Is a perpetual magnetic generator impossible? Maybe, but there have been several patents issued on this theory and as the cost of energy keeps rising, more scientists will be searching for ways to make a working practical perpetual magnetic generator.

Magnetic Energy

Len Calderone

What if you walked out of your house and entered the car of the future, which looked like a donut?  You push a button and the vehicle rises about a foot from the ground.  A small thruster moves the vehicle forward as the vehicle follows an electromagnetic strip embedded in the road with the electromagnetism repelling the car from the road. 

Obviously, this is only a concept car, introduced by Volkswagen in China as part of the People’s Car Project.  The VW Hover Car was presented at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. 

Today there are electromagnetic and permanent magnetic motors, which are feasible and in use. The big controversy is whether or not there is such a thing as a perpetual energy magnetic motor (generator). 

Electromagnetic energy is the energy that comes from electromagnetic radiation, such as radio waves and visible light waves, which triggers both electric and magnetic fields.  The component we call a permanent magnet is a piece of magnetic material which, once magnetized or “charged” by an external magnetic field, retains a usefully large magnetic moment after the magnetizing force is removed. Thus, a permanent magnet becomes itself a source of a magnetic field which can interact with other magnetizable materials or with electric currents.

The simplest form of magnetic energy is the Faraday flashlight, which we have all seen.  You shake the flashlight back and forth and the action creates energy to power the light bulb. The principle is simple enough.  A magnet passes back and forth through a coil of wire and creates an electrical current that is then stored in a capacitor. When the flashlight is turned on, the capacitor supplies the stored energy to the bulb much like a battery-powered light.

There are basically five parts to this system.  The magnet is what generates the power as it passes through the wire coil. The stronger the magnet, the more power is generated with each shake.  The size of the wire coil (the number of windings) will also determine how much power is generated on each pass of the magnet. The capacitor stores the power that you generate while shaking the flashlight. The higher the quality and larger the size of the capacitor, the longer the light output. Then there is a LED bulb which has reduced power consumption and durability.  Finally, there is the on/off switch.

The question is “Can a perpetual motion machine be created using a similar process?”  A perpetual motion machine in a closed system breaks the first law of thermodynamics. Machines that produce work and energy without the input of energy go against the law of conservation of energy. According to the laws of thermodynamics energy cannot simply be created or destroyed. Therefore, a true perpetual motion motor may never be viable, but a close replacement could be built. While energy needs to initialize the brief beginning of a perpetual motion machine, something simple, such as a hand crank could be the catalyst in a device that produces enough energy to sustain itself and provide additional power.

This type of motor uses a permanent magnet design, where the rotors hold permanent magnets arrayed around the shaft.  These magnets need to be timed with the stator magnets; and to create good power, rare earths are needed.  Without a reasonable supply of permanent magnet material, permanent magnets would not be very permanent.  The trouble with this is that most of the rare earth materials needed to make reliable long life magnets come from China. 

Below is an example of a permanent magnetic motor and an electromagnetic field induction motor. 

With an electromagnetic field induction motor, a rotating magnetic field is developed around the stator which rotates at synchronous (occurring at the same time) speed. This rotating magnetic field passes through the air gap and cuts the rotor conductors which were stationary. Due to the relative speed between the stationary rotor conductors and the rotating magnetic field, an electromagnetic field is induced in the rotor conductors. As the rotor conductors are short circuited, current starts flowing through it. And as these current carrying rotor conductors are placed in the magnetic field produced by the stator, they experience a mechanical force, which moves the rotor in the same direction as that of the rotating magnetic field.

A permanent magnet motor is a kind of electric motor. Basically all types of motors work when they have a stator frame and rotor. Many electric motors use an electromagnet for the rotor. In a permanent magnet motor, the rotor contains a permanent magnet rather than an electromagnet.

A permanent magnet motor is capable of generating higher torque as compared to an induction motor. Also, a permanent magnet motor is capable of being used for power production rather than mechanical motion, especially in a wind-power device.

The magnets found in a permanent magnet motor are made mostly of neodymium and therefore are extremely potent and durable permanent magnets. To generate electricity, the wind turns the turbine, which then turns the magnets of the generator on and makes an electric current. As a result, much less energy is actually lost in the transformation from the kinetic form of wind energy to the electric current.

