> for a Stirling engine, a few percent would be considered excellent efficiency.
Wikipedia says "Stirling engines have a high efficiency compared to internal combustion engines, being able to reach 50% efficiency," which seems to contradict that. What's the discrepancy?
Yeah, even thermoelectric piles (Peltier effect devices) can easily get ~~double digit efficiencies. Not sure what that guy is talking about~~.
Thermoelectric piles are basically the worst form of generating electric power with heat (it has 0 moving parts, so it's used in various places), and it's still not that bad.
edit: Never mind, apparently they are worse than what I thought they were, at 5~8%. But they are still the least efficient way to turn heat into electricity, and yet they can achieve what that guy said.
Wikipedia says "Stirling engines have a high efficiency compared to internal combustion engines, being able to reach 50% efficiency," which seems to contradict that. What's the discrepancy?