Power from wood stove?

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jonr
jonr Solar Expert Posts: 1,386 ✭✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
OK, not a solar question, but is there any practical ways to get useful power (say 50+W) from a wood stove or other high temp heat source?  Peltier devices?  Micro steam turbine?

I am available for custom hardware/firmware development

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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,003 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    I get useful power by putting wood in it and burning it....lol.

    There are ways, but practical, not in my opinion.

    http://www.ecosnippets.com/alternative-energy/wood-stove-power-a-small-home/
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
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    I've seen air circulation fans that run off the heat from the stove, but I doubt they would be 50w
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • peakbagger
    peakbagger Solar Expert Posts: 341 ✭✭✭
    #4
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    If you have an appropriate heat sink, you could gang up several peltier effect generators and get up to 50 Watts.

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  • dennis461
    dennis461 Registered Users Posts: 109 ✭✭✭
    #5
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    boil water steam turbine generator, buy the unit on e-bay for around $125.  Make a small boiler (oops, now you need a license in USA)

    Camden County, NJ, USA
    19 SW285 panels
    SE5000 inverter
    grid tied
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,439 admin
    #6
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    Be very careful with steam and boilers--Even just hot water loops in wood stoves have blown up (temperature and pressure relief valve in wrong location, valves in wrong locations, hot spots in fire box, etc.). Water heat exchangers can cause sooting/creosote buildup and cause a chimney fire or a masonry chimney to fail, etc.

    http://www.woodheat.org/heating-water-with-a-wood-stove.html

    -Bill

    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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