2017 IEEE Region 10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC)
21 - 23 Dec 2017, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Generation of Electrical Power Using Gymnasium
Bicycle
K. M. Ahsan-uz-Zaman1*, Kafi Mohammad Ullah1, Md. Mishir1, Mahafujul Alam1
1
Dept. of EEE, Mymensingh Engineering College, University of Dhaka, Mymensingh
k.m.ahsanuzzaman@gmail.com*
Abstract— Now a days the basic need of human life is power
and it can manipulate major developments any country.
Bangladesh is a developing country but limited resources for
generation of electricity is one of the major reason behind that. In
Bangladesh most of the energy is generated using conventional
energy sources and they are diminishing day by day. On the other
hand conventional energy sources are responsible for pollution
and global warming. That’s why we need non-conventional energy
source to develop power generating which are eco-friendly, clean
and sustainable. This is why our research introduces a system to
produce renewable energy from human wastage energy. Our
proposed mechanism harvest electricity using the pressure energy
from the movement of human through gymnasium bicycle. It is an
Electro-Mechanical system. This proposed system shows the
conversation of kinetic energy to electrical energy through
alternator and tap it using battery. This paper also presents the
efficiency of our system. We hope that our energy converting
system (mechanical to electrical) is contain low losses to produce
electricity. Actually we are trying to presents such a mechanism
through which the electricity problem of Bangladesh will be
reduced significantly.
Keywords—renewable energy; pedal generator; exercycle
I. INTRODUCTION
Bangladesh is a developing country. There are many
resources in it. Every moment we wastes our energy in many
sector. To continue the flow of development, we should proper
use of our energy as possible. Now a days the most challenging
part is to generate electricity. Load shedding is a common
problem in our country. Every day we face to this unexpected
problem and that is why we are so familiar to this. Every
problem bears a social economic threat to life and society.
Though Human power is an old concept of mankind. As long as
people are used their muscles to pick up, carry and handle
different types of things. Human began making small tools
which are the f rst examples of Human powered products. How
the human work convert into electricity, at first the Philips
dynamo torch derived it [1]. Many research investigations has
been done to use this energy and converting it into electrical
energy. Due to continuous growing need of clean sustainable
energy, many countries, companies and universities have
invested time and money in Energy Harvesting (EH). The term
Energy Harvesting, is also known as energy scavenging or
power harvesting [2]. Most of the power plant in Bangladesh
uses fuel to run it. But it is harmful for Environment & natural
resources like as gas. Few of the power plants are High Speed
Diesel (HSD) based and few are renewable energy based. Only
978-1-5386-2175-2/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
198
around minimum people in Bangladesh have the facilities of
electricity. Almost half of the population does not have
electricity. Besides that the people of remote area are normally
far from modern facilities such education, health, online services
etc. Normally they use fuel for lighting purpose and it is hard for
them to access modern technologies such as mobile, computer,
internet etc. AS a matter of fact that, we should come forward to
prevent the vital problem of electricity in order to lead a happier
life. This research has proposed power generation using
gymnasium bicycle. Many people in our country use riding cycle
for their fitness. AS a result mechanical energy is fully released.
To rescue this energy we can convert it as electrical energy.
Pedal generator may be an alternative solution in these
situations. We have shown in this research works that the pedal
system power generation is suitable for the gym. Specif c
objective of this research is to have an easy, cheap, and handy
and pollution free source of energy by means of pedal generator.
This technology is most commonly used transportation [3],
propel bicycles [4]. Less commonly pedal power is used to
agricultural tools [5] and even to generate electricity [6], [7].
Some applications include pedal powered mobiles [8], pedal
powered grinders [9] and pedal powered water wells [10].
II. METHODOLOGY
Electricity is the basic need of human life. The consumption
rate is increasing at 10 % every year but there has been no
sufficient growth in production rate which leads to load
shedding and increase in price levels. Besides the availability of
regular conventional fossil fuels are getting diminished. So it is
high time to create attention to generate energy through
renewable energy source instead of conventional energy source.
In this paper we have implemented the very basic principle
conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy. In our
research we show power generation from kinetic energy through
pedal generator. The main concept of our research is to utilize
those type of kinetic energy which are wasted in gymnasium
through Exercycle (exercise bicycle) and produce electricity. It
is an optimum but simple way to produce energy from pedal
power. To make their body fit generally human are going to gym
to burn their calorie.
