Therapeutic earth magnets

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Magnets have been used for diverse therapies since 2000 BC by Chinese, who used to massage their bodies with earth magnets in the hopes that they will increase the duration of their lives, better their blood flow or even increase their immunity. Today, a specialized branch of therapy has been developed which uses earth magnets and electromagnetic fields to stimulate diverse parts of the body for different effects on the body.

However, the branch is widely regarded as unscientific, though; many claim to have healed themselves with the power of magnets and of other products that make use of magnetic properties. There is an entire market for magnetic jewelry, for a diversity of magnetic straps and all sort of other products which contain trace elements of earth magnets which are included as ingredients in creams, in pomades and many other products. 5XZZKSKJUWHC » Read the rest of this entry «

TGV neodymium magnets – electro magnets and permanent magnets at work

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

A TGV is a type of train (the name was originated in France to signify their specific TGV, though there are many nations who have trains and tracks using the technology or versions of the technology) and track that use a complex system of magnetic and electromagnetic surfaces to direct a train onto a “track” system. While some of these systems use exclusively electromagnetic fields, there are also trains that use a combination of permanent magnets, neodymium magnets as well as electro magnets.

So, let’s take a look at the technology that uses both these magnets, its pros and cons and where it can be found. These systems of track and train that use a combination of types of magnets are called EDS and their basic functioning principle is the following.

The permanent magnets, neodymium magnets most of the times can be found either in the vehicle or in the track or a combination of both. In order to increase the security of the train, attractive – repulsive systems are in use which better control the train’s movements without losing control over its distance from the tracks or its speed.

A superconductive field is either produced in the track or in the train, but the neodymium magnets will only be featured in tracks only, for its entire surface. Now, the train and the system in general, have a few very specific advantages as well as a few documented disadvantages to other types of builds.

In terms of advantages, the neodymium magnets track system is stable, that is, the train is both attracted and repulsed, keeping the train very close to the runway. Any imbalance in the magnetic field generated and the train will naturally try to reposition itself, that is, always running smoothly and in the sweet spot region where the amount of energy used to propel it also keeps it very close to the track.

This adjustment effect is great as it keeps the train stable and it keeps it running safely, and, as long as the track is orderly, misses no magnets, the train has almost zero chances of derailing.

In terms of disadvantages, the type of track and train require that a supplementary system of wheels be used until the train reaches a high enough speed to sustain levitation. The initial flux cannot be used to maintain an electric current through the wire and therefore, until that speed is safely reached (and flux is high enough in the wire) the train must run on wheels. Another problem is that the track generates magnetic drag, which, again, for low speed operation can be a problem. So, these types of trains cannot reach the speed of a traditional TGV, though they can however run at much higher speeds than regular trains.

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Super magnets in your hard drive – how do they work?

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

While small though significant changes have occurred at the level of manufacturing and processes used, a modern day spinning platter hard drive is still the same kind of product that it was the first time it was built. What has changed however is the density of information that can be stored on the surface of a magnetized platter, what magnets are used and how the process is handled, from design to the finished product.

So, let’s take an in-depth look at the build of a modern day hard drive, and note where super magnets and magnetic surfaces are used and for what purpose. The first and most important area to note is that of the actual platters themselves, slabs of a different materials, sometimes glass, aluminum, or even ceramics. Yes, the larger portion of these platters is largely non magnetic. But, the diverse layers that lay on top of it will contain a thin, magnetic field, for all intents and purposes a magnet in its own right.

The super magnets in a hard drive platter are divided in very small regions, magnetic regions that can carry a different state, charged or not charged, pertaining to be either a 1 or a zero.  Even so, a magnetic area is a portion so large that it can store 100 billion bits per square inch that is 15 GBits (not GB) per square cm. » Read the rest of this entry «

MRI imaging and ceramic magnets

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, as provided by an MRI machine, is a medical investigative but not invasive technique that helps at pinning down diagnoses or providing diagnose by itself. The machine uses strong ceramic magnets as well as superconducting non permanent magnets to create a force that is up to 2 Tesla. This makes any MRI a function of magnitude above our own Earth’s magnetic properties, which are no more than 0.5 gauss, which is but one half of a gauss. And to put it into perspective, one gauss is but 1/10,000th of a Tesla.

Now, to make sure that an MRI is capable of such great feat, the magnet and the coil when in use are bathed in a liquid helium mixture to drop the magnet’s temperature to 452.4 degrees above zero.

