Why don't we use liquid helium superfluids for infinite clean energy?

Question

Liquid helium, at a low enough temperature, becomes a superfluid. This would mean that if we stirred it, it would keep spinning forever. Surely this means we could use a small amount of liquid helium to generate infinite energy?

I understand that it would require a lot of energy to make it in the first place, but surely in the long run it would generate more energy than was needed to create the superfluid?

Why would you expect any more energy output than it took you to get it spinning in the first place? — JMac, Jul 04 '19 at 15:51
In this house... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc-m9dumEaw — Rococo, Jul 04 '19 at 15:52

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 04 '19 at 15:47

This would mean that if we stirred it, it would keep spinning forever.

No.

It would keep spinning forever if you don't touch it.

And by "touch" I don't mean mechanically. Bouncing light off it is "touching" it in this context.

If it's moving a generator, it's "touching" something.

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 04 '19 at 09:45

2

The super fluid in this scenario is technically without friction, and without friction there would be no way to transfer the energy to a turbine without first heating it, defeating the object. It would also lose energy when transferring it to a turbine. The only real use for it would be a very efficient method of energy transfer if you had some method of keeping it permanently cold.

answered Jul 04 '19 at 09:45

Bozbot

36

Or energy storage, like a superfluid flywheel. – Rococo Jul 04 '19 at 15:54

Why don't we use liquid helium superfluids for infinite clean energy?

2 Answers2