Whispergen mk4

[staska]

Hi ! , no, not yet, have been busy with different projects..stil have to decide how to clean aluminium from scale..

[Ian S C]

Vinegar, then a bristle brush, don't use a steel wire brush or steel wool, the aluminium will go rusty! There are aluminium treatment schemes used by the aviation industry. A system similar to sand blasting that uses crushed walnut shells called prunus blasting is what we used for cleaning carbon off the crown of aircraft engine pistons, also the combustion chamber of the cylinder, this did not do damage to the aluminium.
Ian S C

[staska]

Vinegear will eat aluminium too :( tried, also oxalic acid. The biggest problem - cooler contains also an internal sleeve made from cast iron..

Did you found any info on used solid lubricant for yoke ? It looks like mo2s grease, but i am not sure is it mineral based or silicone oil for example..

[Mac]

Nice youtube video of a Whispergen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpKdGhb5nXU. In German but nice to watch the interior workings

[Ian S C]

You can soak some cloth in vinegar, and mask off the cast iron with some grease.

Ian S C

[staska]

Ok, will give it a shot. Maybe today..

Different question for you Ian - Your opinion on cast iron as hot side heat exchanger in "stove tope" stirling engine... Have some lovely pieces of cast iron in 150mm diameter, want to make kind of pancake covers in stead of stainless steel. Much easier to mill slot or just drill.. An example build according stove-top engine of Andy Ross attached. 96 slots of 2.2mm diameter and 26 mm length. 115 mm bore. Could make same with cast iron with no problems + pocket for regenerator matrix. Closed top of course.

[cbstirling2]

I would think cast iron would work. I suspect the thermal property is similar.
The benefits of stainless is corrosion resistance.

[Ian S C]

Another site, and someone that probably knows more about the Whispergen than anyone.
www.peterlynnhimself.com/About_Stirling_Engines.php
Peter lives about 80k south of me at Ashburton in Canterbury new Zealand. Have a look at his site on Google, and maybe get in touch with him. Just type in Peter Lynn Himself, If you don't put Himself you'll learn more about Kites than you thought there ever was, his kites are world class.
Ian S C