Magnets only motor possible?

[marton]

I am convinced that the amazing magnetism power on a magnet can be used for building an electricty less magnets motor, however due to the conversion of energy law, my question is how long it will run due to the fact that mangetism energy willl be converted to mechanical energy and this as results will deplete the magnetic energy, this could be the limiting factor for practical applications, i wounder if it could run seconds, minutes or hours?. A guy in Romania claims via youtube video that he has created one.

 

Any comments in this possibility?

 

www.engitek.com

[TonyMcC]

I can see one permanent magnet repelling another and I can see one permanent magnet attracting another. What I can't imagine is a system of permanent magnets rotating continuously without any other input. If you could then you would have perpetual motion and as you seem aware that is considered impossible. Some details such as a diagram would make it easier to comment further.

[Mr Skeptic]

It won't last very long, and it won't convert magnetism into anything. Magnetic potential energy yes (like dropping a book is gravitational potential, but more like sticking two magnets north to north and releasing them -- they'll release energy but still stay magnetic). You won't be able to get any more energy from that than you put into it when setting it up.

[marton]

I can see one permanent magnet repelling another and I can see one permanent magnet attracting another. What I can't imagine is a system of permanent magnets rotating continuously without any other input. If you could then you would have perpetual motion and as you seem aware that is considered impossible. Some details such as a diagram would make it easier to comment further.

 

I dont think that it will be a perpetual motion because it must imply an energy conversion situation in which magnetesim is coneverted to mechanical motion that has to come from the magnets, the main question would be how efficiently this magnet energy can be converted to motion and how long could last, I will try to investagate more in this matter but is someone has some clues I will appreaciate it.

[mytechuniverse]

I don't think you could efficiently use magnets for that. If you want to make something with the apparent property of perpetual motion, then you can use temperature changes. The basic idea has two forks. In one version (this is used in "perpetual motion" clocks) utilizes temperature changes to move a spring. This allows you to have a clock that you do not have to wind. However, the concept basically only works for clocks, and the amount of energy rendered is minuscule. The other concept uses small temperature changes to vaporize a gas. This is slightly more effective because you can use a much better thermal conductor as long as it has a low viscosity. The basic concept is that you have a wheel with tanks filled with propane (I think) and a tub of water that the tanks dip into when they reach the bottom. The gas will remain in an evaporated state until it reaches the water. The water "sucks" the heat out from the gas and allows it to temporarily condense. This can make the wheel move very slowly without input.

[Mr Skeptic]

Conversion from potential energy to kinetic is usually quite efficient.

 

Magnets are not good for perpetual motion machines because moving magnets near a conductor (or a moving conductor near a magnet) will induce an electric current in the conductor which will end up as waste heat, essentially like a long-distance version of friction. Nevertheless, magnets remain fairly popular for perpetual motion machines because a lot of people don't understand magnets and some even think them magical or something.

[CaptainPanic]

You can store magnetic energy by pushing two magnets to each other with the same pole.

 

The force however only gets really strong at close distances.

 

Since:

Energy = force * distance

You can have a large force, but always a small distance... the result will be very little energy stored. So, when you release the energy into your "engine", it will stop as soon as you try to do something with the energy.

 

It don't think it will ever be practical... but maybe you should do some calculations.