25-10-2014, 09:40 AM
Abstracts: This project was set out to explore the practicality of power production from a Hybrid Stirling engine. This would include research, design and fabrication. “Hybrid” in this sense means that, unlike conventional Stirling engines that are designed with one mode of heating in mind, our engine model would run on different sources of sufficient external heat to generate the desired motion. In carrying out this project, we were focused on creating an engine model that could utilize heat from biomass, as well as take a “green turn” and take advantage of solar heat by use of solar concentrators. Our target beneficiaries would be people’s living in the marginalized areas with little hope of getting access to electricity. Seeing as these people use biomass for their ordinary energy needs, the success of this project would afford these people a chance to have sustainable subsistent power in their homes. In a nutshell, the aims of this project include the following: • Research on working principle of Stirling engines • Design of a Stirling engine that could be easily fabricated for small scale subsistence use • Fabrication of a prototype Stirling engine and assess its performance • Give a recommendation from the findings and a way forward