VERY - Clever people

[sAsLEX]

Pity the Stirling engines (videos using candles for heat) were never developed any further. In the 70s (I think) a truck was fitted with one. It went pretty good but I understand the engine was super heavy and big. Modern materials and technology etc etc and I wounder what could be achieved?

Stirling engined are about 60-70% efficient compared to an internal combustion engine at 30% and can use any heat source.

Cheers R

(all of this is from memory from some reading I did about 10 years ago)

There is a mini about with 640Kw of electric motors in the wheels that uses a small stirling engine in the boot to charge the batteries. External combustion engines can be more efficient than internal!

Also there is some research in solar energy using parabolic mirrors to heat part of the stirling engine as they require little heat difference!

[cooneyr]

There is a mini about with 640Kw of electric motors in the wheels that uses a small stirling engine in the boot to charge the batteries. External combustion engines can be more efficient than internal!

Also there is some research in solar energy using parabolic mirrors to heat part of the stirling engine as they require little heat difference!

This is the sort of thing I was talking about. Needs more work. I know that wispergen (I think thats the right name) here in chch makes oven sized units that are electricity generators. For emergency use, ship etc use or as part of a distributed generation system.

Cheers R