Frederick Sparber wrote:
FWIW, from the peanut gallery there has yet to
be an affordable Stirling Engine that will compete
with a comparable-sized Steam (Vapor Powered) Engine.
It's been a while since I looked up Stirling engines but IIRC they're
not available from a lot of companies -- just one, maybe? -- and cost a
lot. So your statement doesn't surprise me.
That is why I suggested going to (In the words of
Kyle McCallister) going to a F...ing used Scroll compressor
off an automotive air conditioner and using it as
a one moving-part-rotary-closed cycle-Expander Engine, Steam (or
Propane Vapor) heated from Any Heat Source,
like a pot on top of the stove or a heat exchanger
in the chimney, solar-warm-water, wood chips, or whatever
will burn.
And part of the reason I didn't respond initially is that the most
intelligent thing I could think of to say, to start with, was "WTF is a
scroll compressor?" which didn't sound very intelligent.
So I've googled scroll compressors, now I'm slightly less ignorant --
but the idea of rigging up my own propane cycle heat engine to drive a
generator leaves me feeling kind of boggled and, since you clearly made
the suggestion as a serious proposal which, presumably, any competent
individual should be able to do, well ... anyhow by that standard I
don't feel terribly competent.
So here I am whining "That's too h-a-a-a-r-d, Fred!" which I didn't want
to do which is one reason I didn't reply right off......
I thought Stephen was serious about emergency back-up
out in the Ontario woods.
I _am_ serious about it.
I've just been bad about responding.
Again, I'm sorry about the silence!
Having spent my early childhood in the great depression era,
a 30 watt light bulb and running water was stuff we dreamed of.
After WW II "prosperity" it took me a long time to get used to taking a crap
in the house.
It's too cold to do that in the woods up here in the winter.
We're vegans, so we do a lot of it, too -- not like folks on the Atkins
diet who only need to run to the outhouse about once a week.
Fred
