Hi, Just found this forum a few days ago. My main interest is in live steam, but I fully intend to build a Sterling Engine in the near future. My only problem is in selecting a design that is fairly foolproof.
Rick
New Member
Re: New Member
This problem is common for many Stirling engines builders.
The main problem is that the solutions are not scalable.
A project for a small engine and low technology can not be transformed into a more sophisticated and larger in a predictable manner.
May be that the largest one simply does not work at all.
It's important that you understand "what level" you mean do the job.
Going on the simple (wire and cans,) and if is sufficient that runs, is just that easy.
If you start talking about efficiency....
The transition to more effective solutions is not proportional: it is exponential.
However WELCOME.
I'm at a stage not far from yours.
The main problem is that the solutions are not scalable.
A project for a small engine and low technology can not be transformed into a more sophisticated and larger in a predictable manner.
May be that the largest one simply does not work at all.
It's important that you understand "what level" you mean do the job.
Going on the simple (wire and cans,) and if is sufficient that runs, is just that easy.
If you start talking about efficiency....
The transition to more effective solutions is not proportional: it is exponential.
However WELCOME.
I'm at a stage not far from yours.
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Aviator168
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 2:29 pm
- Location: Brokeville, NY. USA
Re: New Member
The steam people are facing the same problem. As a matter of fact. There are more challenges with steam. Anyone built a closed system steam engine yet?Ferraccio wrote: If you start talking about efficiency....
The transition to more effective solutions is not proportional: it is exponential.
Re: New Member
Absolutely not.
The complexity of Stirling is vastly superior, and only a gas inside is the possible fluid, at least at this stage of science.
If it were not gas is not Stirling. You invent the steam Stirling engine and will be YOUR engine, and not Stirling!
You need to know that in fact the Stirling engine uses a natural pulse.
How to transform this pulse into work, whereas the difference in temperature can be extremely low or extremely high, as well as the internal pressure can be low or high, is a question that "is not easy" to predict, and if someone has made predictive considerations, of high reliability and extended, are kept for himself.
The need for super-efficient systems to heat / cold passage to the outside is a matter of course.
A little less is how to induce to move spontaneously a gas in a closed envelope without many losses, and also making him do the job in good efficiency.
The engine is falsely grade, no valve, no boiler, no system of control handles.
On the other hand if it wants to go, it go; if something is wrong it do not runs, and does not tell you why.
If you just want a "going" engine it is easy, you need a copy of which is already done.
If you want to design an engine that goes with good efficiency and a real power output .. is a little more difficult.
The complexity of Stirling is vastly superior, and only a gas inside is the possible fluid, at least at this stage of science.
If it were not gas is not Stirling. You invent the steam Stirling engine and will be YOUR engine, and not Stirling!
You need to know that in fact the Stirling engine uses a natural pulse.
How to transform this pulse into work, whereas the difference in temperature can be extremely low or extremely high, as well as the internal pressure can be low or high, is a question that "is not easy" to predict, and if someone has made predictive considerations, of high reliability and extended, are kept for himself.
The need for super-efficient systems to heat / cold passage to the outside is a matter of course.
A little less is how to induce to move spontaneously a gas in a closed envelope without many losses, and also making him do the job in good efficiency.
The engine is falsely grade, no valve, no boiler, no system of control handles.
On the other hand if it wants to go, it go; if something is wrong it do not runs, and does not tell you why.
If you just want a "going" engine it is easy, you need a copy of which is already done.
If you want to design an engine that goes with good efficiency and a real power output .. is a little more difficult.
Re: New Member
Aviator, as I know a closed water steam cycle yet exists, uses also the change of physical state (very profitable), between liquid (water) and gas (steam); is called Rankine cycle, and is going on the steam turbine for thermal power plants.Aviator168 wrote:
.....Anyone built a closed system steam engine yet?
As I know for medium-small engines (less than 10-20 MW) may be is preferred the Joule Cycle (gas turbine), that normally is an open cycle.
Stirling engines are in competition to very small gas turbines, and have competitive nice for domestic heat /electric energy, from 1 to 50 KW.