I read a story a bit ago about a topic that I never heard about,
$6,000,000,000 Nuclear Navy Aircraft Carrier 'Sunk' By $100,000,000 Diesel Sub, which that title is misleading. First, it was a simulation war game back in 2005. Second it is misleading because it says "Diesel", which is kind of true because that is one part of its fuel system and not its engine (or at least what I think of a Diesel). I didn't really get that until I watched a YouTube "Gotland SSK Sub Brief", its about 3 years old. Likely old news to some of you guys but its new to me.
I am often asked or hear asked, what can you actually do with a Sterling engine? Well, if you are a Swede you design a sub to kill the most protected ship in the world, a US Nuclear Aircraft Carrier! The US Navy was so impressed (concerned?) they leased the sub from the Swedes to study how they did it.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcfPOmG4V2g
IIRC Sweden has done much in the fields of Stirling development over many years.
I think Ford Motor Company worked off of some Swedish designs to develop a nearly practical, or at least powerful enough to be usable, automobile engine.
These more powerful Stirling Cycle engines rely on entirely closed systems of "exotic" gases, that work at very high pressures that are not something that could typically or easily be maintained by the average citizen out in the real world.