MD

Morris Dovey

05/04/2009 12:36 PM

[OT] Fluidyne (and solar powered!) Engines


I've been taking "stirring" lessons here. :)

Anyway it appears to be paying off... I added photos of fluidyne engine
work from folks aound the world to my web site and, because a few of the
folks here have shown some interest, I thought I'd post a "heads-up".

The second engine by Simon Popy (France) even incorporates a bit of
woodworking. :)

http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/Projects/Stirling/Elsewhere/

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/


This topic has 9 replies

MD

Morris Dovey

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 2:53 PM

Han wrote:
> Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote in

> I have been wondering whether there would be a way to recover any heat
> from the exhaust/flue from my heating system and distribute it throughout
> my basement. Here in Jersey, my basement does not ever get really cold,
> but it does get cool in winter. Just when the furnace works hardest, the
> basement is coldest. Would a fluidyne engine be able to take heat from
> the flue, power a fan to blow the air over the flue pipe, and use the
> cold around the floor and behind the cupboard against the wall for a cold
> spot for the engine?

Unless you have an old and really inefficient heating system, there
probably is not any safe and practical way. If you can remove enough
heat from the flue gasses to power a fluidyne, then you really do need a
heating system upgrade.

And if you did remove enough heat to power the fluidyne, then the cooled
gasses probably wouldn't go up the flue. :(

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

MD

Morris Dovey

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 3:01 PM

-MIKE- wrote:

> I would like to see someone come up with an effective/efficient heat
> transfer unit for capturing what the clothes dryer pumps outside.

Those heat exchangers are on the market - but I think the payback period
might be between "long" and "never".

> Seems to me, any technique used to remove all the moisture from the air
> would nullify any energy savings, no?

The heat exchanger extracts the heat from the dryer exhaust and
transfers it to the incoming replacement air. The damp (cooled) air is
vented outside. I'm not sure what the efficiencies are, but I believe
that the (already in use) dryer blower does all the work.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

MD

Morris Dovey

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 3:41 PM

-MIKE- wrote:
> Morris Dovey wrote:
>>> Seems to me, any technique used to remove all the moisture from the air
>>> would nullify any energy savings, no?
>>
>> The heat exchanger extracts the heat from the dryer exhaust and
>> transfers it to the incoming replacement air. The damp (cooled) air is
>> vented outside. I'm not sure what the efficiencies are, but I believe
>> that the (already in use) dryer blower does all the work.
>>
>
> So it must do it without the air actually mixing?
> Or do the physics of it all dictate that the moisture will stay with the
> cool air?

You were right on the first guess. I'd be willing to bet that you could
build your own without too much dificulty.

I DAGS on dryer+"heat exchanger" and got 387,000 hits. :)

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

MD

Morris Dovey

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 9:08 PM

Robatoy wrote:
> On Apr 5, 3:53 pm, Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Han wrote:
>>> Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote in
>>> I have been wondering whether there would be a way to recover any heat
>>> from the exhaust/flue from my heating system and distribute it throughout
>>> my basement. Here in Jersey, my basement does not ever get really cold,
>>> but it does get cool in winter. Just when the furnace works hardest, the
>>> basement is coldest. Would a fluidyne engine be able to take heat from
>>> the flue, power a fan to blow the air over the flue pipe, and use the
>>> cold around the floor and behind the cupboard against the wall for a cold
>>> spot for the engine?
>> Unless you have an old and really inefficient heating system, there
>> probably is not any safe and practical way. If you can remove enough
>> heat from the flue gasses to power a fluidyne, then you really do need a
>> heating system upgrade.
>>
>> And if you did remove enough heat to power the fluidyne, then the cooled
>> gasses probably wouldn't go up the flue. :(
>
> A draught can be established without a temperature differential.

Umm - yes. What, in particular, do you have in mind?

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

Hn

Han

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 6:43 PM

Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> I've been taking "stirring" lessons here. :)
>
> Anyway it appears to be paying off... I added photos of fluidyne
> engine work from folks aound the world to my web site and, because a
> few of the folks here have shown some interest, I thought I'd post a
> "heads-up".
>
> The second engine by Simon Popy (France) even incorporates a bit of
> woodworking. :)
>
> http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/Projects/Stirling/Elsewhere/

Thanks, Morris!

