Carlson Dynamo

The Carlson Dynamo is the first successful implementation of the principles of the Fundamental Laws of Magokinetics written down in the Philosophiae Kineticae Principa Magica e Kinetica by Jacob Alté.

It can convert a controlled magical pulse by a magical user into a steady stream of kinetic energy, by extending the gases within a cylinder and moving a piston through this expansion. Through a clever system of valves and circulation, the gases are constantly replenished and more magical energy can be applied.

This concept suffers several drawbacks. A constant supply of magic is needed and can only be supplied by a person. Too much supply can cause the dynamo to burst. While the gases are capable of storing some potential energy due to a low expansion rate, this amount is finite. The design of the piston is heavily dependent on the rate of expansion of the gases and can critically fail when the gas contracts before the first half of the pistons cycle is completed. Since the amount of supplied energy can influence this, the user has to sufficiently skilled.

The introduction of the gasses as an intermediate agent has stuck around in subsequent developments though and is a differentiating element between different types of dynamos.