by Brian
Westenhaus newenergyandfuel.com September 27, 2007
For
nearly two hundred years mankind has relied on Maxwell’s principles of
electromagnetism for transforming fuel sources into transmittable electricity.
The basic idea is that electrons move along pushed or pulled by a magnet in a
conductor until the conductor passes them by another magnet that responds to
the moving electrons. Then the electrons flow back to the first magnet to cycle
again. But the magnet was magnetic before Maxwell moved it along the conducting
wire, while he moved it and after he moved it. We’ve exploited that magnet
moving with a wealth of other tools to use electrons like transistors, diodes,
resistors and other devices that make the modern world a marvel. The magnet is
still magnetized. Hmm.
Recalling
that there are the four atomic forces, gravitation, the weak nuclear force, electromagnetism
and the strong nuclear force we’re faced with the conundrum that these forces
are fully active whatever engineering effort we use to manipulate the materials
for a job or more particularly for moving energy electrically. We each realize
the simple magnet is exerting itself endlessly forming the field lines one sees
when sprinkling iron particles over it that make those beautiful symmetrical
designs. That endless exertion by the electromagnetic force is what could be
free power.
The
electromagnetic force is the strongest and longest ranged of the four forces.
Its versatility is a function of exploiting the strong long-range nature with a
little skill and precision to make a large variety of electric devices and the
expression of its range can be seen in the immense time and distances that
emissions in the radio spectrum can travel.
But
the attractive – repulsive force between two magnets exists without any other
energy input and for many magnet constructions lasts indefinitely. There’s the
atomic power, the endless electromagnetic fields from the electromagnetic force
of the atom.
It
isn’t over yet – Maxwell’s equations left a lot of unanswered questions. Early
in the 20th century the issues of energy in motion such as thermal radiation
projecting warmth were defying the existing theory. Max Planck came up with the
first theory to solve his experiment’s results and Albert Einstein followed on
with proof that the motions Planck had theorized and named “quantum” of energy
could be envisioned as massless elementary particles Einstein called “photons.”
By
the 1920s it became apparent that electromagnetism came in both waves that we
see in the iron particles sprinkled over a magnet and in particles we see in
visible light with photons.
Now
for the intellectual stretch, since light can behave as both waves and
particles can matter be induced to dual states too? We live in a reality full
of particles and readily recognize it, but can matter behave like a wave? It
turns out that yes it can, as demonstrated by deBroglie with electrons
traveling through matter creating diffraction patterns like those of light.
A
couple of guys named Schrodinger and Heisenberg sought to explain the wave
activity from different angles and Heisenberg found that pairs of quantities in
quantum mechanics couldn’t be measured at the same moment precisely. Thus, his
famous “Uncertainty Principle.”
That
set up the need for a theory that describes not only matter but all fields as
well. It’s called the Quantum Electrodynamics. It includes Einstein’s special
theory of relativity and we see that just as in the uncertainty principle of
matter that the electric field and the magnetic field are pairs that can’t be
measured at the same moment precisely. By intuition we realize that in when a complete
vacuum is considered the uncertainty principle applies, as even as the emptiest
place is a vacuum in space there remain electromagnetic fields bouncing from
place to place.
When
computing the total energy density of an empty vacuum in space one comes up
with an infinite number. It’s a little disturbing to have infinite energy in a
vacuum so the theory allows for renormalizing the results to avoid infinites
and get some information out of the theory. But the renormalizing doesn’t mean
the energy isn’t there and the argument continues to this day whether the
energy is simple mathematical sophistry or actually physically exists.
Now
back to the magnet – you know that you will need to exert some pressure to push
like poles together and exert some force to pull unalike poles apart. Opposite
to that is the electromagnetic power the magnet is expressing. So using the
physics above, one can see that the magnetism could be modulated, which with
some engineering could make a magnetic engine. Then you will need to get more
working energy out than used to modulate the engine. This can be done
mechanically as shown by Gary,
or perhaps will be done with solid-state electronics as first achieved by Coler,
both listed below.
By
now those of you with some physics background are rolling your eyes and
thinking of all the things left out, glossed over and generally poorly
explained. Guilty. But I hope the regular guy can get what all of this is about
in simple terms with a chain of physics theory that everyone can follow. In any
case some engineers have been looking at this with anticipation for over one
hundred and thirty years.
Wesley
Gary, 2 US
patents, 1874 & 1877. http://www.fevj.org/FEV-magnet-motor-by-W-W-Gary.php
Hans
Coler, Two solid-state devices: 10 watts, 1925; 6,000 watts, 1933 & 1937 http://www.energyscience.org.uk/le/le07.htm
Robert
Forward, 1984 published Physical Review B See: http://www.calphysics.org/sci_articles.html
or http://www.calphysics.org/articles/Forward1984.pdf
Dr.
Frank Mead and Jack Nachamkin, 1996 US Patent #5590031
Dr.
Fabrizo Pinto, numerous patents and linked at Interstellar Technologies below.
Now
for the companies with real prospects:
Interstellar
Technologies Corporation is headed by Dr. Fabrizo Pinto. The site is a wealth
of information and can satisfy the reader with considerable physics skills. Its
somewhat of a challenge for regular folks but well worth the effort as it’s the
most complete science site of the company list. See: http://www.interstellartechcorp.com/companyHistory.html
Magnetic
Power Incorporated is headed by Mark Goldes. MPI is asserting that it is pretty
far down the development path and is working to produce a solid-state engine
that has no moving parts. An easy read, packed full of information and ranges
broadly out into the current market. See: http://www.magneticpowerinc.com/index.html
Steorn
Ltd. is headed by Sean McCarthy. Using a moving armature engine called “Orbo”
Steorn has offered 22 validating scientists their device for examination. The
site is media rich with video, but has to come from Ireland which is problematic for
downloads. They look pretty far along and may well have a proven working model
soon. See: http://www.steorn.com/
Perendev
Energy Power Gmbh is headed by Michael J. Brady. The site proposes to sell and
deliver working engines with power ratings from 100 kilowatts intermittent and
90 kilowatts continuous to 300 kilowatts continuous. They are way out in front
if true (however, he has not yet
convincingly demonstrated any unit to interested parties from the U.S.).
They have lease prices and ordering information on the site. See: http://www.perendev-power.com/
It
looks like the physics theory is solid, mathematically, intuitively and by
observation. That leaves the engineering and materials science to work out
getting a net power output from a running device. There is also the matter of
control as a unit sitting there charged to run will have a bunch of latent
energy that would be much more useful if it can be throttled. Also operating
conditions may well have considerable effects on a unit’s capability.
Is
all this for real? It’s getting hard to know, the history and wide spread
effort are producing some results and the developers have attracted some
impressive money and interested observers. But the management job will require
a great deal of skill to bring something, which seems outlandish to fruition.
There will be marketing physics too, as there will be at least an equal
opposite marketing reaction, there is a lot at stake for a huge array of
interested parties who would see their investment, salary and pension go up in
smoke.
If
this works and the companies can get a 100kw unit on the market …with enough
people paying attention there would be no stopping the transition. It really is
something fascinating to follow and I wish everyone involved rich brainstorming
sessions, flashes of brilliant intuition and just plain good luck. Nuclear
Electromagnetic Modulation is great story and we’re seeing it in real time.
Great!
Very slightly edited (primarily
to correct minor errors and typos and add the remark about Perendev) by Mark
Goldes 10-3-07
