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Old 10-31-2002, 01:52 PM   #8
Jnadke
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Jnadke
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by don c.
(Some) Stirlings are already approaching the theoretical Carnot efficiency limit, and with innovators like Kamen pushing the issue, the limit is getting ever more approachable. I'm doubtful the Stirling will be overtaken in energy efficiency at any time in the near future.
Do you have any data to back up this claim? If Stirlings were approaching this limit, it would be a major breakthrough. I think we'd be hearing about it more.

Much of the heat thrown at the Stirling is never really used by it... it's lost into the surroundings by convection/radiation. Unless they found a way to totally isolate the heat source from the surrounding air (by something that is completely unable to conduct heat), I doubt the Stirling will approach Carnot efficiency anytime soon. I'd also like the bearings that suffer no friction (Canot efficiency = usable power). Either that or they would have to make the Stirling spin at the speed of light, so that it would use up the energy before it can escape. Because these two facts are impossible, heat will always be lost by it.


The last I heard Stirling's are only capable of being, at maximum, 50% efficient. I could be wrong, though.
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