This is much more impressive in person, but thought ya'all might want to see my reproduction of JLN Labs Vortex Sphere (http://jnaudin.free.fr/html/vtxsph.htm).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QnFz8nl3Ls
I still need to install the lights and put it all together in the base. Uses about 15 watts at full power, but 20% of that will be usual usage.
How exactly is this powered? ???
Wall wart supplies power to a motor in the base through a simple PWM circuit. There are magnets connected to the rotor. Either a metal object or another magnet placed within the vase to follow the changing magnetic field. This is not a free energy device.
There is a theory which says that tornadoes might be a magnetic related weather event, instead of being generated by wind and temp differeces it's generated by a change in the earths magnetic field. :)
My hope is to record some videos of the vertical and horizontal cell formations with different fluid compositions. Although starting from a very focused stable energy storage, the vortex balances a great deal of turbulence when in full bloom.
There can be rippling pulsations along the vertical column as well as phase shifting within the spiral. This is one is one hell of a bubble shreader. There is some goop collecting on the magnets - maybe stuff in the water?
If I only put one sphere magnet in the vase a number of motions are possible depending on how its spinning connects with the magnets in the base.
Eddie currents in the water and the magnetic field - still much playing to do. :D