Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Small marine diesel generator

[Warren Greenway <opensourcesub@yahoo.com>]

Well, I'll see if I can scrounge up something. I'm not
sure exactly where I was reading that. There is
sinking
capacity as well as temperature gradient extremes to
be considered. (Sinking as in current source/sink, or
temperature "voltage", not sinking sub.)

Warren.

--- Ian Roxborough <irox@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> 
> I would imagine that it couldn't produce enough
> power for
> propulsion.  I seem to recall that stirling engines
> need
> over 200 degrees temperature difference to produce
> usable
> power.  You can get a stirling engine which is
> powered
> from the heat of your hand, but I doubt it would
> produce
> enough power to go any where.
> 
> I would be interesting in any references you could
> provide
> about using temperature gradients to drive a
> stirling
> cycle engine.  So far the only one I've heard about
> was
> really a glider, that would do half a cycle when it
> was deep enough (cold enough), which would be used
> to
> change the gliders displacement (making it lighter
> than
> water), and another half cycle when it was near the
> surface (when the water was warm again), this half
> cycle changes the displacement again causing the
> glide to
> be heavier than water and start sinking again.
> 
> Ian.
> 
> 
> On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 08:05:06 -0700 (PDT)
> Warren Greenway <opensourcesub@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > You can actually make stirling cycle engines that
> run
> > on temperature gradients in the water. This has
> > actually
> > been done, but requires deep water for the drop
> tube.
> > 
> > Warren.
> > 
> > --- Ian Roxborough <irox@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > > 
> > > How about a stirling cycle engine as a power
> source?
> > > A company is selling (rather pricey) stirling
> cycle
> > > diesel generators to people who have nice quiet
> > > sailboats
> > > and don't want noisy internal combustion engines
> on
> > > board.  It only generates 750W, but, I really
> want
> > > one:
> > > 
> > >   http://www.whispertech.co.nz/
> > > 
> > > I would really want two or four maybe. 
> Although,
> > > for the
> > > cost I be would paying (the cheapest one I found
> was
> > > $13600us)
> > > I might be able to have a custom stirling engine
> > > built.
> > > 
> > > Of course, I don't know how well sealed the
> burning
> > > area
> > > is, but it probably wouldn't be hard to put the
> > > whole thing
> > > in a sealed off container, with it's own exhaust
> > > port and air
> > > input to the out side world. Mainly for fumes
> that
> > > it might
> > > give off, but also if any explosive gas where
> > > building up
> > > in the hull, the flame would be sealed off from
> > > them.
> > > 
> > > It seems that it is either a multi-fuel enginer
> > > (similar 
> > > to the multi-fuel coleman stoves maybe), or
> pretty
> > > easy to
> > > convert to different fuels (the great thing
> about an
> > > external
> > > combustion engines - they can burn anything).
> > > 
> > > Ian.
> > 
> > 
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