HEATPOWER Engine

Generating electrical energy with a Stirling engine: HeatPower combines an alcohol-powered Stirling engine with a small electric generator. By using glass and plexiglass for the piston, cylinder and flywheel, a transparent design was achieved with a direct view of all moving parts. The generator, which is coupled using a belt, can be connected via a toggle switch to either the built-in light bulb or the sockets for connecting an external consumer. After igniting the included burner, the engine can be started within a few minutes by briefly pushing the flywheel and runs at a speed of approx. 1000 revolutions per minute. The electrical power generated is in the range of approx. 1.5 watts and is sufficient to operate the built-in light bulb. Alternatively, Heat Power can also be operated as a heat pump. For this purpose, the generator is used as a motor and is driven by an external DC voltage of 12 V. Depending on the polarity or direction of rotation of the motor, the displacement cylinder heats up or cools down. HeatPower impressively demonstrates the application of the Stirling process as a heat engine and heat pump.

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