"IMM" wrote in
"N. Thornton" wrote

Re efficient steam engines:

Well, I'd be happier to trust your word on this if you could show us a
ref. What you say certainly sounds good, but I would like to see it
backed up.


Plus PV and hot air are far more
reliable.

PV? With all those inverters and batteries. You are joking of course?

Here you're comparing apples and oranges. Both PV and steam will
produce leccy when the sun shines, and both will need either grid tie
or batteries and invertor. The steamer is comparable to the PV panels
only, not the PV + batts + invertors. Comparing a steam engine with
PV panels, the PVs are clearly much more reliable. The externals will
be similar for both forms of generator.


Hot
air is more reliable.

I think its the most reliable of all, and about the best payer too.

A sun tracker focusing to make hot water is also very
reliable.

Fairly, but not as good as flat panel collectors. Mirror deterioration
and wind damage are the major bugbears.


It was mentioned that CAT are lacking in tracking, and that if it were
a good idea they'd have more of them. I'd say fixed mirrors are a good
addition to PV, specifically angled to increase the light away from
noon, ie when the light level falls, and specifically using greased
silver mylar mirrors, which are very cheap. But AFAIK CAT doesnt have
those either. CAT doesnt have everything.

Regards, NT