Additional projects / Fluids & cooling
Ferrofluid pumps
Different mechanisms explored for moving magnetic liquid through small tubes.
Open the numbered review →Rotating magnet and controller
Photos 321–323, 325
A controller for an experimental ferrofluid pump. Ferrofluid is a liquid that responds to a magnetic field. The controller drove four coils around a cylindrical magnet, changing the fields to make it rotate. The rotating magnet pulled segments of ferrofluid, separated by air bubbles, along a tube wrapped around it.
Another view of the controller for the rotating-magnet ferrofluid pump. It coordinated the coils that turned the central magnet, moving alternating segments of magnetic liquid and air through the tubing.
An additional view of the pump-control hardware and wiring. This controller was part of the experiment in moving ferrofluid through tubing using a rotating magnetic field.
The pump mechanism described in Photos 321–323. Four coils surrounded a cylindrical magnet with its poles on opposite sides of the cylinder. As the magnet rotated, it drew alternating segments of ferrofluid and air along the spiral tube wrapped around it. This was part of my early Fernbrake experiments.
Flat-spiral tube pump
Photos 326–327
Another ferrofluid-pump experiment, with flexible tubing arranged in a flat spiral and containing segments of magnetic liquid separated by air bubbles. Four rotating magnets were intended to pull the ferrofluid around the tubing and toward the outlet.
A second view of the flat-spiral ferrofluid pump, showing the tubing and rotating-magnet mechanism used to move the magnetic liquid.
Another experimental layout
Photo 482
An experimental assembly intended to pump ferrofluid. I no longer recall the exact operating arrangement, and I do not remember getting this version to work.