I have discovered a way to improve/modify an "Eddy Current generator" in order to make useful and higher DC voltage and lower DC current. My test device is a regular toroid transformer, but with only one coil. An equal magnetic pole is directed into the toroid from above and underneath. When rotating the magnets, a constant flow of electrons will go through the windings in only one direction and generate voltage. There is however no current flowing unless the coil is connected to a load.
Think of never concern about efficiency loss due to 50/60Hz voltage traveling thousands of miles across the country. DC supply must be the right way to export energy?

I have a simple prototype, ultra beta test model;D: One neodym magnet, and a toroid coil.

Just by slowly striking the toroid across the windings it generate constant DC voltage, where polarity is depending on direction. 0,5V with very low velocity of the single magnet. Imagine 1000rpm with several magnets!

I have an idea of making a large non conductive ferrite ring, 10 inch in outer diameter, 2 inch inner diameter, and 1/4 inch thick, and wind a coil on this. Equal poles from two disc magnets will face the ferrite ring from above and underneath. Normally the magnets will repel, but when they are close enough to the ferrite ring, both magnets will be attracted to the ferrite disc making a magnetic field crossing the coil, where the magnetic loop will end up at the ferrite disc outer edge and back to the opposite pole of each magnet. When the magnets start rotating, a DC voltage will be measured. Depending on the load, a certain amount of DC current will flow through the coil.

Any ideas of improving, this to increase efficiency?

PS! I have tried to reverse the process by adding DC current to the coil, and hopefully make the magnets to move in one direction around the toroid, but that does not work - for some reason. In other words the generator, can only be a generator, and is not reversible ()

Br.

Vidar

Hi,

Did you mean your setup like this? see drawing attached.

Quote
Think of never concern about efficiency loss due to 50/60Hz voltage traveling thousands of miles across the country. DC supply must be the right way to export energy?

I do not understand this. In case of  DC voltage too, Ohms Law also applies when wire resistance is involved any time current starts flowing in the wire.

Quote
PS! I have tried to reverse the process by adding DC current to the coil, and hopefully make the magnets to move in one direction around the toroid, but that does not work - for some reason. In other words the generator, can only be a generator, and is not reversible ()

This is because of the toroidal shape, the magnetic poles close inside the ring and do not spray out too much to the outside of the toroid. Test it with a magnetic compass, it is much more sensitive than your heavy magnets.

Gyula

Quote from: gyulasun on March 14, 2007, 05:28:01 AM
Hi,

Did you mean your setup like this? see drawing attached.

Quote
Think of never concern about efficiency loss due to 50/60Hz voltage traveling thousands of miles across the country. DC supply must be the right way to export energy?

I do not understand this. In case of  DC voltage too, Ohms Law also applies when wire resistance is involved any time current starts flowing in the wire.

Quote
PS! I have tried to reverse the process by adding DC current to the coil, and hopefully make the magnets to move in one direction around the toroid, but that does not work - for some reason. In other words the generator, can only be a generator, and is not reversible ()

This is because of the toroidal shape, the magnetic poles close inside the ring and do not spray out too much to the outside of the toroid. Test it with a magnetic compass, it is much more sensitive than your heavy magnets.

Gyula

Yes, it's the same as you show on your picture.

A long wire, maybe 100 kilometers long, have quite much inductance. 50/60Hz on such wire will increase the cables impedance. A DC current will not increase the impedance of the cable. The resistance will however always be an issue on DC as well as AC.

What do you mean by testing it with a compass?

I know however that the magnetic fields are going into the toroid because of the iron core.

Br.

Vidar

Hi Vidar,

QuoteA long wire, maybe 100 kilometers long, have quite much inductance. 50/60Hz on such wire will increase the cables impedance. A DC current will not increase the impedance of the cable. The resistance will however always be an issue on DC as well as AC.

Well, this is ok, but in case of AC the reason the AC voltage is transformed up to several hundred kV range is just to reduce the current needed to transfer a certain power,  hence the wire losses get reduced.  I am not a High Voltage guru but surely those specialists designing those HV transformer/transmission systems are well aware of this. The long wires' impedance may be designed into the primaries and secondaries of the power transformers or/and can be partly compensated for.

QuoteWhat do you mean by testing it with a compass?

Simply place a normal compass near enough to your toroid and switch on the current into the coil: the compass probably will react by turning slightly away or towards the body of the toroid core. You may want to place the compass at different positions alongside/around the toroid core (taking into consideration the compass natural attraction to the core too).  It is possible you can only detect any compass movement only very close to the core.

Gyula

PS:    I wonder which plane do you think to rotate the magnets:

1)  in a plane parallel to the sides of the toroid core (this means the magnets always remain in a equal distance from the sides of the core and always the same poles are facing the core)

2) in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toroid (this means the poles approach and leave the sides of the core and there is the possibility for alternate the poles during the rotation)

Thinking out loud here...  It looks like to me that the center magnet would cause a secondary magnet to form in a magnetite toroid core.  This "inner toroid magnet" flux would constantly change position with the spinning magnet's position.  It looks like it might cause a DC voltage output to be induced in the coil.

More rings around the spinning magnet might be added to increase output.

Spin the permanent magnet with a small DC motor.