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{{Short description|Technology used in concentrated solar power stations}}
A '''solar powered stirling engine''' was patented by Roelf J. Meijer in 1987,<ref name=Meijer87>{{Citation
[[File:Dish-stirling-at-odeillo.jpg|thumb|right|10 kW Dish-Stirling system in Font-Romeu-Odeillo, France]]
| inventor-last =Meijer

| inventor-first =Roelf
A '''solar powered Stirling engine''' is a heat engine powered by a temperature gradient generated by the sun. Even though [[Stirling engine]]s can run with a small temperature gradient, it is more efficient to use [[concentrated solar power]].
| inventorlink =

| publication-date =November 24, 1987
The mechanical output can be used directly (e.g. pumps) or be used to create electricity.
| issue-date =

| title =Solar Powered Stirling Engines
== NASA ==
| country-code =
⚫
[[NASA]] patented a type of solar-powered Stirling engine on August 3, 1976. It used solar energy to pump water from a river, lake, or stream.<ref name=Fletcher76>{{cite patent|inventor-last=Fletcher|inventor-first=James C.|inventor2-last=Kirsten|inventor2-first=Charles C.|pubdate=1976-08-03|title=Solar-powered pump|country=US|number=3972651 }}</ref> The purpose of this apparatus is to “provide a low-cost, low-technology pump having particular utility in irrigation systems employed in underdeveloped arid regions of the earth…[using] the basic principles of the Stirling heat engine“.<ref name=Fletcher76 />
| description =
== Meijer ==
| patent-number =4,707,990 }}</ref>
One design was patented by Roelf J. Meijer in 1987.<ref name=Meijer87>{{cite patent|inventor1-last=Meijer|inventor1-first=Roelf J.|assign1=Stirling Thermal Motors Inc.|pubdate=1987-11-24|title=Solar-powered Stirling engine|country=US|number=4707990}}</ref>
). His invention relates a heat engine, such as a [[Stirling engine|Stirling cycle engine]], with a solar dish collector in order to produce electricity <ref name=Meijer87 /> This apparatus consists of a large dish aimed at the sun to reflect the rays into the focus point, which is located at the center of the dish. Solar energy is now collected in the form of heat to fuel a Stirling cycle engine <ref name=Meijer87 /> which operates by letting heat flow from a hot source to a cold sink in order to do work.<ref name=Moran>{{Citation
His invention combines a heat engine, such as a [[Stirling engine|Stirling cycle engine]], with a solar dish collector to produce electricity.<ref name=Meijer87 /> This apparatus consists of a large dish that concentrates solar energy to a focal point at the center of the dish. The concentrated solar energy drives a Stirling cycle engine,<ref name=Meijer87 /> which operates by letting heat flow from a hot source to a cold sink to do work.<ref name=Moran>{{Citation
| last =Moran
| last =Moran
| first =Michael
| first =Michael
| title =Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics
| title =Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics
| place =Hoboken NJ
| place =Hoboken NJ
| publisher =
| year =2011
| year =2011
| pages =72–73
| pages =72–73
⚫
}}</ref> The work output of the Stirling cycle then drives a generator to create electric power. Moreover, for optimal heat collection, Meijer’s solar-powered engine requires that the dish always point directly at the sun so no shadows are in the solar dish collector. This presented issues because, for the apparatus to have a complete range of motion, lubrication and rotational systems are necessary, and may compromise structural stability.<ref name=Meijer87 />
| language =
| url =
| isbn =
⚫
| jfm = }}</ref> The work output of the stirling cycle is then used to drive a generator and create electric power. Moreover, in Meijer’s solar powered engine, it is important that the dish be always pointed directly at the sun so that no shadows would be present in the solar dish collector and therefore optimizing heat collection. This is where he ran into some issues because in order for the apparatus to have a complete range of motion the overall structural stability would suffer as well as means for a lubrication system and proceeds to describe a means for the assembly such that the dish may always be pointed directly at the sun without compromising its stability or lubrication abilities <ref name=Meijer87 />


== Sunvention ==
A second type of solar powered stirling engine was patented by NASA on August 3, 1976 which employed the use of solar energy in order to freely pump water from a river, lake, or stream.<ref name=Fletcher76>{{Citation
⚫
Around 2010, a company called Sunvention Solar Energy created a device similar to the NASA design that they say can pump 100,000 gallons per day, purely off of solar energy and the Stirling cycle, and costing only US$1,250. This apparatus, much like the others, used a large solar dish to collect heat from the sun to create a high temperature source, and also used low temperature water from a nearby stream as its low temperature source. This provided a great temperature range, which in turn provided more power. The apparatus pumped the water into nearby crop fields, providing a “low-cost, low-technology pump having particular utility in irrigation systems employed in underdeveloped arid regions of the earth.”
| inventor-last =Fletcher
| inventor-first =James
| inventorlink =
| inventor2-last =Kirsten
| inventor2-first =Charles
| inventorlink2 =
| publication-date =August 3, 1976
| issue-date =
| title =Solar-Powered Pump
| country-code =
| description =
⚫
| patent-number =3,972,651 }}</ref> The purpose of this apparatus is to “provide a low-cost, low-technology pump having particular utility in irrigation systems employed in underdeveloped arid regions of the earth…[using] the basic principles of the Stirling heat engine <ref name=Fletcher76 />


