:22 PM by Titantornado »

hiker

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2006, 01:40:27 AM »
tried all kinds of tricks to fire it up--cleaned up real good -oiled it--even a propane torch for a short time..

spins over easy enough--slight back pressure..not much wear and tear on it--hmm ???
« Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 01:40:27 AM by hiker »
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hiker

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2006, 04:54:41 AM »
tore the head off the engine and found a small amount of rust--cleaned it up and oiled  it all down..the piston doesnt really ride on that top portion of the head that i cleaned--theres a small gap--i guess so the hot air can go around--the last time i tore it apart i noticed that and didnt think that small amount of rust would matter..i guess it slowed the air down and kept the engine from turning over...

 took the motor from its base and put it next to one of the burners on the stove--with a little help it fired right up--spins over really nice now................ :}


  now what --make a little gen for it?  has a little pully to hook up ??????



« Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 04:54:41 AM by hiker »
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powerbuoy

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2006, 07:18:19 AM »
Looks like on of these "flame eater" stirlings. Usually they do not self start and have to be spun or pushed by hand.


Powerbuoy

« Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 07:18:19 AM by powerbuoy »

stop4stuff

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2006, 12:00:57 PM »
Flame eaters are not stirlings.


A flame eater is an internal combustion engine.


A stirling is an external combustion engine.


The difference being that;


A flame eater is an open system, the head into which cold air is drawn is heated, the cold air expands due to the heat and the force provided by the expansion moves the piston. One can take a model aero engine, heat the head with sunlight thru a magnifying glass and it will run after a helping hand to start it up... this is the equivalent to a flame eater.


A stirling is a sealed system, the working fluid (or gas) is contained within the engine. A power piston and displacer are moved due to the expansion and (mostly) contraction of the fluid within the system by to heat applied externally to one part of the engine.


Normally both internal and external combustion engines require an outside energy source to get them going... i.e. to kick over a flywheel... & once running they will continue to run until the heat source is removed.


;)

paul

« Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 12:00:57 PM by stop4stuff »

Norm

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2006, 02:18:17 PM »
theres a small gap--i guess so the hot air can go around....or cooled air.

They used to put the heat end in the focal point

of a parobolic mirror.

This thing ought to run a small stepper motor.

Put a prony brake on it and see how much power.

Looks like about 10 or 15 FP !  (Flea Power)LOL !

 Fun FUn

                 ( :>) Norm.
« Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 02:18:17 PM by Norm »

Gordy

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2006, 10:36:46 PM »
Paul,


I'm confused about your discription of the flame eaters. I saw one running at a tractor show. The flame did NOT contact the head to heat it. But was close and was sucked into the engine when the intake valve opened. The owner was selling kits for it, and explained that it was a external combustion (flame on the outside) Vacume engine. The hot gases from the flame are sucked in, and as the gasses cooled they create a vacume and pull the piston back to the head.


Maybe different engines with the same name, I don't know.


Gordy

« Last Edit: December 09, 2006, 10:36:46 PM by Gordy »

stop4stuff

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2006, 03:10:03 AM »
sorry for the confusion gordy, i double checked, & your description of a flame eater is right... a vacuum engine see; http://www.stirlingengines.org.uk/modeng/modef.html

either way round tho it looks like hiker has got a small stirling... that works


paul

« Last Edit: December 10, 2006, 03:10:03 AM by stop4stuff »

hiker

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2006, 04:45:22 AM »
it is a nice running little engine...surprized me after laying around all these years..

it does take a few turns my hand to get it going thou...then it really takes off..

no hot air is sucked into the engine...it has a heat tube at the top of the cylender..

 not sure how it works sence its a closed air system--must move the air back and forth between the two cylenders--heating and cooling--or expanding and then contracting...

  cool little motor---just somthing i found at a thrift shop a few years back..
« Last Edit: December 10, 2006, 04:45:22 AM by hiker »
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RP

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2006, 03:58:52 PM »
Hiker,


I think what you need now is some of those tiny Neo magnets they use for non-pierced earings to mount on the flywheel and some tiny coils...    :-)

« Last Edit: December 10, 2006, 03:58:52 PM by RP »

hiker

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #13 on: December 10, 2006, 09:36:52 PM »
okay--wheres all those  AOL mags i had laying around........

they had a flap on the disk holder that had a small neo mag .................later
« Last Edit: December 10, 2006, 09:36:52 PM by hiker »
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Ungrounded Lightning Rod

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Re: solar engine
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2006, 06:38:41 PM »
It's a sterling.


The piston in the cylinder with the fins and flame-applied-to-the-tip is the "displacer piston".  Gas goes through the clearance between it and the cylinder wall as it cycles, to push it to the hot side to make it expand and the cold side to make it contract.  The other piston is the "power piston", which uses the pressure changes from the expanding and contracting gas to push and pull the crank.


Rust in the displacer's cylinder would provide friction to slow things down and make it hard to start (or even keep it from running).  The displacer needs to move freely.


You need good (REALLY good) seals in two places:

 - Where the displacer piston shaft leaves the cylinder.

 - Where the power piston rubs on its cylinder.

« Last Edit: December 11, 2006, 06:38:41 PM by Ungrounded Lightning Rod »