Scientists from China have achieved a breakthrough in engine development: They have developed a so-called thermoacoustic Stirling engine. It is said to be extremely quiet and practically wear-free. The technology behind it has been known for some time. However, the new development is probably significantly more powerful than all previous engines of this type. And this could mean major progress for space travel and military technology.
Watch this video to find out what the thermoacoustic Stirling engine is all about, why it could be the future of space travel and why Stirling engines have not yet caught on!
This video was made by my editorial team. Responsible from the editorial team: Lukas Laroche, Florian Krupka, Jacob Beautemps; Editing: Neo Sanjuan Thiele, Aron Kamenz
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:43 Stirling engine background
01:27 How a Stirling engine works
02:43 How a thermoacoustic Stirling engine works
05:58 Applications
07:14 The big problem
08:29 Conclusion
Sources:
Source 1:
https://www.spektrum.de/lexikon/physik/stirling-motor/13887
Source 2:
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/21/7009
Source 3:
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3240924/chinese-scientists-bring-record-breaking-stirling-generator-life-while-nasas-patent-stays-paper
Source 5:
https://www.nature.com/articles/20624
Source 6:
https://futurezone.at/science/china-antrieb-u-boot-leise-stirling-motor-generator-atom-raumschiff-nuklear-thermoakustik/402669715
Source 7:
https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/zweirad/fahrrad-ebike-pedelec/kauf-ausruestung/fahrrad-reifendruck/
Source 8:
https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LEW-TOPS-80
Source 9:
https://academic.oup.com/ijlct/article/11/2/141/2198425
Source 10:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/er.4533
Source 11:
https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/science-and-technology/stirling-engine/
Source 12:
https://www.chemie.de/lexikon/Geschichte_des_Stirlingmotors.html
Source 13:
https://www.chemie.de/lexikon/Stirlingmotor.html
Source 14:
https://sciperspective.com/files/sciperspective/fcda8b41-571f-4328-8f45-b92844af50db.pdf
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