DIY Oil Drum Stirling Engine (a newbi question!)

[Darkseid]

I discovered, and became fascinated by Stirling Engines around five years ago. It was around then I read somewhere of a plan to make an engine from an oil drum, as a DIY project for anyone capable of cutting and welding, and if I recall correctly, it was fueled by wood or coal (and I live in a rural setting, so wood is very easy to collect).

You won't be surprised to learn that I can't find those plans anymore. All I can get from Google are toys (aka "educational models"( and designs using high-tech materials that rule out amateurs.I can't afford the latter and thrill of watching an LED light up will soon wear off. What I'm after is something capable of driving a motorbike alternator so that when the inevitable blackouts occur, as they frequently do in the countryside, I want to have an independent supply to power a kettle, heating, TV etcetera. When you're snow-in and the power's cut off, life becomes quite unbearable for a family (and I can testify to that).

Can you help, please? The emphasis needs to be on low cost as I'm disabled and on low income.

Thank you for your time,

Darkseid

[theropod2]

Heh, i've lived off grid for 13 years, and I've pondered this subject a bunch. When you think of an unpressurized engine you are lucky to get a watt per cc. There is an old thread here about using a drum. I thought about an old 100 lb propane bottle as a displacer cylinder. Trouble is heat creep. Good luck, but be aware hurtles await.

R

[Darkseid]

Thanks. My feeling is that when you're scavenging free energy, efficiency's not a particular priority.

[Ian S C]

There was a thread a number of years ago on here, but I think it got wiped out in one of the big crashes the site has had, if its still here it might be some where in the first 8 or 9 pages, I think the builder was from Germany.
Don't put down amateurs, I'm one of them, I have a lathe, vertical milling machine, and the most exotic material I use is stainless steel, and some plastics. the main things that get machined are aluminium, and mild steel. You can't get power out of a motor that is roughly made, the important bits have got to be made carefully.
You might get the TV working, and light some lights, but leave the toaster out ( 1 KW), make your toast over the log fire that you need to keep you warm, the Stirling Engine is not the thing to run the heating, although you can use the cooling water from the motor to warm the house, a 1KW motor will provide about 5 KW of heating, about half the output of a log burner. Ian S C

[Darkseid]

Having been an amateur (including being a father) at almost everything except my former professional career, I admire and respect amateurs tremendously. Please don't think otherwise. My personal hero is Gene Amdahl, who designed and built the IBM 360 mainframe in his garage.

I'm also interested in this project purely for the enjoyment of it as well as for practical reasons, so if those plans could be resubmitted, I'd be very grateful indeed.

[jimlarsen]

Have you read the book, "How I Built a 5 HP Stirling Engine"? You can still order a copy here:

http://www.stirlingengine.com/product/h ... ngine-book

I have seen reviews of the book that indicate it isn't really plans, but there is enough in there to figure it out.

[Darkseid]

I haven't, but I'll check Amazon for a cheap, second-hand copy. Thanks!

[fullofhotair]

Look up Approtechie, on You tube. His stirling engines are quite simple and powerful for what they are. It might be a good starting point . Sometimes it isn't how much electricity you make but how you store it when you do need it.
http://youtu.be/a0ni3noZMQ4
http://youtu.be/joUCcJhBm8U

[Ian S C]

One person on a wind power site got a set of batteries from a fork lift truck, they get replaced at regular intervals, and scrapped, when I read the site he had been using them for a number of years (10 or more), and they were going as good as when he got them. For a reasonably sized power supply they would be excellent. Ian S C

[Darkseid]

Thank you both for your replies, and I'll check out the videos ASAP. This is a GOOD forum! Meanwhile, I found this: www.gobookee.org/plans-to-build-a-stirling-engine/

I have no idea if it'll be of interest, but you never know!