Is it possible to make a 10 Watt Stirling engine to put on top a tent stove, under 4 lbs, no need to care efficiency

[tentstovenerd]

While I am doing portable wood tent stove, I am thinking to add thermoelectric power generator to charge mobile phone.
Most TEG modules can withstand only 200C or 400F.
and TEG efficiency is very low.
a 10 Watt PEG will be heavy bulky and pricy.
I just find this great site.
Can it possible to make Stirling engine 10 watt, keep weight under 4 lbs. fast mount/dismount for easy carrying.
The wood tent stove shall be burning all night, say 8 hours.
surface temp. shall be 200 to 300 C or 400 F to 570F.
Efficiency is not important, anyhow the heat will be released inside the tent.

I read this site and google for a few days.
I do not find small stirling engine in real use except stove fan.
But I do not know watt of a stove fan.

Is there any 10 Watt class Stirling engine in real use.

Thanks you all

[tentstovenerd]

the cylinder can be as big as 8" inches in diameter.

[Ian S C]

I would strongly suggest the TMG, Thermo-Mechanical generator, it was developed by the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell England, I think in the 1950/60s. This "motor" has no crankshaft, it has a displacer, suspended on a flat spring, and a metal diaphragm to which is attached a magnet that is mounted next to a suitable coil, and as the diaphragm and magnet vibrate the generate an alternating current. The hot end could be made from a stainless steel cooking pot, and if you are lucky you might find another pot 3 mm/ 5 mm (1/8"/ 3/16") smaller in diameter that you can make the displacer from.
Ian S C
ps If you can view Utube, enter TMG, there were some good video clips of a TMG on that, with enough information for building one.

[tentstovenerd]

THANKS a lot.
I am chinese in Beijing,China.
I am sure that I can find any part needed. (But I am not certain the quality! Basically I can get what I paid for)
If anyone can give me a detailed drawing of 5 to 10 Watt engine, if I finally success in making it, I will give back 5 units as return.
If I success, I must buy ad. here to sell. You will know whether I success or not.
Again heat source is top of wood stove, temp. 200-300C or up to 550F.
Weight limit under 4lbs.

[tentstovenerd]

Ok I watched youtube, TMG seems even worse.
far from practical application

[tentstovenerd]

I find many Stirling engine stove fans on eBay.
usually weight is 1 Kg or 2 lbs. It is acceptable.
But I do not know its output. if 5Watt, it is acceptable.
I wonder any possibility to upgrade these stove fan for bigger output.
say big diameter of hot cylinder, heat insulator around the cylinder,
copper/aluminum with fins of top cold end.
high temp. foam rubber as displacer other than alunimum.

[Ian S C]

Foam rubber is not going to work as a displacer, Thin walled stainless steel is best, ordinary steel can be used, but not as good.
I'm a slow learner, here are two aluminium displacers from the same motor, the heating was LPG, and the hot cap was running at a dull red heat.
Ian S C

DSC01133 (800x600).jpg (170.21 KiB) Viewed 8091 times

[tentstovenerd]

Considering efficiency Stirling can never beat inner combustion.
Stirling must be good only for emergency or off grid or remote poor area.
SO LPG is good only for a toy or demonstration.
Stirling must relays on wood burning.
Heat insulating foam rubber can withstand 280C.
In China I can also easily make a thin wall stainless steel displacer

[burnit0017]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/atd5IiD_auk[/youtube]

this project may help

[Crazyguy]

Good thing I read this topic. I made an aluminum can displacer to put into my engine, I'm on my way to trash it rght now. Looking for steel.