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re: concentrator questions & clarifications
1 may 1997
alan wrote:
>nick pine wrote:
>>
>> that might be 30-40% efficiency for the steam engine alone, not the solar
>> collection (which might be very efficient with one of pe norman saunders'
>> (us pat no. 4,129,120, expired 12/12/95) steam generator receivers.)
>
>has saunders ever actually built one of these things and had it operate
>in the 30-40% efficiency range?
i doubt he's ever built a steam engine. maybe gene townsend can give us a more
realistic efficiency estimate (the mechanical work output divided by the
difference in enthalpy between steam entering the engine and steam entering
the condenser) for a converted 5 hp briggs and stratton lawn mower engine,
using, say 150 psi steam and a 130 f condensor, and explain what superheat is
and how it helps.
>...you don't have to actually build anything in order to get a patent...
you just have to convince the examiner that it might work, except in the case
of perpetual motion machines. an issued patent conveys some assurance that the
invention is well-described and can be built and made to work "without undue
experimentation" but it doesn't say much about how practical the invention is,
whether it's efficient, economical, transportable, etc.
i suspect norman did build a small one of those solar steam generators.
nick
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