Please Wait

Sunwash

Sunwash is an engine that drives nothing but itself. It consists mainly of liquid and air. The fuel is sunlight, directly turned into mechanic energy. Almost a ton of Silicone oil rythmically sways up and down, giving the impression of an enormous potential of energy, just idly playing with itself. There are no moving mechanical parts in the installation - only the solar collector shows that heat is the main player in this game.
Hundred years ago the Stirling Engine was a well known technology: it was widly deployed in the 19th and 20th century, even on an industrial scale and was developed to suit many applications. The Stirling engine is slightly less efficient compared to a petrol engine, yet it´s great advantage is that it can run at low temperatures using solar power.
As soon as the collector heats the air above the heat exchanger inside the glass casing, the air pressure will rise. The water level starts to gently sway up and down. The air pressure pushes the liquid in the semicircular `displacer´ chamber into the outer glasstube, the `working column`. The swingback caused by gravity eventually turns into a constant slow oscillating force, growing more and more powerful : the gentle sway inside the sculpture creates a feeling of a very slow down beat rythm, generated by nature.