Posted by Ron Flory (66.58.197.239) on January 25, 2003 at 13:14:23:
In Reply to: Some my wheel classifications and ideas-post yours! posted by Vector Viper on January 25, 2003 at 02:13:25:
The only way I can see to increase the power to weight ratio would be to place many PMMs into a large centrifuge. If the PMMs are self starting you would only need to start the centrifuge to induce G force on the PMMs to start them. After that the power from the PMMs could be used to drive the centrifuge up to the max G's that the PMMs could handle. Since it does not take much power to maintain the speed of the centrifuge (which would now be more of a flywheel) the extra power from the induced G's could be diverted to do more work than could be obtained from the units working in the standard one G environment. The overall weight of the PMMs would not increase, you just have the added weight of the centrifuge.
But like a solar panel a PMM will need developement to become more efficient and thus more useful.