Sterling fans and other curiosities

[Ashful]

So, I need to move a little air, to get the heat out of my fireplaces, and into the room. Sure, a fan on the floor would do it, but there's no great place to put one (particularly in one of my install locations), and they just lack any sort of pinache. I've been thinking of more interesting solutions, which brought me around to the Sterling engine, of which I remember seeing a few examples in the past.

Advantages: driven by heat. it runs when the stove is warm, stops when the stove goes cold. It sits atop the stove, out of the way, won't be inadvertently kicked across the room. Major conversation piece, as most are works of art.

Disadvantages: I think most of them make a bit of a racket. Moving warm air is less efficient than moving cool air.

So, that's interesting... but maybe there's even a better option? What other heat-driven options could one purchase or assemble from kit? I play with electrons all day long, so I'd really favor mechanical (eg. Sterling) over electric (eg. TEC driven motors).

For anyone who wonders what the heck I'm talking about...

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[mfglickman]

The sterling is prettier but I've always wondered about these. There are 2 models for sale in this store.

http://store.woodstove.com/product.php?productid=16669&cat=298&page=1

 

[Holiday]

Those are electric vs mechanical

 

[begreen]

For gentle circulation I prefer the Ecofan because it's virtually silent. Sterling fans sound like little engines running. There are lots of past threads on this topic and a stovetop Sterling fan video here:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...at-sit-on-top-of-a-stove.100403/#post-1285779

 

[Ashful]

The thing that's interesting about the "Airport Extreme" I posted above is that it appears to be virtually silent, in contrast to the noisy Stirlings I have seen so often posted by others.

The TEC fans are cool, too... but these are to go atop classically styled stoves in old stone fireplaces. Something mechanical (and brass!) is in order, I think.

 

[begreen]

The ecofan's blades are brass finished. Face it, you want steam punk.

 

[Ashful]

Yep! I've actually considered rigging up a boiler for a stationary steam plant (I have one of the early post-WW2 Jensen kit), but most of these are a pissing mess to have atop a cast-iron stove.

 

[begreen]

Low temp sterling toys like the airport unit are on eBay as low as $22.99, but I think the heat from the Jotul would wear it out in seconds.

Here's the one I think you'll like.



http://www.ministeam.com/acatalog/Bohm_Stirling_Engines_and_Kits-p9.html

 

[Ashful]

Very cool!

Just thinking out loud here... I have only a passing knowledge on this stuff, but here's one possible idea.

Boiler, heated by stove, of course.
Turbine, quiet operation.
Governor, to throttle turbine steam.
Condenser, to reclaim water (don't need it pissing all over the stove, and would like to not refill every 20 minutes).

Of course, this can't be bought in complete kit form, which fails one of my original wishes.... but perhaps a good wintertime project.

 

[jharkin]

Joful you need to build a fire tube boiler with preheat driving a triple expansion engine exhausting into a sub atmospheric exhaust turbine and then recirculate via a water cooled condenser! I'll be over and help.

Just need to avoid the icebergs...

 

[Ashful]

Picked up one of those cheap low-temperature Stirlings off ebay. Will use as a study case, get some literature to read on piston sizing, etc., and possibly build a high-temperature version of my own.