"GMasterman" wrote in message
...
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.

Not quite lossless; anywhere you have the same torque (and torque input
supplied to the magnetic flywheel, must equal torque output from the copper
flywheel) and a difference in RPM, power is lost. If torque were higher on
the lower RPM shaft, then power would be conserved. But that requires gears
or belts.

In this case, the power is lost as eddy currents in the copper plate. Same
mechanical effect as friction in a normal clutch (with the exception that a
real clutch, when tight, won't have slippage!). Neat application of it
though.

Bit of trivia: that's exactly how they do tachs and speedometers. The
needle is spring-loaded and has a copper disc on it; a spinning magnet
(which is feed by whatever shaft) transmits torque to the spring based on
RPM, thereby causing the needle to deflect (based on the spring constant).

Tim

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