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Piwoslaw · 07-02-10, 04:44 AM

People already make DIY home-scale cogeneration projects with an old IC engine running on anything from veggie oil to gassified wood. But the problem with an IC engine is that, well, it's internal combustion. This means that

It's complicated,
There is a lot of stress on the parts,
The fuel must be very clean so nothing deposits inside the engine.

Using a stirling engine is much simpler and allows the combustion to happen externally. There is a discussion on exhaust heat recovery using steam power over at EcoModder.com, which has steered towards stirling engines.

I found a natural gas fired prototype home cogeneration unit:
De Dietrich Remeha – Das Unternehmen
Google translation from German
Kocioł 2w1 - ogrzewanie i równoczesne wytwarzanie prądu
Google translation from Polish

This is a nat gas condensing furnace (107% efficiency) with a stirling engine running a 1kW generator. Producing 1kW of electricity also produces 5kW of heat energy, with the option for more heat if needed. It was supposed to be on sale here in 2010, for about 15,000 €, but I haven't found it anywhere.

07-02-10, 04:44 AM	#5
Piwoslaw Super Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 961 Thanks: 188 Thanked 110 Times in 86 Posts	People already make DIY home-scale cogeneration projects with an old IC engine running on anything from veggie oil to gassified wood. But the problem with an IC engine is that, well, it's internal combustion. This means that It's complicated, There is a lot of stress on the parts, The fuel must be very clean so nothing deposits inside the engine. Using a stirling engine is much simpler and allows the combustion to happen externally. There is a discussion on exhaust heat recovery using steam power over at EcoModder.com, which has steered towards stirling engines. I found a natural gas fired prototype home cogeneration unit: De Dietrich Remeha – Das Unternehmen Google translation from German Kocioł 2w1 - ogrzewanie i równoczesne wytwarzanie prądu Google translation from Polish This is a nat gas condensing furnace (107% efficiency) with a stirling engine running a 1kW generator. Producing 1kW of electricity also produces 5kW of heat energy, with the option for more heat if needed. It was supposed to be on sale here in 2010, for about 15,000 €, but I haven't found it anywhere. Last edited by Piwoslaw; 07-02-10 at 04:47 AM..