Search found 92 matches

by Alfista
Wed May 11, 2016 3:47 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: How to scale up a LTD Stirling engine?
Replies: 8
Views: 7586

A related calculation

I will give you a related calculation. The engine's Carnot efficiency is (Th-Tc) ÷ Th. Temperature measured in Kelvins. Let us say that the ambient temperature in 20 degrees C. or 293 K and the hot water is 353 K. or 80 C. Then (353-293) ÷ 353 = .1699 or 17%. Fantastic ! :razz: But unfortunately, t...
by Alfista
Tue May 10, 2016 3:55 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: My first post. Advice needed.
Replies: 38
Views: 40616

Rizzo Manuals and treadmill motors

Joseph, the Rizzo Manuals are currently available on amazon.com and if I am not mistaken, also through Tee Publishing. Please also see my mini review above. Also, for those interested, you will likely be looking for a low hp, high voltage motor such as a Dayton 4Z524B, 180 vdc at 1725 rpm. .5 hp. Hi...
by Alfista
Tue May 10, 2016 6:52 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: How to scale up a LTD Stirling engine?
Replies: 8
Views: 7586

Re: How to scale up a LTD Stirling engine?

Rogetit, if you have already calculated the dimensions of your engines, then you can calculate the output by the P.L.A.N. formula (mean effective) Pressure * Length of stroke * Area of piston * Number of strokes per minute, now divide all of this by 33,000 and this will give you the indicated horse ...
by Alfista
Sun May 01, 2016 6:49 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: My first post. Advice needed.
Replies: 38
Views: 40616

a path to pressurization

Wellington, I cannot give any advice on pressurization but I will give you a couple of good references. I hope that anyone reading this who finds mistakes in this information may offer corrections or the benefits of their experiments. The second volume of James Rizzo's Stirling Engine Manual is mos...
by Alfista
Sat Apr 30, 2016 6:27 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Kouhoupt Horizontal Stirling Engine
Replies: 4
Views: 3664

Re: Kouhoupt Horizontal Stirling Engine

In case anyone is interested, Village Press publishes the book "Model Stirling Engines" by Rudy Kouhoupt. This is the second engine of three in this book. There is a complete set of drawings but it does not give any instructions for machining. If you are in search of such instruction, you...
by Alfista
Fri Apr 29, 2016 11:12 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: My first post. Advice needed.
Replies: 38
Views: 40616

pressure and danger

Wellington, if you are able to build an engine that can take advantage of 10 bars of pressurization, I have no doubt that you will easily resolve the relevant safety issues. Let me add that the issue of boiler explosions is generally misunderstood. Of the dozen or so boiler explosions that I have re...
by Alfista
Fri Apr 29, 2016 9:09 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: My first post. Advice needed.
Replies: 38
Views: 40616

not a correction /// sprockets and chain ...

Ian, thank you for the post. I was only offering a possible calculation. I was not in any way disputing your calculation or measurement. Neither was I trying to point to possible losses or inefficiencies. On the contrary, I read about your Stuart engine with interest and it was very interesting to r...
by Alfista
Thu Apr 28, 2016 9:41 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51895

meaning ?

manvstaco wrote:That's why you make your connecting rods adjustable from the start ;)
I am not sure about what you are referring to here.
by Alfista
Thu Apr 28, 2016 7:19 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: My first post. Advice needed.
Replies: 38
Views: 40616

Re: My first post. Advice needed.

Ian, I cannot find any fault in your thoughts on steam engines and boilers. You are quite right about the effort involved. I would like to talk about the boiler. It is generally accepted that one needs about 10 ft2 of heating surface area per boiler horsepower, but since not all boiler designs are e...
by Alfista
Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:44 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Assisted LTD stirling idea ? ?
Replies: 3
Views: 4419

Martini's Stirling Cycle Amplifying Machine

I agree with Ian. But I would like to mention the brilliant Stirling engine designer William Martini built a device known as the Stirling Cycle Amplifying Machine (1968). It was a very succesful design where the displacer was run from a discreet power source. It is not the same as what you suggest C...
by Alfista
Wed Apr 27, 2016 5:27 pm
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: My first post. Advice needed.
Replies: 38
Views: 40616

Re: My first post. Advice needed.

Andy Ross used to sell some engines as kits and once in a while one of his engines will come up on ebay. Several of his books are available and he gives excellent advice on what works and what does not. On youtube, I would recommend baruman. I am in awe of Jim Symanski's work : I am sure that there ...
by Alfista
Tue Apr 26, 2016 11:31 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Kouhoupt Horizontal Stirling Engine
Replies: 4
Views: 3664

Re: Kouhoupt Horizontal Stirling Engine

Wellington,
this was my first Stirling engine and it took me a couple of months to build working at a leisurely pace. Except for the flywheel, I think that it could be built on a 3" lathe.
by Alfista
Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:34 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Kouhoupt Horizontal Stirling Engine
Replies: 4
Views: 3664

Kouhoupt Horizontal Stirling Engine

Here are some photos of my interpretation of a horizontal Stirling engine designed by Rudy Kouhoupt. It was really fun to build. It has a 1.125" bore and 1.5" stroke. When I first saw a photo of the engine, I liked the radiator ! The flywheel is the same kind as used on the PM Research nos...
by Alfista
Tue Apr 26, 2016 6:52 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: My first post. Advice needed.
Replies: 38
Views: 40616

Some very practical advice.

Wellington, I will offer some very practical advice to add to Ian's excellent suggestions. Village Press publishes Rudy Kouhuoupt's volume of Stirling engines. He was a master machinist who took a very practical approach to model engine building. There are complete drawings for three gamma engines i...
by Alfista
Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:48 am
Forum: Stirling and "Hot Air" Engine Forum
Topic: Home Built Stirling for Remote Power Generation
Replies: 42
Views: 51895

My recently built Stirling for Remote Power Generation

I recently finished a human scale, gamma Stirling engine capable of battery charging. it is about 3' tall, 3" bore, 3.312" stroke. I am in the stage of trying it with different generators and trying different "gear ratios". For transmission, I am using sprockets and chain. It is ...