Eli5, even if they are not the most efficient or powerful things, why are stirling engines not sprinkled everywhere where there is a decent amount of thermal differential? or energy to recapture, Like in power plant cooling systems or other places where there’s lots of “waste heat” as a byproduct.

Question

Eli5, even if they are not the most efficient or powerful things, why are stirling engines not sprinkled everywhere where there is a decent amount of thermal differential? or energy to recapture, Like in power plant cooling systems or other places where there’s lots of “waste heat” as a byproduct.

In: Engineering

Answer 1

It’s not about thermal efficiency, it’s about cost. Half of every engineering choice is cost. Sterling engines make low power per unit cost, and there is not market for that.