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A floating flywheel is an interesting idea, but the drag in
the surrounding fluid: a) puts a limit the maximum speed
and b) continually slows the flywheel down.
I propose using electrostatics to levitate a flywheel.
The flywheel is a toroidal shell made of a material of high
tensile strength.
The flywheel levitates in a slightly larger
toroidal housing (e.g. a separation of 1cm), that has gas at
a very low pressure (or a vacuum). The bottom half of the
housing is electrostatically charged. The flywheel is given
the same charge as the housing. A wire touches the
flywheel to maintain its charge.
The speed of the flywheel is no longer limited by drag,
and is instead limited by the tensile strength of the
flywheel. Thus it would have a much higher energy density
than the buoyant flywheel.
buoyant flywheel
[xaviergisz, Mar 03 2016]
Electric Forces between Charged Plates
http://www-eng.lbl....electric_forces.pdf
[xaviergisz, Mar 03 2016]
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The wire will slow the flywheel. I suggest using a stream of
electrons or ions or something. |
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But I additionally suggest switching from electrostatic
levitation (which requires quite high voltages, as you've
seen) to magnetic levitation. Now, I don't mean
electromagnets. I mean permanent magnets. This is already
baked: Levitron. |
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