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

Because a steam turbine is more efficient. 

Most places (most notably gas turbine power plants) that have so much potent exhaust heat use it to power a steam turbine. The exhaust heat of a steam turbine is is too cool to effectively run a Stirling engine.