not totally true that "no energy is consumed" - there is IR loss in the
copper because there is a finite resistance -- now if you used a
superconductor then it might approach zero
"GMasterman" wrote in message
...
At a recent OTC show in Houston, SWACO, a oilfield services contractor,
was
showing off a mud centrifuge with a unique drive system. It consisted of a
flywheel with rare earth magnets mounted on it and a solid copper flywheel
opposite it. The closer the rotating magnetic flywheel gets to the copper
flywheel, the more rotational energy is transfered. With the two flywheels
close together, both would spin at the same speed. As they were seperated
the
driven flywheel would slow down, and with enough gap, completely stop. No
energy comsumed to operare as a variable speed tranny and clutch. Picture
the
implications of this in the auto industry future. Never realized that a
magnetic field would affect copper. I'm talking about a 100hp(?)motor
rotating
a 1000#(?) centrifuge bowl and rotor