The magnetic field created with such a combination of coil magnets and ceramic magnets (these don’t actually get bathed in the superconductive, cooling liquid and do not generate such enormous gauss attraction) allows for very precise imaging, but you might wonder, how it actually works, what is the actual process. » Read the rest of this entry «

Industrial uses of neodymium magnets

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

The neodymium magnets are used in so many appliances and domains that noting them all would certainly take a lot of time, but, nevertheless, in this article we are going to look at a few very common usage types of these powerful magnets. Learning how they contribute to appliances and products that that we use every day will allow us to gain understanding and appreciation for these simple and yet very useful magnets.

Medical and therapeutic usage

The neodymium magnets are used extensively in a wide range of medical apparatus, one of the most interesting being the MRI – magnetic resonance instruments. The magnetic field created by these installations is so powerful that magnetic objects will be attracted from afar. Inside the room of an MRI no other magnets can enter, no materials that are attracted to magnets. This includes surgical implants that are magnetic and even dental fillings, which if the MRI needs to be used, will have to be removed.

In therapy, magnets have been used in China as far as 2000BC, so it is not a thing of wonder to still see them applied in certain beauty shops or in clinics. However, studies at this point are quite divisive, some doctors attest to changes and even healing due to treatment with magnets and neodymium magnets others are a lot more reserved.

CRT TVs

A few years ago almost all TV sets used to be based on the cathode ray technology, and later models, to improve image quality used neodymium magnets to direct the jet of electrons towards the screen. At this moment however, CRT screens are a lot less frequent as they have been replaced by liquid crystal technologies or LEDs.

Computers

While the tendency today is to move towards flash based mass storage, the technology is still years from battling in terms of pricing with the spinning disks that make our hard drives functions. SO, inside most commercial grade hard drives, the neodymium magnets make sure that the surface of the platters can be inscribed with information while in the motor, they insure unparalleled speeds as well as a very long lived period of functioning.

Magnetic sweepers, sorters and separators

When an industrial process requires that ferrous particles be removed from a certain product, the neodymium magnets will be the best in making sure that the resulting process will eliminate all ferrous deposits. The magnets are thus used in static sorters and separators, which can have various sizes and purposes in the industrial processing chain.

Maglev Trains

One very exciting use of neodymium magnets is in making trains float! Yes, that’s right, a TGV, (train au grand vitese) uses neodymium magnets to repel the engine and other compartments from the track, thus insuring frictionless circulation.

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How to make your own toy gun with neodymium magnets

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

The neodymium magnets are used in many professional grade apparatus, machinery and in many highly technical products. There are however ways to explore your love for magnets, and especially for neodymium magnets with different projects that you can perform at home. One of them, and a very interesting project indeed is the building of a gauss gun, a gun that shoots a metal pellet, a ball bearing or something of the same nature.

Keep in mind that this can be a relatively dangerous project, so children should not attempt to build one, not unless they are supervised by an adult. Depending on the power of the neodymium magnets used, the rifle can lead to injuries, in certain cases comparable to those that a gas pistol can lead to. So make sure you proceed with caution!

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How reliable are earth magnets in compasses?

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

All permanent magnets align themselves to the natural poles of the Earth, but, of course, different compasses will use different magnets. It is also important that the compass itself not be disturbed by electro-magnetic fields, natural metallic deposits or other things that can disturb their reading.

Earth magnets have been used for centuries as compasses and the fact that they could be naturally found and maintained their natural magnetism for long periods meant that they could be used for naval navigation and for other orientation needs. Some of the first compasses were quite large, they were built in a big enclosure and they weren’t really that portable. However, as technology progressed, better, smaller and more reliable compasses were developed, allowing more people to use them without issues.

However, in this article we will take a look at some of the problems that compasses produced with earth magnets can be expected to face, and, if possible, if there are any workarounds to make sure that they always show you the right path.

Now, given the specifics of this type of application, the earth magnets don’t need to be very strong, even the lightest type of magnet will align itself with the natural poles of the Earth. What matters, however, is the accuracy of this indication and that the magnets hold on to its magnetic orientation.

Some make the assumption that if you create a long magnet it will tend to orient itself along its axis, but this can change if the magnet is held in an environment where electromagnetic forces are at play. In order to overcome this obstacle, the enclosure where the compass magnet is held can contribute to minimizing this problem, but, overall, it is a question of usage; if you want your compass to continue to work properly, keep it away from strong magnetic fields and other disturbing fields. » Read the rest of this entry «

How feasible is a neodymium magnets motor?

