Archive for the ‘Thermodynamics’ Category

Engine 3F Efficiency Analysis part 4

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Rev 1: See details at bottom. Let me summarize what has been covered and what remains in this efficiency analysis: Component Power percentage of total power Efficiency analysis Heat lost directly to the environment 40.3w 58.4% Part 1 ...

Engine 3F Efficiency Analysis part 2

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

Continuing with the analysis of where the input power (heat) to the engine goes, the next item to consider is the conduction loss often referred to as thermal shorting. Conduction losses A Stirling engine of gamma configuration, such as the one being considered, uses a displacer to shuttle ...

The Stirling Cycle—Ideal and Practical

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

  Click on photo to enlarge   The above diagram of the ideal Stirling cycle shows how a displacer-type engine (gamma configuration) would implement the cycle. Note that the displacer and power piston operate independently. During the expansion and compression phases the power piston moves and the displacer is stationary. During the heating ...

Solar Heat

Thursday, February 7th, 2008

Solar Power—Radiation from the sun received on Earth Here is some basic information for those interested in converting solar radiation into power. At the average earth-sun distance of 92.9 million miles the solar radiation intensity is: 435 BTU/(ft2-hr) or 1370 watts/meter2.   After going through the atmosphere and reaching the ground the values drop ...

How much heat to raise the temperature?

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

Everyone knows it takes heat to raise the temperature of something, whether it’s the air in your house or a kettle on the stove. If you want to design heat engines or use solar power to elevate the temperature of something, it helps if you can determine how much heat ...