No Power Fan Runs On Heat From Stove

No Power Fan Runs On Heat From Stove ENERGY Wood Burners (65) 21-1-34 "People can't believe it when they see it for the first time. It's not plugged in, there's no visible motor powering it, and yet it turns at 400 rpm's, blowing hot air from a wood stove throughout the house like a forced-air furnace," says Art Brown, manufacturer of a first-of-its-kind "no power" fan for wood stoves that's powered by hot air. Brown worked with inventor Brendan Reilly to perfect the fan which is quiet and almost totally maintenance-free. It requires no installation. All you do is set the fan on top of a wood stove, spin the blade with your finger, and it will run as long as the heat continues. The only maintenance required is a couple drops of oil a month. "It works like magic. A lot of people are baffled until we explain it to them," says Brown, who's had a lot of interest from a nearby Amish community that heats with wood stoves but has never had forced air because there's no electricity. "They can't believe how much warmer and more comfortable their houses become thanks to this fan." The secret of the "Free Breeze" fan is a small Stirling "engine" housed in the square base of the unit. Stirling engines have been around for decades but no one has ever come up with a marketable way to use them. They consist of a sealed chamber with a single piston that's driven by a special gas that expands quickly when heated and con-tracts when it cools down. The heating up and cooling down happens almost instantly. The piston in the small engine drives an offset crank that drives the fan. Brown notes that over the years large Stirling engines have been built to power cars, trucks, generators and other equipment. The drawback is that like a steam engine, you need a firebox to power the engine. In the case of the "Free Breeze" fan, however, the fire already exists. "It's the perfect application for this technology. Everyone who sees this fan wants one. We just started selling it and we've already got a couple hundred out there with no complaints," says Brown, noting that the only problem with the fan is that when you have visitors to your house you can forgot about talking about anything else for the first hour or so. "All they'll want to do is see your fan and find out how it works." The unit weighs about 15 lbs. and has a 14-in. dia. 8-bladed fan. You just set the unit freely on top of a hot surface. No installation needed. Brown says it'll start turning slowly as the surface gets warm, and then speed up as the stove heats up. Sells for $229.95 (U.S.). Dealers are being set up throughout North America. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Meal Time Stoves, Box 451, Tavistock, Ontario N0B 2R0 Canada (ph 519 655-2848 or 519 887-9126).

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