Carnot engine

[goat]

Hi Serge,

The document you linked to says that it shows that an Carnot cycle has maximum efficiency for a range of different power regimes, not just at maximum power. For the engines that the guys on this forum are making, I don't think that's particularly important. The actual cycle taking place in these engines will be a long way from an idealised Stirling cycle, just as any engine we could make would be a long way from an idealised Carnot cycle. The easiest way to get better efficiency from these engines (aside from changing the reservoir temperatures), would be to reduce mechanical losses and improve conductivity at the reservoirs and regenerator.

[goat]

Lucien01,

You can get heat to flow from a cooler body to a hotter body without doing any work? Wow!

I look forward to seeing that in action.