Updates..finally

A lot has happened over the last many days, and i apologize to my virtually non-existent readers for the gap.I shall summerise the main points here:

• Personally I have shifted gear into making large/useful Stirling engines, i.e. i have stopped making small engines for demonstration purposes. I am directing 2 student groups on different ideas:
• 4 BTech students are working to develop a low cost alpha engine using radical new piston concept.
• A group of 2 students are working on a concept of mine which i think would work and if it does would openup many possibilites.
•  I have made a great friend in Mr. Chandu of Bangalore, who has been instrumental in bringing together many passionate individuals, industrialists, researchers like me so that eventually we come up with an engine for rural india.
• Another important member of the aforesaid team is Mr. Shrinivas Athaley of Walchand Technology Center, Pune, who has done immense background study of the Stirling technology, and its market and business potential in India.

Latest News of Stirling engines in India

1. I have verified that there are four Infinia 3KWe Solar Stirling engines installed and being tested at Solar Energy Center, New Delhi. Will be visiting them soon.
2. Mr. Sunderaj of Hyderabad is developing 100 and 200W solar stirling engines. you can checkout his youtube videos...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y60Pvuc2IzI
3. Dalmia Cement is setting up a 10 MW Solar Thermal Power plant in Rajasthan and the thing to talk about is, that the 10MW is actually a combination of around 3340 Infinia 3KWe(AC) Solar Stirling (ISS) engines!!!!!
4. And a small developement...im building a free piston stirling engine (FPSE), and please checkout my youtube channel for the latest Stirling engine fan from Jugaad Works!

The Stirling People in India+rest of SE.Asia

I am really interested in knowing who is doing what in the field of Stirling engines in India and SEAsia. But i have found scattered info online. Ill try to list what i know of.

1. IIT Powai has been doing consistant work, since i see so many reports, but can anyone elaborate on the status of the project, if there are engines being actually made and if so, the target performace and existing achievements?
2. Appropriate Rural Technology Institute, Pune (www.arti-india.org): The DST funded project (2007-2008) was to explore the possibility of using Stirling engines to harness the heat of waste flue gases, originating from rural firewood cookstoves and convert into electricity for lighting LED lamps. This 1.25 year project produced many cheap engines, some costing only Rs. 200, but of no usable power. The project needed a minimum of 3W mechanical power engine, but the max reached was 0.05W.  This is how i came into the world of Stirling engines, i designed the engines for ARTI as Res.Associate. I enjoyed every bit of it, but DST didn't for obvious reasons.
3. Fractal Foundation, Chennai, (www.fractal.in): They were working on developing a 1KWe Stirling engines. I was involved but am no more.
4. IIT Madras: Some students i know were into developing Stirling engines, but im not sure of the status.
5. VIT, Vellore: Does anybody know more about the 10KWe Stirling engine at VIT ? As to my knowledge its an imported engine from Germany, SOLO is the name i guess, and its heated by a solar dish built at the VIT.
6. Stirling Dynamics had a factory in Chennai where around 50 ST-5s were produced. These fascinating engines were then bought by Govt. of India depts, where they are rotting and nobody knows where they can be found.
7. I know of two such ST-5 engines, both at Auroville, Pondicherry near Chennai. One is used by a Stirling enthuziast, Mr. Jhonny. He uses it to grind rice flour for making 'Dosas'. He says he got the engine 18 years back from the govt as gift(i dont know how), and hasnt opened it up, no maintenance! this is amazing feet..Another engine is lying around, getting rusted. I could have stolen it but its too heavy and big to steal :(

The above are some of the 'big' and interesting stuff i know of.  There are others, hobbyists, etc:

1. Mohamad Iqbal:Based in Nagpur this guy is a genius! http://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/ahmed.htm
2. Madhav Choudhary of SWEE Technologies, Pune
3. Many on Orkut, and other groups. i would love if they add their own comments and work here.
4. I myself practice a lot of Striling engines for fun and to earn.

This list is just a small scratch of the Stirling people and organizations in India and the order in which they are listed is totally random. Dear readers please let me know of more such groups if you knew them, so we can get the above list completed.

Why this Blog?

Im a Stirling engine buff. I design, build and promote Stirling engines. I have seen many entries online about people who want to build engines for projects, manufacture them for the commercial market, etc etc. I dont have the money to build a dedicated site for Stirling engines of India but i can do a blog!

I think there is a lot of interest in these apparently simple engines and i personally feel its just a matter of time when these will be viable and competitive in the market, as power generators. These engines are popular amongst hobbyists, and engineering project seekers.

This blog is for the Stirling engines enthusiasts of this part of the world, all are welcome to interact, exchange, generate business, help, and enjoy :)