gEDA-user: Calculating a linear self excited induction generator

[Karel Kulhavy <clock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello

My bike alternator sucks and I would like to have one which has no
moving parts.

I read about self excited induction generator, homopolar generators,
liquid metal dynamos, interstellar plasma dynamos, linear motors
and electric meters.

I got an idea of placing two coils almost touching the aluminium rim and
wiring them somehow obscurely with capacitors (how people do in wind
power plants with squirrel cage motors nobly relabeled as "self excited
induction generators") so they would prime themselves and start
generating. If it works with cyclic asynchronous motor it should work
with a linear one too, shouldn't?

My plan is:
1) Reproduce the electricity meter configuration with externally driven
2 coils from relays, one 90deg after the other (the wheel should turn).
This is how trains and roller coasters with linear motors work so I
guess it should work.
2) Drive the wheel manually and see on a scope if the contraption really
generates more energy than it eats
3) Remove the external drive and place some magical capacitor(s) into the
circuit and try to spin the wheel if it primes itself.

Does anyone have an idea how this thing should be calculated? gnucap
doesn't have a part "inductor coupled magnetically with a running
aluminium strip" so I can't simulate it.

The frequency should be reasonably high, with the coils 2cm apart at 20km/h
on the order of 500Hz. Do you think it will work?

CL<