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

There are different ways to establish how feasible a certain type of motor actually is, and these calculations can take into account different types of onsets of criteria. The neodymium magnets will have a different qualification in each particular case. So, lets look at this aspect of their build, construction, and the best possible applications for them based on their feasibility. » Read the rest of this entry «

How does a neodymium magnets motor work?

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Although quite rare, the neodymium magnets motors are electromechanical devices that are used to generate electrical energy from mechanical, rotary movements. All such motors use one principle to convert electrical energy into electrical alternating current. The interaction between a permanent magnet and the electrical current running through a coil is what prompts the motor to spin. The stronger the static magnetic field the more powerful the motor can be. Of course, most motors will be fed current of different intensities, so it is quite rare that a motor will be running at the highest speed it is capable of. Sometimes a certain speed is required by the application of the motor and the movement that is generated can be further manipulated with a gear box or through other systems of control.

Most of the neodymium magnets motors are used for applications where the permanent motor has to be operational at high intensity levels for a very long period of time, thus, when an electro-motor is required to be used for a very long time without any losses of quality, it will be used.

There are different reasons why neodymium magnets are not more popular in electric motor. One aspect that diminishes their possible range of applications has to do with the fact that they are on one hand quite expensive to manufacture and also, that they incur other problems. The magnetic fields that they generate are often times so powerful that they will disrupt other electrical and electronic fields around and also, they are quite fragile to tensile and other types of mechanical forces.

Also, in terms of the size of the applications, the motors work best for small and medium sized motors, but less so when larger motors are required. Some of the neodymium magnets motors can also be used as alternators, as their function can be reversed and instead of producing mechanical energy, they can produce current. Therefore, the range of applications, especially in the auto industry makes these types of motors to be seen as very desirable and very popular.

Another field where the neodymium magnets motors are used a lot as well is the medical industry, where the motors have shown a lot of resilience in small scale motors can’t fail without endangering people’s lives.

The neodymium magnets motors will continue to have a small but important role in the industry and as technology advances and their production prices drop they will probably begin to be used a lot more. Otherwise, at the moment they simply are used for very precise applications, especially when failure cannot be accepted. However, for all other applications, earth magnets can offer a good ratio of power and efficiency and will be used more often.

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Generators and alternators and ceramic magnets

December 2nd, 2012 § 0 comments § permalink

Ceramic magnets are composite materials, part ceramic compounds and part a certain type of ferrite magnet, Fe and O2 are used in different quantities to achieve the magnetic qualities required. The ceramic portion of these magnets is used as a way to allow the magnet to withhold its magnetic charge for longer, without considerable loses of their magnetic properties.

The fact that they last for longer periods means that they are generally above average in quality and also relatively cheap, so the companies that build generators of electricity or alternators for vehicles or for other types of machinery will use them extensively.

The other quality of the ceramic magnets is that they are also relatively easy to produce. The precursors, metal oxides and the ceramic allow are heated up independently, when they are in a solid but powder state and then they are combined. A later stage of production includes sintering, that is, a high temperature process is applied to the magnet to harden it and to make the chemical bond inside it stronger. At this stage the magnet becomes denser and thu8s more capable of sustaining a bigger charge.

Depending on the size and aspect, magnets can also be produced by pressing. In fact, smaller magnets will take less time to produce as the number of production stages can be reduced to just one. So, then, why are the ceramic magnets used so much in the above mentioned products?

One reason is that they cost less than high powered magnets such as neodymium and also, their lesser charge is better suited for certain applications, where a magnet too powerful would create problems for the metallic surfaces around it. Also, the ceramic magnets are much more resistant to wear and tear to pressure and to torsion and do not break easily.

There are other precautions, such as low interference with other magnetic fields or inducing changes in magnetic fields that are damaging to electronic systems. Even so, most commercial grade alternators require a special type of casing to not interfere with the electronic systems of modern cars. These protection phases require the manufacturer to consider the way the electromotor is placed in the car, so that it won’t be too close to vehicle electronics.

The ceramic magnets in generators produce current relatively efficiently and therefore, a compromise between efficiency and power is achieved. The role of the generator is to charge the battery of the vehicle while the motor is running and to generate electricity for the car while the motor is running. There are of course other applications for the ceramic magnets and for generators and alternators, but, overall, their development is closely linked to the auto industry.

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