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Using eddy currents for heating
By Amptramp, Section Heat Posted on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 09:38:19 AM MST
A way to heat water mechanically

Howdy folks,
I wonder if this is a practical idea.
When testing my first axial flux generator in the lathe, I accidentally managed to heat a nearby aluminium plate to the point that I received a burn from it.
Well, once the pain subsided, I got to wondering about a good use for the eddy currents that had produced this effect.
Could it be used to heat water, by being driven directly from a wind turbine?
In my test setup, I was running 16 magnets on a 260mm steel disc at 400 RPM. By bringing an aluminium plate near to the spinning mass, I managed to slow the lathe down, and produce great quantities of heat in the plate.
Now, if a water vessel had an aluminium base, or perhaps another suitable metal, and the magnet rotor was spinning under it, the water inside would soon become quite hot.
Perhaps this has already been discussed, but I would love to know if other folks have tried this method.
Thanks kindly,
Steve Mc AmpTramp.

Using eddy currents for heating | 10 comments (10 topical)

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by Norm on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 05:10:03 AM MST

It's been noted and talked about ....one person
accidentally done this when trying to make a
stator plate of aluminum to hold the coils....
but I don't think anyone has actually tried it.
Might work pretty well if the device is down on the ground ...like on a savonius?
( :>) Norm

( :>) Norm

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by drdongle on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 05:45:07 AM MST

There was a thread about 18 months ago about such a heating system ( found else where on the net)which incorporated oil as a storage medium, apparently extravagant claims were made for its efficiency.
Carpe Vigor, Dr.D

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by electrondady1 on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 06:17:07 AM MST

last summer i posted an idea i had about using some 1/8" copper tubing as a coil. the idea was the eddy current heat would be transfered into a liquid pumped through the tubing.

[ Parent ]

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by finnsawyer on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 08:40:49 AM MST

You can also heat water by rotating paddles in it. This eliminates the need for the alternator. This may seem strange, but was the method used originally to show the equivalence between mechanical energy and heat energy.
GeoM

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by Arno on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 12:17:07 PM MST

yo finsayer,

That sounds great, do you think rotating paddles or fan might possibly do that in air?

arno

[ Parent ]

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by finnsawyer on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 08:38:40 AM MST

In theory, yes. But to really see the effect you have to keep the air from moving or being circulated. There is also the question of how much of the heating is from the fan motor or bearing resistance. But still, heat is heat, I guess. Water is superior because of its density and heat capacity, and you can easily keep it in one place.
GeoM
[ Parent ]

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by SmoggyTurnip on Thu Jan 12, 2006 at 03:13:36 PM MST

Lots of electric stoves use eddy currents to produce heat on the stove top.
The sooner you start the longer it takes.

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by hotwired on Thu Jan 19, 2006 at 04:37:17 AM MST

eddy current ? take 2 al discs place neo magnets evenly spaced around disc not touching, place one disc with neos glued to disc in round container of water place neos on other disc magnetically opposed place disc on 1750 or 3450 rpm electric motor shaft, before placing water in container adjust the spacing of magnets so the motor will start, the placing of neos on discs will need to be placed in attract repel mode the motor of course mounted vertical some sort of gadget needed to raise or lower the distance of the rotating disc to allow for the best magnetic and repulsion of neos after motor comes up to proper rpms suppose what the idea is to make and break a magnetic field umpteen times per rpm after doing this switch from water to very thin oil see difference in heat output,this will make heat but do not know of any real use for it.You cannot get more out than you put in, old energy law. have fun
malco

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by Amptramp on Sat Jan 21, 2006 at 04:54:17 PM MST

Howdy Electrondady1

There have been some good ideas offered here. The idea of a coiled copper tube is quite an interesting one. It gets around some obvious problems in my original idea, and ought to be fairly easy to try.

My biggest windmill is pretty grunty. Quite a few Horse power of energy is available at the downshaft. Presently, this energy is being used to make electricity and compressed air. I figure that some of it can be used to heat water with eddy currency.

Hey, it's worth a try :) .

Oh, how I love tinkering.

Best wishes,
Steve Mc Amptramp.
"There's a patch of land over there, Quick! - stick a windmill on it!"

Re: Using eddy currents for heating (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by Rst on Thu Aug 31, 2006 at 10:14:31 PM MST

I have make some tests with magnets and a plate of aluminium of 12 inch at 1750 rpm with 2 hp motor and the plate heat at 654 F, but it is very difficult to spin it.

Troy Reed use the same, but it says that is too easy heat or not.

can you help me?

Using eddy currents for heating | 10 comments (10 topical)

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