Self Powered Diesel Heater Using a Stirling Engine? - Part 1 - The Plan

Finally managed to get a Baxi Ecogen to recover the sterling engine. Now how best to proceed? Thoughts?

[@maranmarantakeiteazie]

gas burn chamber looks good for future project for heating water using oil.

[@daveparf]

This is going to be an interesting series, i can’t wait to see it stripped down, good luck!

[@maranmarantakeiteazie]

cutting edge! love it and can't wait as this progresses - many thanks!

[@chrisferrell6159]

I can't wait for the next video on this thing.

[@rogerbartlet5720]

I believe this should be able to run open-circuit if its certified in the EU or US (UL or CE). That's usually in the install/users guide or stamped on the electronics assembly. Good luck, hope to see it work.

[@twocvbloke]

I vaguely recall hearing something about these things many years ago, but obviously they never caught on, because modern condensing boilers are efficient enough that there's (technically) very little in the way of "waste heat", but it'll be fun to see this thing being torn down to see how to re-use the generator part... :D If only it were another brand though, the name 'Baxi' makes my eye twitch from the annual diverter valve cartridge replacement in our Potterton (sub-brand of theirs) boiler, I hate that thing with a passion!!!

[@bonitaboy4941]

Will the hot side work off exhaust gas heat?? Belting project David, this is what makes you tick 👌

[@TheBaconWizard]

VERY much looking forward to this!

[@Simon_Rafferty]

Interesting! The million dollar question (for me) is - how big a temperature difference does it need to operate? Depending on the answer, there are some alternative, possibly better, applications than a self powered heater. One is using water to cool your solar panels (which increases their ifficiency). Could you generate some power from the heat removed? My solar panels heat my hot water when the battery is full. (Then it feeds in to the grid, but I prefer to keep it!) I wonder if it would be viable use the stirling engine to make a thermo-electric battery? Heat up something like sand using excess solar then have the option of using the heat energy directly or convert some to electricity.

[@WiLLiAMOnline]

Be nice if it can power the 2amp or so draw as the diesel heater runs - interesting!

[@daviddavids2884]

btw, any reciprocating engine Should have a crankshaft and flywheel assembly.! because, doing so results in SMOOTH rotary output motion. a rotary alternator is more efficient than a linear one of similar size.

[@daviddavids2884]

have fun. the engine is presumably designed to run with the hot side near 1000 c.

[@rocklover7437]

Matthew Beardmore has one on his channel

[@southerngentleman5321]

make you wonder how much energy is lost because of the spring?

[@dantronics1682]

What sort of price will you be selling that fpse for after you have finished playing with it?

[@ronaldgammon2451]

I believe you can

[@icabobcrane8984]

The diesel heater controller with 5 buttons, spanner wrench in upper left corner, does anyone know how to turn alpine mode on and off?

[@BitterCynical]

Insane price tag. Why would someone buy this thing instead of a regular water heater?

[@dwalsh3469]

Because it generates electricity from ‘waste’ heat, which appears to be the thrust of the video.

[@BitterCynical]

@@dwalsh3469 Sure the tech is cool and I'm looking forward to the other videos but with how much it cost brand new did it even ever pay for itself with that little bit of electricity generation?

[@unmountablebootvolume]

@@BitterCynical Probably not, and that's why it failed. The more profitably types of block heat plants use combustion engines, and use the waste heat to heat your house. So you are mainly generating and selling lots of power with heat as a useful byproduct, usually fully paid for by the power you sold, whereas this thing mainly generates heat, using a little bit of that to make power. As a result, it outputs maybe 1kW under full load, minus 200-300W to run the boiler, while a diesel plant could output 5-10kW at the same heat output and equipment cost. Really, the only advantage of a stirling plant is that you don't need to change the oil or flush a plugged DPF, but instead, you're screwed if the helium leaks out, which just so happens to be something helium absolutely loves to do. Also, this single-cylinder design has much more imbalance than an engine with a crankshaft, so while you can hardly hear a modern diesel unit from 2 rooms away, you'll probably hear this thing (which is essentially a jackhammer screwed to your wall) throughout the entire house. So, long story short, these things are very bad at actually making power, and are 90% regular gas boiler, just way more expensive and unreliable, and that's why almost noone bought them. Anyone who was serious about making power and heat at once went with gas or diesel engines, and everyone else was better off with a regular boiler.

[@DavidMcLuckie]

Yes, what he said. Not a lot of power for a LOT of money.

[@dantronics1682]

@@unmountablebootvolume Does a boiler really use 300w? mine must be faulty then. most houses use between 200-600w as background usage so if this thing was grid tied with a limiter to stop backfeed could be running and heating your house in the winter

[@kkrolik2106]

700 £ for 1KVA Free Piston sterling generator that is bargain, I will buy it even if someone wake me at 3am.