Power Generation by Using Road Speed Breakers | Tech Blog

power generation from speed breakers

Power Generation by Using Road Speed Breakers

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In today’s scenario, use of non-conventional energy sources is very much sought after. In this paper we are going to present the generation of electricity by using speed breaker.
The dead weight of vehicles can be utilized effectively for electricity generation, in the form of potential energy applied on/or over the platform of air compressing ram. Then this compressed air is converted into kinetic energy by means of nozzle. High velocity jet rotates air turbine and shaft work is obtained. Thus we are using the ram as a speed breaker and also for the production of power.

INTRODUCTION

Due to growing global demand of electricity day-by-day; there is need to switch over to non-conventional energy sources for generation of electricity. The fact that the road traffic of heavy vehicles as well as light motor vehicles is growing very fast, the dead weight of the same can be utilized effectively for the electricity generation as discussed in this paper.

Firstly rolling trucks and other vehicles move over to the highways crossing the speed breakers at various places on their way, comes to near pause or halt at the speed breaker where the dead weight of entire vehicle (loaded/unloaded) can be utilized as a source of energy in the form of potential energy failing on/or applied over the platform of air compressing ram: compressing can be stored in the air well. This compressed air from the source in the form of pressure energy is being converted into kinetic energy flowing through the nozzle. The kinetic energy of flowing air drives the turbine rotor for generating electricity which proves its ability in different localized fields or area. The harnessing of such type of potential energy of road vehicular traffic in their potential form to useful form of electricity is described here under in detail, in the forthcoming discussion.

CONSTRUCTION AND COMPONENT DETAILS OF AIR TURBO GENERATOR

Air turbo generator is a newly developed mechanical device comprising of mainly the air com-pressure, air well, nozzle, turbine rotor generator & energy absorbing elements. This device converts the energy of the vehicle in its dead weight from which at the moment when crosses over to the speed breakers on the highways in the form of compressed air. During rolling on and rolling down of the vehicle (while crossing the speed breaker) the air is hammered in compressed form by the natural upward and downward movement of ram.

In the construction of peculiar design of the speed breaker which comprises mainly of three parts. First part of speed breaker in the form of concrete block A, second part of speed breaker in the form of metallic ram B & third part of speed breaker in the form of concrete block C. all these three parts are having specially designed shape of unique form to permit easy rolling of wheels over to the speed breaker.

The central portion of the speed breaker i.e. metallic ram consists of massive block structure which is coupled at the top of reciprocating air compressor with the help of a connecting rod and fit springs. This spring lifts the ram upward during return stroke.

While rolling of wheels of vehicles over to the rain which causes the ram to move downward due to the static weight of that vehicle causing compression of air by piston and cylinder arrangement, which further feeds the compressed air to the reservoir of air well. This compressed air is then fed to the air turbine rotor which in turn drives the generator to generate the electricity.

The elements of air turbo generator in addition to the main energy absorbing devices are as under:

1) Air Well– It receives and stores the compressed air obtained from air compressor.

2)Nozzle –It converts the pressure energy of air in the compressed air form into the kinetic energy.

3) Air Turbine Rotor – It drives the generator by abstracting the kinetic energy of air supplied from the nozzle. This rotor is an impulse turbine (i.e. pelton wheel).

As a high velocity air is impinging on the turbine, the turbine blades should have proper strength. So we can use following material:

Alloy	Composition
1.   Monel  Metal 2.   40Ni3	Cu (33%), Ni (68%), Fe (2%) C (0.4%), Si (0.1% to 0.35%), Mn (0.5% to 0.8%), Ni (3.2%), Cr (0.3%)

4)             Generator – In this case we are using aero generators, both direct and alternating current machine and are available from a capacity of few watts to 100^thof kilowatts. When the speed of wind turbine is low, multiple synchronous alternators are used. When an alternator is directly coupled to an AC network, its speed is nearly constant. Such a generator can be design for sufficient overload capacity to absorb the wind energy available.

HARNESSING THE ENERGY FROM ROAD TRAFFIC

The great potential energy of dead weight of a vehicle can be harnessed for the generation of electricity. The increasing vehicular traffic would result in greater storage of air in compressed form into the receiver. The rough estimate for the road traffic and average weight of truck/lorries is mentioned as under:

1.             Population of traffic per hour.

a.     for National highway : 300 (two way)

b.    For State Highway  : 200 (Two way)

2.             Average rough weight of (loaded/unloaded) truck: 20 +_ 5 tones.

The values stated above will increase due to greater trading and transactions. Moreover India would come under WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO) by April 2001. This would further result in greater road traffic. More number of vehicles will be required to transfer variety of products from one place to another. A few years later the vehicles passing over the highways would defiantly increase to fulfill the goods requirement of various places.

WORKING

The working principle can be explained in the following steps:-

1. As the vehicle passes over the first part A. of the speed breaker; its speed gets reduced. Then the vehicle gradually moves over to the energy absorbing unit part B rain, of the speed breaker.
2. Further the vehicle moves over ram (part B) and compresses it against the spring loaded piton of the air compressor. Thus the air from the air compressor goes to the receiver at a high pressure through the one way delivery valve.
3. Finally, as the vehicle moves to the third position (i.e. part C) of the speed breaker, the load over the ram is removed and it moves again to its initial position by lifting spring. This upward motion of the rain results in sucking of atmospheric air into the compressor trough inlet valve.

The vehicle then again tracks over road.

This cycle is repeated twice for each vehicle and consequently the same for every passing vehicle. This leads to delivery of air into the receiver. By adjusting the regulating valve this air at certain high pressure goes to the nozzle. In nozzle the pressure energy of compressed air is converted into kinetic energy. Now the high velocity air jet is impinged to the bucket of the turbine rotor and causes it to rotate at high speed. This rotary motion in turn rotates the armature of the generator. Thus the electricity produced can be utilized for the required work. For example, this generated electricity can be utilized to glow nearby streetlights or for any other purpose.

POWER PRODUCED BY THE TURBINE ROTOR

Power                     =          Overall efficiency X work done/kg of air X weight of air

Flow/sec  in kg.

Overall efficiency    =          Shaft power/Air power

Work done              =          W/g (V_W1+ V_W2) u

Where:

W                           =          weight of air

G                            =          acceleration due to gravity

V_w1                         =          absolute velocity of air at inlet

V_w2                         =          Absolute velocity of air at outlet

U1                          =          Tangential velocity of air

Work done             =          W/g (V_w1 – u) (1 + cos *)u

Where*                    =          Bucket angle a outlet

ADVANTAGES

1.     Infrastructure- this method of electricity generation does not require large infrastructure.

2.     Economy- This method is economical and cheap for long run

3.     Pollution free- This method does not have any adverse effect on environment

4.     Maintenance- the maintenance cost of this system is considerably less

5.     Flexibility- This system is flexile to wide variety of loads.

6.     Suitability- This system is very well suited for low capacity devices having intermitted operation.

7.     Construction- This system is very easy to understand and is simple in construction.

CONCLUSION

By above discussion we may conclude that power generation by this system is one of the unconventional sources of energy in coming days. It is need of our generation because the conventional energy sources are not renewable form of sources. By using tube generators we can easily find out the solution on “Electric power generation’

References

1.             Machine Design by R. K. Jain

2.             Fluid Power by R. K. Bansal

3.             Fluid Power by R. K. Rajput

4.             Turbines and Compressors by Yahya

5.             Unconventional Energy Sources by Rao

6.             www.honda.tech.infn.com