Underground Rivers - University of New Mexico

Chapter 10 -- Geophysical, Pnuematic and Electromagnetic Engines
Presented in the Epitome of Copernican Astronomy (1618-
1621), the natural philosophy of Johannes Kepler (1571-
1630) -- whom we noted in Chapter 8 for his chemical
speculations -- added a solar magnet to Gilbert’s electrical
universe.
The conclusion is therefore plausible: because the Earth
moves the Moon by its species, and is a magnetic body;
and because the sun moves the planets in a similar
manner by the species which it emits, therefore the Sun,
too, is a magnetic body.
Kepler was in fact close to the modern idea of gravity.
If the moon and earth were not retained in their
respective orbits by an animal force or by some
equivalent force, the earth would climb toward the moon
and the moon would descend toward the earth until
these two heavenly bodies were joined. If the earth
ceased attracting the waters covering it, the sea waves
would all rise and flow toward the body of the moon.
While earth science soon abandoned a magnetically-driven hydrologic cycle, the possibility of
magnetically-assisted water flow is yet discussed.
Laplace's Law describes the interaction between a magnetic field and an electric current when
they are applied at right angles to each other and to a conductor of electricity. When an electrical
current is passed through the conductor, an electromagnetic force known as a Lorentz force
pushes the conductor in a direction perpendicular to the conductor and the magnetic field. The
magnitude of the force is proportional to the magnetic field strength and the current density.
We will consider four schemes for an
electromagnetic engine suitable for elevating a
fluid.
Method 1. Liquid Metal Pump
An electromagnetic pump moves liquid metal
through a pipe between the poles of an
electromagnet by passing a current through
the liquid metal. To the tight is the conceptual
design: a C-shaped permanent magnet, a pipe
carrying molten metal as the conductor, and a
direct current applied by an external source
such as a battery.
Such a device can propel liquid metals, but not water?
DRAFT 1122//66//22001122
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