Fig. 1. Block diagram of proposed system.

A complete system has been developed to convert the burned
calorie of human body into green electricity. In our research we
replace this traditional exorcycle to our proposed bicycle which
utilizes mechanical and electrical technologies to generate
power and storage.
III. FUNCTION AND SYSTEM DESIGN
The Kinetic energy, generated by pedaling is converted into
rotational energy through the use of gear system turning a fly
wheel. An alternator connected with the fly wheel through a
coupling belt. AC generator convert this rotational energy into
electrical energy [11] [12]. A charging circuit is used to charge
battery and store the generated power. So constant pedaling
speed is not needed as we are storing the energy in battery.
According to load demand DC voltage inverted into AC by an
inverting circuit and a step up transformer is used to step it up.
The gear system is highly optimized and it makes initial pedaling
easies to get suitable RPM. In low rpm alternator will produce
less power with low frequency and in high rpm the alternator act
as vice versa. So the variation of speed has certain impact on the
power generation but it does not affect the overall efficiency as
it is eventually converted into dc and stored in the battery for
further usage. The whole system is represented on Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. Exercycle mechanism.
IV. SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION
Pedal mechanism, gear box, fly wheel, coupling belt,
generator, charging circuit, battery, and step up transformer and
inverter circuit used to the proposed system work.
A. Pedal Mechanism
The initial progress of the system is started through pedaling
of the cycle which create kinetic energy by circular motion and
its pass through the gear system.
B. Gearing System
When the kinetic energy generated by pedal mechanism, it’s
transmitted to rotational energy through gear system. We used
two 3 inch gears, both are connected through a coupling chain
into the gear box. The pedal mechanism has 5 inch gear which
is attached to one of them through 1 inch gear and other gear is
attached to fly wheel through 2 inch gear having 4 inch pulley.
The whole system is represented on Fig. 3.
Fig. 3. Gearing system.
199
2017 IEEE Region 10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC)
21 - 23 Dec 2017, Dhaka, Bangladesh
C. Fly wheel
The primary function of fly wheel is to act as an energy
accumulator. It reduces the fluctuations in speed [13]. It absorbs
the energy when demand is less and releases the same when it is
required.
D. Generator
An electric generator is a device which converts mechanical
energy to electrical energy in electricity generation [14]. A three
phase 750W, 220V, 50Hz permanent magnet alternator is used
to generate electricity from kinetic energy. Around 2500-3000
rpms the output current is begin reach to its maximum potential
[15].
E. Charging circuit and step down transformer
Charging circuit and step down transformer is used to step
down the generated voltage and charge the battery. Fig. 4 shows
the charging circuit.
Fig. 4. Charging circuit.
F. Battery
A 12 volt 80 AH lead acid battery is used to store the
generated electrical power.
G. Inverter circuit & step-up transformer
Inverter convert DC voltage to AC voltage and step up
transformer is a type of transformer which stepped up the AC
voltage. In this system inverter circuit converts 12V DC to 15V
AC. Step up Transformer makes the voltage to 250 V AC from
15 V AC.
Fig. 5. Inverter circuit.
V. COST ANALYSIS
The different essential equipment and its cost with quantities
are given to Table I.
 2017 IEEE Region 10 Humanitarian Technology Conference (R10-HTC)
21 - 23 Dec 2017, Dhaka, Bangladesh

TABLE I. Cost Analysis of The System VIII. CONCLUSION

Equipment No. of set Price (BDT) The objective of this research work is to generate electricity
from the gymnasium stationary bicycle. It also analyzed
Chain 2 200
commercial probability as a secondary power source in local
Gear 4 400 gyms. The listed system is non-conventional and the way of
power generation technique is also eco-friendly. This system
Body frame 1 1000 may be considered as an alternative to IPS system during the
time of load shedding. This mechanism can be utilized in the
Pedal Gear 1 200 ordinary bicycle to ride it without pedaling for a certain period
Battery 1 1000
of time. Implementation on other gymnasium equipment as like
treadmills may be considered as future work of this research.
Fly wheel 1 500
REFERENCES
Generator 1 3000 [1] M.W. Nasim, “Pedal Power Generator”, Published by: Sultangetin on
May 02, 2013, Copyright: Attribution Non-commercial.
Wiring 200 [2] Yildiz, F. “Potential Ambient Energy – Harvesting Sources and
Techniques,” The Iournal Technology Studies, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 40-48.
