This Engine is NOT What You Think - Solar Stirling Generator

The Stirling Engine Generator is a sealed high efficiency “heat engine” that is driven by the radiant energy supplied from the sun or any other source of external heat. Invented by Robert Stirling, the Stirling cycle engine is a type of solar engine, or sun motor, which operates using the principal of thermodynamics alternating between the hot and cold temperature cycles of a working gas.

[crows]

And who wouldn't want to hear that all day???

[StoneCBears]

Sounds like a gasoline power generator but the fuel is sunlight.

[ashadowintime]

ever since i found out about Stirling engine i wondered why no one thought about combining it with solar power. glad people did

[caseymurray]

The awesome thing is this is actually cheap as hell to make compared to solar panels

[dianapennepacker]

Do a video on solar vacuum tubes. Basically they are a clesr tube that is insulated with a vacuum that heats a fluid. Then that fluid is converted into electricity or usually for hot water/heating. I think it converts it into steam when making electricty yet I am not sure.

I just learned about them. Not sure what the benefit is over regular solar panels. I guess it works better in colder water.

We need to make better thermophotovoltaics damn it.

[davidaustin]

Also, replace the engine with multijunction pv at 35% efficiency. Normal pv is at 20% efficiency. Now do your math.

[Neptunade]

Jeez, that's gotta be a LOUD machine.

[jeremycrisp]

Never saw it, but we apparently had a facility here in AZ that had a bunch of these. After it was built and operated for some time, it was shut down and all the parts were sold off.

[davidaustin]

Lasts for 100 years if well maintained. Pv lasts 25 at best. Now do your math.

[kx]

Isn’t there something that could be done to help turn that sound energy into more power? Seems like some lube or polishing could help

[edwinwise]

The possibility’s are mind numbing . Another example of a solution that was right over our heads the whole time

[Roboprogs]

I read about some company trying to make sterling powered solar generators in the mid 90s. I think they were trying to make something that that had the magnet in the piston and wire coils around the cylinder, so there was no separate generator, just the “engine” moving parts.

I assume it wasn’t viable, since I never heard any more about it. Shame.

[Stranaton]

Solar farms already do better with reflector arrays pointed at a tower that heats water to turn a turbine. They do have a habit of frying birds though

[ronin_user]

Sounds like big petroleum telling us it is too expensive to use when it clearly utilizes almost nothing by comparison to petrol. Given time and research it would become cheaper, more efficient, and eventually commonplace.

[matthewboyd]

New things to walk past in your solar punk city scape

Feels like robot ducks

[santhoshc]

What kind of tracking system is used here? What's the cost of this tracking system?

[mikalrage]

At least it is considerate enough to stop making you deaf once the sun goes down so you can sleep.

[enigmaak]

Problem is there are no way to contact autor. How much such system cost? Their are many places where is no electric piper supply.

[audiophile]

Bet you could make a pretty damn good one using a fresnel lense. 😊

[exitztenshill-fj]

evacuated tubes don't require sun tracking