Purchasing a Sterling Engine

[amharp]

Hello!
I'm fairly new to sterling engines and am currently working on a University research project in which we would like to purchase a sterling enginer for our prototype. Our current specifications require a 1.5kW to 7kW output power due to sizing. We would also like if the output of the Stilir can be coupled shaft-to-shaft directly to a pump (i.e. the engine runs the pump) but is not vital to the prototype.

I have scoured web and have found a few solutions which would work with some modifications. I would like to get this forum members' insight on available technologies that come to mind which fit this criteria.

Thanks! :)
Aaron Harp

[Tom Booth]

I don't know of much of anything in that power range, and I've been looking for years. "Startups" seem to pop up from time to time but don't seem to ever market a product.

If you have found anything available for purchase, I'd be interested to know about it myself.

[staska]

Hi. Where are you based ?

[amharp]

Hi. Where are you based ?

Hi! I'm based out the Midwest USA

[yellow88fiero]

I found one on craigslist from a guy who use to work at a local university a few years back and purchased it.

I had lots of plans, but ultimately haven't done anything with it. I will see if I can get recent pictures of it and post them here and see if anyone is interested in it.

I do know it is a 3KW, that looks like it was made for Solar concentration to run it. It has a ton of temperature sensors as I believe this was one being used for testing. It is probably about 250lbs, it is mounted on a steel frame which lifts it up off the ground about 2-3 feet high. I just know it keeps getting in the way in my shop and everytime I need to move it I wonder why I still have it.

Maybe a good university project would do it well. If nothing else, maybe someone on here can let me know what I have. I'll post pictures later this week when I am back in my shop.

I am in the Colorado area.

[yellow88fiero]

Here are a couple bad pictures of it that I had with other items in my garage. I'll get clear pictures later this week.

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Capture1-3kw.JPG (33.65 KiB) Viewed 21607 times

[Tom Booth]

It looks similar to, but a little different from, one I saw for sale on Ebay back in January

infiniastieling.jpg (19.92 KiB) Viewed 21593 times

That one I believe was an Infinia model.


Tragically, IMO, most of these engines ended up being sold to China as scrap.

The ones pictured here were 3kw each

https://youtu.be/rPc0GIQ8djI


The company(ies)? went bankrupt, the units sold off, but curiously, without the "intellectual property" instruction manuals etc. needed to operate them.

https://www.evwind.es/2012/04/09/solar- ... oned/17657

[yellow88fiero]

Hi Tom,
Thanks for the information. I did see that engine you referenced in another post and thought it did look similar to the one I have, just since mine is 3KW thought they may have done a smaller version. Glad to see the Infinia video you posted and clearly stated the 3KW model. I actually have some parts of the plastic housing surrounding the engine and the metal to connect it to a solar dish array as well. I never went very far in figuring out how it would connect, but will take pictures of all of it and post it in a few days.

I would imagine reading the article below that some Universities probably wound up with a few of these and I wound up being a lucky recipient of one.

Thanks.

[Tom Booth]

Yes, they seem to be an extreme rarity. Millions of dollars of government and investors R&D to produce. The technology demonstrated and proven over and over. NASA has a few test models they've been operating continuously for over 10 years without maintenance and "no signs of degradation"


https://www.nasa.gov/feature/glenn/2020 ... -milestone


About to supplant Fossil fuels, ready for deployment around the world.

https://youtu.be/jbTzggahK9w


Suddenly it doesn't work any more and it's all sold off as scrap because, some train conductor passing through the desert might get a glint if sun reflected in his eyes or some BS.

[yellow88fiero]

I am posting another thread with all the pictures. If anyone has questions please follow up there.