The most crucial point to build a Minto wheel – see post Iske Wheel alias Minto Wheel is the working fluid. Adequate fluids that have a boiling point at atmospheric pressure below room temperature are toxic, flammable and not easy to handle. For this reason we started experiments with a ready made device that has a kind of structure like a Minto wheel’s spoke:
The famous “Drinking Bird”
We tried to use the birds as spokes for the wheel. By the way: you can order the bird in exergia’s new energy shop.
The construction
The prototype
Until now we did not achieve a proper working wheel … experiments will be continiued. We would love to get some feedback.
May be you are interested in a kit for own experiments. Don’t hesitate to contact us.
The minto wheel is based upon changing the center of gravity of the wheel by moving a fluid up through a central pivot point to a location that is higher than the original mass of the wheel which creates an unbalanced situation that causes the wheel to rotate to re-establish equilibrium. In your prototype the fluid never travels higher than the central hub of the wheel and therefore does not shift the center of gravity higer to create the equilibrium that drives the engine. You would have to build a device where the bird’s necks are joined at their centers and establish that as the central axis point.
Comment by Wayne — 10/03/2012 @ 3:07 am
You are true that you have to lift up the center of mass. But this can be done by any upward movement of a mass. This moving mass does not necessarily have to travel higher the the central hub of the wheel. The problem with the prototyp is that it pushes up the center of mass upward right at some times of the cycle and at other times upward left. This reults in clock and counterclockwise torques, which compensate each other. So there is no net force/torque to drive the wheel …
Comment by exergia — 14/03/2012 @ 2:07 pm