The ball bearing motor runs on thermal energy and can be built easily with salvaged parts. It rotates in response to high currents and can spin very fast. Safety precautions should be taken when handling it.
An electrical device, a ball bearing motor runs on thermal energy, rotating in response to starting with high currents. This is a commercially useless engine that is of value only from the point of view of understanding scientific principles. It is a very simple motor which consists of a flywheel and two sets of ball bearings mounted on a driving shaft. The ball bearing motor is connected to an electrical energy source, which can be alternating or direct current. It is capable of spinning in either direction depending on how it is initially started and can spin very fast if given enough power.
This engine can be built very easily with parts salvaged from junk mechanical devices like copiers and printers. All you need are two races of ball bearings and a shaft that fits snugly inside them. The outer rings of the tracks are connected to a low voltage high current source. Power sources such as mains transformers, car batteries and 12 volt starter batteries are ideal. The power source should have a peak power rating of a couple hundred amps and should be able to deliver that power for a reasonable amount of time.
The ball bearing motor shaft should have enough leeway to turn freely and, ideally, should rotate a minimum of three revolutions when turned slightly by hand. To act as a flywheel, the ball races must be inserted inside a metal tube, which is mounted on a non-conductive shaft. If the shaft does not fit snugly enough within the ball’s race, it can be blocked using a small piece of aluminum foil. A good fit ensures that the electrical contact remains stable and care must be taken that the mechanism is free from grease so that it rotates freely.
When power is supplied to the ball bearing motor, it flows through the outer ring of a ball race and through the ball bearings into the inner race. The power then flows along the drive shaft and flows into the inner race of the second ball bearing. It passes through these ball bearings and the outer ball race and returns to the power source. The ball bearing motor only begins to rotate in a particular direction when it is given an initial rotation in that direction. It rotates because heat is locally generated causing the ball to expand and stretch slightly.
The ball pushes against the inner and outer rings, and as the bearing rotates due to the rotation given to it, the ball is pushed in the direction of motion. All balls that are in contact with both rings support the rotation and the motor starts to spin faster. If the power supplied is high and the resistance of the setup is low, the motion of the ball bearing motor starts to accelerate very rapidly. It can reach very high speeds, around 1000 rpm, and both the cables and the motor can get extremely hot. You must take safety precautions to protect yourself from any risks and it is recommended that you wear eye and face protection.
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