== Comparison to Solar Panels ==
Recently, a company called Sunvention Solar Energy created a device very similar to what NASA came up with in 1976 that can pump 100,000 gallons per day purely off of solar energy and usage of the Stirling cycle costing only US$1,250 <ref name=Ardron>{{Citation
'''Solar-powered Stirling engines''' are in some situations more efficient in generating electrical energy than solar panels.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.promes.cnrs.fr/index.php?page=envirodish|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160528054708/http://www.promes.cnrs.fr/index.php?page=envirodish|archive-date = 2016-05-28|title = Envirodish - Promes}}</ref> Thermal capacity and rotating mass result in less sudden changes in output power. Experiments show the possibility of higher efficiencies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Stirlingmotor-befluegelt-Solarkraftwerke-916656.html|title = Stirlingmotor beflügelt Solarkraftwerke| date=28 January 2010 }}</ref>
| last =Ardron

| first =Mitra
'''Solar-powered Stirling engines''' are less scalable than solar panels.
| author-link =
They are also more complex than a solar-electric system.
| last2 =

| first2 =
'''Solar-powered Stirling engines''' can have a secondary heat source (e.g. Gas), allowing operation during night and when the sky is clouded.
| author2-link =

| title =Sunvention Sunpulse Water
== See also ==
| date =October 28, 2010
* [[Solar thermal energy#Dish designs]]
| url =http://www.stirling-motor.com/pdf/pg1.pdf
* [[Stirling Energy Systems]]
⚫
| accessdate =April 10, 2012 }}.</ref> This apparatus, much like the others, uses a large solar dish to collect heat from the sun creating a high temperature source and also employs the low temperature water it collects from a nearby stream as its low temperature source allowing for a great range in temperature which in turn allows for more work to be done <ref name=Ardron /> The work done in Sunvention’s apparatus is used to pump the water into nearby crop fields allowing for a “low-cost, low-technology pump having particular utility in irrigation systems employed in underdeveloped arid regions of the earth”. If this product reaches 10% of the rural villages in India alone with just one pump per year it would generate US$ 32 million per year <ref name=Ardron />
On May 10, 2011 inventor Jason Tsao of Torrance, California created an apparatus that combines a solar Stirling cycle with wind energy to power system that can provide air conditioning, refrigeration, space-heating, hot water, and electricity to a modern home.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Solar Stirling engines}}

{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Stirling engines]]
[[Category:Stirling engines]]
[[Category:Solar thermal energy]]

Latest revision as of 11:07, 29 August 2024

10 kW Dish-Stirling system in Font-Romeu-Odeillo, France

A solar powered Stirling engine is a heat engine powered by a temperature gradient generated by the sun. Even though Stirling engines can run with a small temperature gradient, it is more efficient to use concentrated solar power.

The mechanical output can be used directly (e.g. pumps) or be used to create electricity.

NASA

[edit]

NASA patented a type of solar-powered Stirling engine on August 3, 1976. It used solar energy to pump water from a river, lake, or stream.[1] The purpose of this apparatus is to “provide a low-cost, low-technology pump having particular utility in irrigation systems employed in underdeveloped arid regions of the earth…[using] the basic principles of the Stirling heat engine“.[1]

Meijer

[edit]

One design was patented by Roelf J. Meijer in 1987.[2] His invention combines a heat engine, such as a Stirling cycle engine, with a solar dish collector to produce electricity.[2] This apparatus consists of a large dish that concentrates solar energy to a focal point at the center of the dish. The concentrated solar energy drives a Stirling cycle engine,[2] which operates by letting heat flow from a hot source to a cold sink to do work.[3] The work output of the Stirling cycle then drives a generator to create electric power. Moreover, for optimal heat collection, Meijer’s solar-powered engine requires that the dish always point directly at the sun so no shadows are in the solar dish collector. This presented issues because, for the apparatus to have a complete range of motion, lubrication and rotational systems are necessary, and may compromise structural stability.[2]

Sunvention

[edit]

Around 2010, a company called Sunvention Solar Energy created a device similar to the NASA design that they say can pump 100,000 gallons per day, purely off of solar energy and the Stirling cycle, and costing only US$1,250. This apparatus, much like the others, used a large solar dish to collect heat from the sun to create a high temperature source, and also used low temperature water from a nearby stream as its low temperature source. This provided a great temperature range, which in turn provided more power. The apparatus pumped the water into nearby crop fields, providing a “low-cost, low-technology pump having particular utility in irrigation systems employed in underdeveloped arid regions of the earth.”

Comparison to Solar Panels

[edit]

Solar-powered Stirling engines are in some situations more efficient in generating electrical energy than solar panels.[4] Thermal capacity and rotating mass result in less sudden changes in output power. Experiments show the possibility of higher efficiencies.[5]

Solar-powered Stirling engines are less scalable than solar panels. They are also more complex than a solar-electric system.

Solar-powered Stirling engines can have a secondary heat source (e.g. Gas), allowing operation during night and when the sky is clouded.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b US 3972651, Fletcher, James C. & Kirsten, Charles C., "Solar-powered pump", published 1976-08-03 
  2. ^ a b c d US 4707990, Meijer, Roelf J., "Solar-powered Stirling engine", published 1987-11-24, assigned to Stirling Thermal Motors Inc. 
  3. ^ Moran, Michael (2011), Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamics, Hoboken NJ, pp. 72–73{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ "Envirodish - Promes". Archived from the original on 2016-05-28.
  5. ^ "Stirlingmotor beflügelt Solarkraftwerke". 28 January 2010.
[edit]
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