Members Top Picks

[Wellington]

Hello, can some of the more experienced members give me some pointers to what they concider to be the top performing sterling engines they have seen to date. A top five of the crème de le crem projects found on the net would be good. so many engines, so many tin cans, so little time to find the good stuff. Also designs known to not work too well so I can save myself some sweat and tears would be helpful.

Thanks

.Wellington.

[Crazyguy]

I'm no expert. But I love derwoods large thermal lag/pulse engine.

[Wellington]

Yep, that's a cool project. I had the same idea only smaller. unusual choice of location for output heat. I'm guessing he put it there because the main riser tube inside the rocket stove was just too hot for a sterling engine especially a beast that size.
Wellington.

[Ian S C]

I was able to see first hand the Whispergen, developed in Christchurch New Zealand as a power supply and central heating system for domestic use, a 1Kw power, and 5 Kw heating system in a cabinet about 450 mm x 500 mm x650 mm(wxdxh).
Ian S C

[Wellington]

The whispergen seems to be a top of the range machine similer to the stirlings NASA are experimenting with. Its a shame the company decided to take their basic engine and turn it into something similer to the complex combi boilers with lots of bells and whistles. Would have been a great product had they stuck with low tech simplicity but now i read they are bankrupt but may be starting up again in spain. Rocket stoves are a natural complement for stirling engines but only the rocket stoves with lots of thermal mass. The latest invention of the smaller "pocket rocket" stove with little/no thermal mass in my opinion is like having a farrari without a farrari engine. The whole point of a rocket mass heater is the efficiency you get from lots of thermal mass. Seems to be numerous youtube stirling/rocket stove projects developing.

[Ian S C]

About 6 or 7 years ago Whispergen move production to Spain, retaining development and research in New Zealand, but five years ago we had a major earthquake here in Christchurch which finished off the NZ end of things, the workshops etc are now just a bit of flat bare land, the building was owned by a local power company. To get a bit more of the story, have a look at Peter Lynn's web site:
www.peterlynnhimself.com/Stirlng_Engines_Damn Them.php
Ian S C

[Wellington]

About 6 or 7 years ago Whispergen move production to Spain, retaining development and research in New Zealand, but five years ago we had a major earthquake here in Christchurch which finished off the NZ end of things, the workshops etc are now just a bit of flat bare land, the building was owned by a local power company. To get a bit more of the story, have a look at Peter Lynn's web site:
www.peterlynnhimself.com/Stirlng_Engines_Damn Them.php
Ian S C

Just goes to show that owning a stirling engine wont always help in a disaster scenario :(
Do you know if the whispergen was an thermal acoustic engine?
.Wellington.

[Ian S C]

No it was a 4 cylinder ALPHA motor, with a drive similar to a swash plate, therefore no crankshaft.
Ian S C