Making a Solar Engine: Cheap & Simple

[chiel]

Hi people i have made a solar engine. It cheap , simple to make ,everyone can make one and it generates motion out of sunlight. I don't have electricity yet but that is also possible to make
Look at video google search for the device
or link to
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6257236920067550362

 

[chiel]

bigger flat plate collector

ps. the flat plate collector can be made bigger, maybe much bigger

 

[brewnog]

Nice. Haven't you just built that from a kit?

 

[chiel]

yes and no

The stirling engine i bought , the collector i made from materials from he praxis
Chiel Abrahamms

 

[chroot]

chiel,

Stop with the "comment please" bump posts. They're useless. We already know you want comments -- that's why you posted this thread.

- Warren

 

[chiel]

sorry

 

[chiel]

Ok witth a stirling generator this generate cuurent right, usefull current ? Can it be stored in an accu ?

 

[chiel]

and the waste heat can be stored in water or rocks for low temperature floor heating at night

 

[russ_watters]

Sure. Solar collectors for heating applications are very common. For running a thermo cycle they are less common, but that method of solar power is probably the most promising for cost/efficiency reasons.

 

[OmCheeto]

Ok witth a stirling generator this generate cuurent right, usefull current ? Can it be stored in an accu ?

You should hook up an electrical generator and determine the power output of the engine.
Sterlings seem to be an interesting idea as far as engines designed to extract waste heat. I was considering using them to extract the energy from my attic in the summer, but I've had a dreadful time finding out their actual thermal to mechanical energy efficiency. I'm hesitant to invest the time in a 128 cylinder beer can version until I know it's going to put out more than a nanowatt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHdgkILt02Q&feature=related

I suspect you might get more power out of a peltier device.
http://www.hizook.com/blog/2007/03/12/thermo-electric-generator-for-energy-scavenging
But my jury is still out on this.

 

[chiel]

i think with a 5 dollar heat chip from power chips place or eneco this solar engine can be very very cheap . This chip is stiill in development though

 

[chiel]

ok maybe you people can help me on this and give soem advice. Can i generate a current out of out by magnetic induction( maye this is the wrong name ). I am planning to use 2 magnetic strips cut out from a floppy disk and put it on the wheel, then place a metal wire horizontal in front of the wheel and connect a multi meter to it to measure it. A very simple experiment. Is it theoretically possible a current will flow through the wire ?
Regards Chiel

 

[chiel]

maybe the bubble pack plastic can be made of waste plastic

 

[russ_watters]

I'm not sure what you think a floppy disk is, but it is essentially just a plastic sheet. You won't measure any voltage (between what, I'm not sure, but still...).

 

[OmCheeto]

ok maybe you people can help me on this and give soem advice. Can i generate a current out of out by magnetic induction( maye this is the wrong name ). I am planning to use 2 magnetic strips cut out from a floppy disk and put it on the wheel, then place a metal wire horizontal in front of the wheel and connect a multi meter to it to measure it. A very simple experiment. Is it theoretically possible a current will flow through the wire ?
Regards Chiel

The magnets in floppy disks are microscopic and you'd probably not get any current output unless you used microscopic wires. I would chop up refrigerator magnets instead.

 

[NoTime]

The flexible fridge magnets that you can cut have distributed magnetic poles.
Try sticking two together, they won't repel each other.
While the magnetic domains are larger in the flexible fridge magnet than in a floppy disk neither will generate a voltage in a straight piece of wire, because the effect of one domain will cancel another.

Probably the best thing is to see if your device will turn a small dc motor (doubt it).
If not, then some small disk magnets stuck to the rim passing close to a coil of wire (not just a straight wire) should give a measurable reading on something like a galvanometer.

 

[chiel]

Maybe this thing can produce hydrogen by electrolysis. Is that possible with little power. If so then with the hydrogen you can power power a fuel cell. Lots of waste heat though.
Chiel

 

[chiel]

On a galvanameter.. Will it not give reading on a multimeter. I only have one of those
Chiel

 

[chiel]

by the way, is this a better way to generate motion out of sunlight than parabolic concentrators ?

 

[NoTime]

1) It takes a lot of power to make a meaningful amount of hydrogen from electrolysis.
2) Perhaps. Might depend on your digital multimeter. The coil setup would be ac while the small motor would be dc.
3) Parabolic concentrators are one way. Solar cells come to mind. Better or worse depends on what you hope to accomplish.

 

[chiel]

Ciost and efficiency is my aim the ratio must be optimal (enough to pay no energy bill anymore soon as possible with as little investment as possible) and it must be clean and renewable

 

[chiel]

Since i thought parabolic dishes are (relatively) expensive and difficult to make

 

[russ_watters]

You can use a circular cross section instead of a parabolic one. Easier to make and not much difference in performance.

 

[russ_watters]

Ciost and efficiency is my aim the ratio must be optimal (enough to pay no energy bill anymore soon as possible with as little investment as possible) and it must be clean and renewable

Good luck - if you figure this one out, you'll become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.