"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...
On 2009-09-04, Ed Huntress wrote:

"Jon Elson" wrote in message
...
Pete C. wrote:

We have overblown project ideas on our to-do-who-knows-when lists. I
have a grand idea of converting a 3m sat dish into a parabolic solar
steam boiler to feed a steam engine generator followed by an absorption
chiller. Don't know if I'll ever get a round-tuit, but it's a neat
idea.

Much better to run a high temp differential Stirling engine off solar
input. A polished 3 M dish can melt steel in seconds at the focus. A

[ ... ]

You can build a hermetic machine, and put a little brushless PM
alternator
inside the crankcase. Drive whatever you want with the
electrical output.

[ ... ]

But...but...if the object is a cooler, it's SO much simpler to build the
Stirling as a cooler rather than as an engine. No lube problems, no
material
problems, and they run well on air if you aren't going for cryocooling.

What about a vortex cooler -- no moving parts (unless you count
the air). A bit noisy, however. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.

Those darned things still confuse me. I've never looked closely enough to
figure out how they really work, aside from the simple expansion of air and
its consequent absorption of heat. But there's more to it, I think.

Anyway, without knowing anything about their thermodynamic efficiency, yes,
they sure look appealing from a simplicity standpoint.

--
Ed Huntress