Troubles:
Stirling engines have many advantages
such as being quiet, clean, can run off of all sorts of heat sources,
and in some cases they can
be made out
of cheap materials. They can also be modified into a Stirling
cooler which can cool down to 10 degrees Kelvin[]. So it
leaves
one wondering
"why aren't they everywhere?" Unfortunately Stirling engines
suffer from many of same issues most other environmentally
friendly engines have.
Since most Stirling engines run off of
a relatively low temperature difference they tend to be pretty large in
size for how much power
produce.[1]
Having an external heat source means
it takes time for the engine to react to the change in heat which also
means it takes a while for
the engine to warm up to the
point that it produces useful power and it can't change that power
output quickly.[1][4]
In situations where the Stirling engine would
function well there are often cheaper routes.
Thus Stirling engines tend to be
only used when there is slow warm-up time, plentiful heating and
cooling sources, low-speed motor
with no power surges, and capable of
maintaining constant power output. So far there have been no
successful mass-market applications
of Stirling engines.[1]
Hopefully with the never-ending advances in technology we will see the
Stirling engine improved to the point it can effectively replace
our less clean fossil fuel
engines.