XEMC Darwind builds high-end multi megawatt wind turbines based on Direct Drive Permanent Magnet generator technology.

There is another use for magnets in creating efficient energy.  Magnetohydrodynamic power generation is based on Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. That is, when conductive fluid, such as plasma, flows through the magnetic field, ions will move in the direction perpendicular to both the magnetic field and flow direction, and then, an electromotive force will arise. MHD is the most efficient solar electric technology today.

The word Magneto Hydro Dynamic (MHD) is derived from Magneto- meaning magnetic field, Hydro- meaning liquid, and Dynamics- meaning movement.

Pictured here, MHD generates electricity directly from a body of very hot moving ionized gas without any mechanical moving parts. Solar energy, concentrated by mirrors and lenses, creates superheated gases. Because of the higher temperature, generated solar MHD is more efficient than other types of solar thermal technologies that work at a much lower temperature.

Magnetohydrodynamics works by using superconducting magnets to extract electricity from the superheated moving ionized gas.  With MHD technology, the use of the extremely large superconducting permanent magnets improve efficiency.

Initially, permanent magnet generators produce electricity by attaching a hand crank or turbine which initiates its movement. The hand crank would be used by residential generators while the turbine is needed by the generators, which run hydroelectric plants. Magnets found inside the generator produce a magnetic field that triggers the electricity active in the conductor each time it passes through. The consistent movement of the conductor creates a steady stream of electricity. 

Yet, with both electromagnetic and permanent magnet motors, an outside source is needed to start the motor. The concept of a perpetual magnetic motor has been around for a long time, but as yet this source of energy has not been viable.

The idea behind magnetic perpetual motors is simple enough to understand.  Magnetic perpetual motors are set into motion by magnets that cause plates to rotate, and this motion drives the generator. It can make energy or electrical power without the need for any kind of external fuel source. The electromagnetic field that is created by the positioning of the magnets is the basis of the power, and once the generator is up and running, you get all the electricity you need absolutely free of charge. The power generators that you normally find around the house require a fuel source so that they can create electricity. 

The way that a magnetic perpetual motor works is that rotors are set into motion by precisely positioned magnets and the spinning of the rotors powers the magnetic generator in the same way that a wind generator captures power from a spinning rotor.  All though these motors are called perpetual, they are not.  Everything wears out at some point in time and magnets eventually run out of power.  Basically, a perpetual motor is a motor that runs for a long period of time.  

The energy of a perpetual magnet motor generates energy from the magnet fields inside the magnets.  These fields can be used to initiate force which in turn creates movement.  This motion may then be used to create energy.

A magnetic powered generator is another name for a perpetual magnetic generator.  The motors take the force produced by the fields within the magnets and transform this force into electric power. 

If you take enough magnets and arrange them properly, they’ll repel away from each other.  By positioning these magnets in a circular shape, you theoretically create a wheel that will spin since the magnetic fields push the wheel.  The spinning motion of the wheel is how the motor generates energy.  As the energy in magnets lasts for many years, the wheel is able to rotate and keep on spinning without the need to ever stop, thus the motion of the spinning wheel creates power for many years.  This is what makes a magnetic powered generator into a perpetual generator. 

  Johnson perpetual magnet motor patent number 4151431

Impossible?  Maybe, but there have been several patents issued on this theory and as the cost of energy keeps rising, more scientists will be searching for ways to make a working practical perpetual magnetic generator. 

For more information:

http://www.levitationfun.com/mfield.pdf

http://www.smma.org/mmpa_pmg-88.pdf

http://askmar.com/Magnets/Modern%20Permanent%20Magnet%20Applications.pdf

http://freeenergynews.com/Directory/Howard_Johnson_Motor/1979Paper/

About Len

Len started in the audio visual industry in 1975 and has contributed articles to several publications. He also writes opinion editorials for a local newspaper. He is now retired.

This article contains statements of personal opinion and comments made in good faith in the interest of the public. You should confirm all statements with the manufacturer to verify the correctness of the statements.

 

 

The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AltEnergyMag

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