Search found 144 matches
- Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:37 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Weak conical springs to increase thermal conductiivity
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3286
Weak conical springs to increase thermal conductiivity
I have another crackpot idea. Suppose we use conical springs to increase heater and cooler efficiency and maybe help the displacer move along, too.? The springs would be attached to the displacer, and they would contact the cylinder housing at all times due to very low tension. When the piston reach...
- Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:38 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: preventing oxidation with borax
- Replies: 4
- Views: 6281
Re: preventing oxidation with borax
Ok. The water-borax solution just doesn't stick to the metal properly or evenly. It foams up and walks around sputtering when heated. What we need is a better coat. I may try anhydrous borax to coat the steel brake lines with. I am thinking using something tacky to coat the line with and rolling it ...
- Wed May 25, 2011 5:20 am
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: something to attach a stiring engine to
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2981
something to attach a stiring engine to
This is probably old news to many, but I have been looking at Theo Jansen's kinetic art walkers. I think using solar stiring engines to drive it would be fun. The geometry has already been figured out. There is a small kit that is sold that you see in the 1st video. He calls it a strandbeest ....dut...
- Wed May 25, 2011 5:01 am
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Stainless water bottle Stirling
- Replies: 7
- Views: 7454
Re: Stainless water bottle Stirling
Good torque output on the motor. The fly approves. How upset does it get when you short the generator leads together?
- Sun May 15, 2011 8:30 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Joule-Thompson effect cooling
- Replies: 8
- Views: 7051
Re: Joule-Thompson effect cooling
Thanks for the confirmation of what I had suspected, ferraccio. Most of my ideas are impractical, but usually don't betray the laws of physics. The laws of practicality, on the other hand, tend to put up quite a fight.
- Sun May 15, 2011 7:46 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: preventing oxidation with borax
- Replies: 4
- Views: 6281
Re: preventing oxidation with borax
Ok. Been digging into this a bit further. Lots of blacksmiths use "20 mule team borax" for fluxing their pieces of metal before they weld them together on the forge. The technique of soaking the metal in a cooled supersaturated water solution of borax and setting it aside was surprising. T...
- Thu May 12, 2011 5:40 am
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Joule-Thompson effect cooling
- Replies: 8
- Views: 7051
Re: Joule-Thompson effect cooling
That was a very impressive link to that steam engine you mentioned. Cool engine design. However, I guess this is a "yes" that an additional orifice would work? or not? It's the temperature drop I am interested in, so that I may understand physics a little better. The stirling engine has li...
- Mon May 09, 2011 8:29 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: preventing oxidation with borax
- Replies: 4
- Views: 6281
preventing oxidation with borax
I had an idea today. I recall that borax is used as a flux for welding and heat treating. It could very well be used as a coating to prevent oxidation and flaking of metal components without reacting or burning in air-charged stirling engines. The melting point is 743 deg. C and the boiling point is...
- Sat May 07, 2011 7:45 am
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Joule-Thompson effect cooling
- Replies: 8
- Views: 7051
Re: Joule-Thompson effect cooling
Oh the propane tank arrangement would be easier, that is if you intend to use a compressed gaseous fuel. I will be using cheap fuel with a high BTU content like wood, oil, animal fat, parafin wax, etc. The oxidation mechanism for such will probably be catalytic in nature. If it works best, the miste...
- Thu May 05, 2011 6:59 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Help with advice on design.
- Replies: 8
- Views: 5548
Re: Help with advice on design.
Hi Batt. Well, I am working on the V-twin compressor design stirling engine. Many people are following along, but I admit I don't have as much free time to develop it quickly. Burning oil would be most economical as a good heat source, and I have considered it for my engine, but will not be able to ...
- Thu May 05, 2011 6:32 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Joule-Thompson effect cooling
- Replies: 8
- Views: 7051
Joule-Thompson effect cooling
I read about the joule-thompson cooling effect used to liquify air and was wondering if anyone used this to cool a stirling engine's cold side. Here's a diagram of the process. http://www.ustudy.in/node/2031 It does not favor ideal gasses, but real gasses. So hydrogen and helium and argon are out, b...
- Mon May 02, 2011 4:49 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: V-twin compressor pump...
- Replies: 64
- Views: 41435
Re: V-twin compressor pump...
Oh, the mini-lathe I am using is a 12" long 5" unit from harbor freight, and I have made some modifications per many fan websites. I have bought 2 chucks for it, one a 4-jaw adjustable 5", the other a 3-jaw 5" centered chuck. I have begun to switch to HSS steel tooling, but most ...
- Sun May 01, 2011 10:46 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: V-twin compressor pump...
- Replies: 64
- Views: 41435
Re: V-twin compressor pump...
BAH! More delays! My chinese mini-lathe has blunted alot of my cutting tools because I overworked it a bit. Basically, it loosened up on me. Now, I have to take it all apart and re-zero every adjustment there is so that I can have my sanity back. I will probably take the time to improve a few things...
- Sun May 01, 2011 7:49 am
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: Photo Gallery Coming Very Soon!
- Replies: 5
- Views: 5311
Re: Photo Gallery Coming Very Soon!
One section for parts and supplies would be useful. Basically, a place where we scrounge for parts. Pictures of various mass-produced sealing devices, tools, and other things that only a stirling engine builder would love. It might be necessary to categorize this by location so that everyone won't h...
- Sat Apr 23, 2011 9:17 pm
- Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
- Topic: My opinion to develop the forum.
- Replies: 6
- Views: 6279
Re: My opinion to develop the forum.
My only idea is to have a "files" section where we can upload all the documents we find that are public domain, so we don't have to follow dead links and removed websites. A central database would be nice on this site. Most of what we find are already public domain, anyways. I doubt copyri...