SOLAR-POWERED STIRLING ENGINES - A LOW-COST POSSIBILITY FOR VILLAGE POWER, PUMPING AND COOLING

Stirling engines are heat engines that operate on a closed thermodynam ic regenerative cycle and are used as power systems, refrigerators or heat pumps. Recent developments in Stirling technology allow the use o f low temperature heat sources including flat plate solar collectors. New concepts for low-cost, low Delta T Stirling engines that may be ma de by village craftsmen using locally available materials are presente d. It is anticipated that the machines will be used for water pumping, low capacity refrigerators for food and vaccine preservation, for air conditioning and for low level electric power generation (trickle cha rging an automobile battery to illuminate a 20/40 W bulb for a few hou rs during the dark hours).