I have been wondering whether there would be a way to recover any heat
from the exhaust/flue from my heating system and distribute it throughout
my basement. Here in Jersey, my basement does not ever get really cold,
but it does get cool in winter. Just when the furnace works hardest, the
basement is coldest. Would a fluidyne engine be able to take heat from
the flue, power a fan to blow the air over the flue pipe, and use the
cold around the floor and behind the cupboard against the wall for a cold
spot for the engine?

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Hn

Han

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 9:47 PM

Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Han wrote:
>> Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote in
>
>> I have been wondering whether there would be a way to recover any
>> heat from the exhaust/flue from my heating system and distribute it
>> throughout my basement. Here in Jersey, my basement does not ever
>> get really cold, but it does get cool in winter. Just when the
>> furnace works hardest, the basement is coldest. Would a fluidyne
>> engine be able to take heat from the flue, power a fan to blow the
>> air over the flue pipe, and use the cold around the floor and behind
>> the cupboard against the wall for a cold spot for the engine?
>
> Unless you have an old and really inefficient heating system, there
> probably is not any safe and practical way. If you can remove enough
> heat from the flue gasses to power a fluidyne, then you really do need
> a heating system upgrade.
>
> And if you did remove enough heat to power the fluidyne, then the
> cooled gasses probably wouldn't go up the flue. :(
>
OK, not enough heat to worry about then. We had the furnace replaced
about 8 years ago with a new natural gas unit heating hot water
baseboard. The house is much more livable and has a more constant
temperature than with the old noisy steam unit that needed all that
attention.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

RC

Robatoy

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 6:21 PM

On Apr 5, 3:53=A0pm, Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote:
> Han wrote:
> > Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote in
> > I have been wondering whether there would be a way to recover any heat
> > from the exhaust/flue from my heating system and distribute it througho=
ut
> > my basement. =A0Here in Jersey, my basement does not ever get really co=
ld,
> > but it does get cool in winter. =A0Just when the furnace works hardest,=
the
> > basement is coldest. =A0Would a fluidyne engine be able to take heat fr=
om
> > the flue, power a fan to blow the air over the flue pipe, and use the
> > cold around the floor and behind the cupboard against the wall for a co=
ld
> > spot for the engine?
>
> Unless you have an old and really inefficient heating system, there
> probably is not any safe and practical way. If you can remove enough
> heat from the flue gasses to power a fluidyne, then you really do need a
> heating system upgrade.
>
> And if you did remove enough heat to power the fluidyne, then the cooled
> gasses probably wouldn't go up the flue. :(
>
> --
> Morris Dovey
> DeSoto Solar
> DeSoto, Iowa USAhttp://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

A draught can be established without a temperature differential.

Mm

-MIKE-

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 2:32 PM

Han wrote:
> I have been wondering whether there would be a way to recover any heat
> from the exhaust/flue from my heating system and distribute it throughout
> my basement. Here in Jersey, my basement does not ever get really cold,
> but it does get cool in winter. Just when the furnace works hardest, the
> basement is coldest. Would a fluidyne engine be able to take heat from
> the flue, power a fan to blow the air over the flue pipe, and use the
> cold around the floor and behind the cupboard against the wall for a cold
> spot for the engine?
>

I would like to see someone come up with an effective/efficient heat
transfer unit for capturing what the clothes dryer pumps outside.

Seems to me, any technique used to remove all the moisture from the air
would nullify any energy savings, no?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Mm

-MIKE-

in reply to Morris Dovey on 05/04/2009 12:36 PM

05/04/2009 3:05 PM

Morris Dovey wrote:
>> Seems to me, any technique used to remove all the moisture from the air
>> would nullify any energy savings, no?
>
> The heat exchanger extracts the heat from the dryer exhaust and
> transfers it to the incoming replacement air. The damp (cooled) air is
> vented outside. I'm not sure what the efficiencies are, but I believe
> that the (already in use) dryer blower does all the work.
>

So it must do it without the air actually mixing?
Or do the physics of it all dictate that the moisture will stay with the
cool air?


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply


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