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Human Power Using Bicycle Mechanism As An Alternative Energy Source: A Critical Review
Human Power Using Bicycle Mechanism As An Alternative Energy Source: A Critical Review
Fig. 1.1: Human effort time Vs Sustained power; the maximum In recent years, human power conversion is making
duration of human effort for different levels of power (Glaskin, a comeback due to a variety of economic,
2013) environmental, and technological factors:
Applications in less-developed countries
II. POWER LEVELS and remotelocations of developed
countries (e.g., camping)
The power levels that a human being can produce Use in portable computing, where
through pedaling depend on how strong the peddler progress inbattery technology lags behind
is and on how long he or she to pedal. If the task to developments inlaptop PCs
be powered will continue for hours at a time, 75
Use in wearable computing and
watts mechanical power is generally considered the
communicationdevices, where absence of
limit for large, healthy no-athlete. A healthy
batteries or usable energy in remote
athletic person of the same build might produce up
locations such as battle fieldshinders their
to twice this amount. A person who is smaller and
continuous use
less well nourished, but not till, would produce
Energy shortage and high cost of
less; the estimate for such a person should probably
solar/wind power
be 50 watt for the same kind of power production
over an extended period. The graph in fig. 2.1 Use in emergency situations, e.g.,
shows various record limits for pedaling under earthquakes andhurricanes
optimum condition. The meaning of these curves is Energy conservation – e.g., to minimize
that any point on a curve indicated the maximum energyrequirements in power assist
time that the appropriate class of person could devices for elderly and disabled
maintain the given average power level [2]. Environment friendly – batteries are
energy intensive to produce and are non-
biodegradable
Advances in actuators, materials, and
energy storagetechniques
Technological challenges – e.g., human-
poweredflight, with spin-off benefits
Parts Tools:
-2"X4"Wood
-Wrench
-V-belt
-Saw
-Diode
-Wood screws or nails
- Battery
- Hammer or Screwdriver
- Inverter
- Tape Measure
- Wire
- Screwdriver Fig. 4.3: Base with motor.
- Motor (12-V or higher)
- Perforated plumbers steel For more efficient production a flywheel should be
Design a base which lifts the rear tire off the placed on the motor (like in the picture) or if an
ground. The base should also support a motor with exercise bike is used the wheel should already be a
the shaft facing the wheel. flywheel.
V. SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY
There were three options for choosing the Table 5.1 presents the "theoretical" values of the
generator: car alternator with an integrated voltage generator speed and the values of the output
regulator, car alternator with an external voltage current, considering the output voltage rather
regulator and a permanent magnet alternator. The constant and the mechanical block power much
three criteria used in choosing the generator were: bigger than the generator power. The output current
1. The generator output voltage should values Ig were taken from the alternator
comply with the battery charging conditions. For characteristic Ig = f(N) (Delco Remy, 2008).
this reason, the output voltage should be between
14.2V and 14.8V. [1] Table 5.1:Theoretical values of the generator speed and the
2. The connections between the values of the output current
components should be very simple.
3. Embedded regulator into alternator m1 m2 Nped N Ig
chassis would be preferred since it may help save c1 / s6 = 46 / 2441 50
space, reduce wiring demands and the system 26
would be less susceptible to mechanical damages c1 / s5 = 46 / 2645 54
due to error in handling or even during regular use. 24
c1 / s4 = 46 / 2885 60
The generator (G) that meets all above
requirements is the automotive alternator with 22
integrated voltage regulator. The availability on the c1 / s3 = 46 / 3174 64
market, the variety of shapes, sizes and outputs 20
have been other advantages that have been taken c1 / s2 = 46 / 3734 71
into consideration when choosing this unit for 17
prototype implementation. Furthermore, the c1 / s1 = 46 / 4534 76
working principle was validated, over many years, 14
by the automotive industry, where more severe 23 60
c2 / s6 = 52 / 2760 56
challenges (extreme temperatures, humidity, high
revs) are met. To temporarily store the harvested
26
energy a group of 12V lead – acid batteries (B) was c2 / s5 = 52 / 2990 61
used. In order to deliver the stored energy into the 24
(local or regional) power network we also use a c2 / s4 = 52 / 3261 65
300W, 12Vcc/220Vca inverter (I). The voltmeter 22
(V) and the ammeter (A) have a double c2 / s3 = 52 / 3588 70
significance: they are used during the experimental 20
stage but they are replaced with transducers for the c2 / s2 = 52 / 4221 74
batteries management in the final solution.
17
c2 / s1 = 52 / 5125 77
14
Ig[A]
voltage Vg rather constant), the generated current
(Ig) can be used as a measure of the energy 4
produced by the system. The measuring process
consists of two indirect procedures: calculus of the 3
generator speed and evaluation of the produced 2
energy. We calculate the generator speed using 1
equation (1), starting from the speed of the rear
wheel measured with a bike computer. The 0
produced energy is evaluated using a set of bulbs 1084 1134 1184 1234
(having different powers - 8W, 15W, 25W, 40W,
75W) as the generator load.[1] We have used an Generator Pulley Speed[RPM]
increasing load, determining the values of speed
corresponding to each load value: we increase the Fig.6.1: Actual system characteristic
speed until p bulbs (totalizing P watts) light up, and
we log the data point as the speed necessary to VII. CONCLUSION
generate P watt.
In conclusion human power there is vast scope in
Further analyzing the data, we could still determine economical use of Bicycle mechanism as an
the system functional characteristic starting from alternative energy Source thereby renewable
the generated current values, knowing that energy generation as well as exercising for good
theoretical characteristic of the generator is unique. health cause.
Therefore, we built the pairs (Ig, Nalternator) presented In this paper an energy scavenging system built
in Table 6.1; the resulting characteristic is with recycled, independent components and
presented in Fig. 6.1. targeted at energy consumed while exercising is
Overall, our results show that the designed system presented. The amount of harvested energy is more
is capable to scavenge (some of) the energy than sufficient to motivate us not to let it be wasted
produced by the biker on a stationary bike but the into heat or other forms of un-useful energy. While
collected energy heavily depends on the losses in building the scavenging system authors observed a
the system before reaching the collection point. couple of problems related to both interconnections
Some of these losses do not appear in professional between mechanical and electrical systems, as well
gym equipment but need to be addressed for home- as interconnection between the scavenging system
use systems like the one proposed in this paper. and the electrical network. Solutions for these
Minor improvements at the mechanical block (as problems are reviewed. Economical perspective
indicated above) should increase the generator's shows vital utility due to the recycled components,
speed and, consequently, the output current. the system is affordable. All the components can
still be used separately.
Table 6.1: Experimental values
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
N NAlternator Ig
2111 1084 0.65 Authors are thankful to the SSBT`s, College of
2322 1097 1.25 Engineering and Technology, Bambhori, Jalgaon
2856 1122 2.08 for providing library facility. The authors would
2980 1129 2.75 like to thank the staff and colleagues for useful
3187 1386 3.35 discussions.
3676 1146 4.58
4160 1180 5.41
4901 1213 6.25
REFERENCES