Total cost 6500
[3] DavidWeightman,“Theuseofpedalpowerforagricultureandtransport in the
developing countries”, Published by Lanchester Polytechnic, May 1976.
VI. CALCULATION & RESULT ANALYSIS [4] ElectricBicycles,
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-
Alternator reach to its Maximum Potential at 2500-3000 projects/f les/projects/documents/presto-fact-sheet-legislation en.pdf ,
RPM accessed at 6th of June, 2016.
[5] Human and Animal Power Tools and Transmission Systems,
Let’s assume 30 rpm average speed of pedal, http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD 40/JF/424/Human & animal power
tools & transmission systems.pdf, accesses on 24th August 2015.
So, Alternator pulley speed = 30 rpm × 5 × 3 × 3 × (3 / 2) ×
[6] R. Subash, C.M. Meenakshi, K. Samuel Jayakaran, C. Venkateswaran, R.
(4 / 3) = 2700 RPM Sasidharan, “Fabrication of Pedal Powered Hacksaw Using Dual Chain
Drive” International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 3 (2) (2014)
But coupling belt loss is 4.22% and gear loss is 7% [16]. 220-223.
Subtracting coupling belt losses and gear losses we get ≈ [7] R. Singh, D.C. Sharma, “Experimental Study of Home Automation by
2400 RPM. That’s enough to get average potential from Bicycle Pedal Power Using of Different Sprocket”, International Journal
of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) Volume 8 Number 2- Feb
alternator. Normally, a gymnasium consumed 1000 unit per 2014.
month approximately. [8] Thad Starner and Joseph A. Paradiso, “Human Generated Power for
So, Load demand (1000/30) /24 = 1.34 kWh. Mobile Electronics”, Low Power Electronics Dsign, CRC Press, Fall
2004.
The average number of member’s per day at the gym is about [9] G.S. Pinson, “A Pedal-Operated Grain Mill”, Rural Technology Guide,
200.The average number of members per day pedal the bike is No. 5, 1979, Published byTropical Development and Research Institute
about 60. Pedaling time per person is about 20 minutes. So, daily (TDRI).
pedaling time per gym is 1200 minutes. [10] Atul P. Ganorkar, K.S. Zakiuddin and H. A. Hussain, “An Experiment on
Development of Pedal Operated Water Pump”, IOSR,e-ISSN:2278-
The output average current, I = 4.5A 1684,(2014).
[11] Amanpreet Kaur, Shivansh Kumar Singh, Rajneesh, Parwez and
The output average voltage, V = 15V Shashank, “Power Generation Using Speed Breaker with Auto Street
Light,” International Journal of Engineering Science and Innovative
The average output power, P = V× I = 15×4.5 = 67.5Watts. Technology (IJESIT), vol. 2, no. 2, March 2013.
From this output power daily a gym can harvest 1.35 kWh [12] A. Padma Rao, A. Kiran Kumar and S. Suresh, “Power Generation from
Speed Breaker by Rack and Ratchet Mechanism,” International Journal
energy. This is enough energy to supply energy during load of Current Engineering and Technology, sp. no. 2, February 2014.
shedding or other works.
[13] “Power System Dynamics and Control”, K.R.Padiyar, Interline
Publishers Bangalore.
VII. EFFICIENCY
[14] Electric generator, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_generator,
Force obtained on alternator shaft is 6.2 N accessed at 6th of June, 2016.
Alternator shaft diameter is 0.0254 m [15] D. Venkata Rao, K. Prasada Rao, Chiranjeeva Rao and R. Umamaheswara
So, Torque = Frsinθ = 0.1574 N-m Rao, “Design and Fabrication of Power generation System using Speed
Breaker,” International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology,
Now, Power = Torque × Speed (rpm)/9.5488 = 39.56 watt vol. 4, no. 4, August 2014.
The mechanical input power is 39.56 watt. [16] “High efficiency belt drives,” Industrial Efficiency Technology Database
The obtained output power is 67.5 watt online, Nov. 2005, [Online]. Available:
Overall efficiency = (output power / input power) × 100% = http://ietd.iipnetwork.org/content/high-efficiency-beltdrives. [Accessed:
58.62% Oct. 1, 2016].
The total efficiency of the system is found by subtracting all
losses and it is equal to 58.62 %.

200