A Prototype Development and Fabrication: Electricity Generation from Speed Breaker

DOI: https://doi.org/10.53523/ijoirVol8I3ID57 Abstract Electricity is the fundamental need of human society. Any nation's growth depends on energy. The worldwide electricity consumption increases and conventional electricity sources are causing pollution. Therefore, some non-conventional energy recourses are mandatory to be designed and developed for electricity generation, and they are useful and environment-friendly. In this study, a renewable, non-conventional energy source prototype has been developed, based on the mechanism of power generation from speed breaker with ratchet and pawl mechanism. This study aims to convert the kinetic energy of vehicles into electrical energy which can be used for street and highway lighting and conservation of electrical energy.


Introduction
Energy sources like coal, oil and gas come to face challenges such as reduction of fossil fuel reserves, greenhouse gas emission and other environmental concerns. Even though, renewable energy sources are the most useful alternatives and they provide the only solution to the growing challenges [1]. Renewable power sources have so far demonstrated resilience in the face of the Covid-19 crisis. The share of renewable energy in global electricity supply reached nearly 28% in the first quarter of 2020, up from 26% during the same period in 2019 [2]. Conventional energy sources like natural gas, oil, coal, and nuclear power plant are predetermined and fixed recourses and widely used all over the world. But renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal, etc. are non-polluting and easily available in nature.
Similarly, producing electricity from speed breaker is not a new concept, various researches and developments have been made in this regard. [3], [4] Every speed breaker can become a source of voltage generation, a vehicle kinetic energy can be converted into rotational energy of roller and produces a considerable amount of energy as shown in Table (  Roller is used as speed breaker in various models of power generation depending on speed breaker but there is a problem in the roller as a speed breaker that when a vehicle passes over it there will be a backward motion. Therefore, in this prototype, a ratchet and pawl mechanism has been introduced for avoiding backward motion in rollers. Electricity generation from speed breaker is a clean and better tool for the conservation of energy. Electricity generation from speed breaker can be easily explained and understood by comparing it with other power generation sources as shown in Table (2).

Working Principle
The number of vehicles on road is increasing rapidly and if the kinetic energy of these vehicles is converted into the rotational motion of the roller then a considerable amount of electricity will be produced, this is the main concept of this study. In the present prototype, rollers are fitted in between a speed breaker and some kind of a grip is provided on the speed breaker so that when a vehicle passes over the speed breaker it rotates the roller. This movement of roller is used to rotate the shaft of the D.C. generator with the help of chain drive which is there to provide 1:5 speed ratios. A flywheel is also attached to the shaft of the smaller sprocket to get an uninterrupted rotation of the shaft and thus the generator. As the shaft of the D.C. generator rotates, it produces electricity. This electricity is stored in a battery. Then the output of the battery is used to lighten the street and highway lighting on the road. Now during the daytime, there is no need for electricity to lightening the street lamps so a control switch may be used for ON/ OFF. The control switch is connected by wire to the output of the battery. The control switch has ON/OFF mechanism which allows the current to flow when needed. The complete mechanism of electricity generation is shown in figure 1.

Ratchet and Pawl Mechanism
When vehicle wheels pass over the roller then backward motion takes place instead of complete forwarding motion. To overcome this problem a ratchet pawl mechanism was introduced in this prototype. Three-dimensional design simulation of ratchet pawl mechanism designed in Solidworks Designing Software as shown in figure 2, and applied in prototype as shown in figure 3.

Fabrication of Prototype
The components used in prototype fabrication were Rollers, Shafts, Roller bearings, Dynamo, Chain & sprockets, Flywheels, Rubber cord, LED lights, Wires for electrical connections, Cast iron casing, 9V relay coil, Screws, Wooden covering, Grease to reduce friction and Ratchet wheel & Pawl. Wires are connected to the terminal of generator and other ends to the battery and output wire is connected to the light bulbs. The complete prototype arranged system of electricity generation is shown in figure 4.

Figure (4).
Prototype of Electricity Generation from Speed Breaker.

Results and Discussion
The present study aimed to overcome backward motion of roller by ratchet mechanism and conversion of the kinetic energy of vehicle to electrical energy. The kinetic energy of the vehicle is converted to rotational energy of roller. These circular motions are transferred to the generator by an arranged transmission system.

Output Power Calculation
The mass of a vehicle moving over the speed breaker = 20 kg Height of speed breaker above ground level = 7 cm Work done = Force x Distance Force = Weight of the Body Force = 20 kg x 9.81m/s 2 (acceleration due to gravity) Force = 196.  The demand for energy supply is increasing all over the world. The requirement achieves in an eco-friendly way is a tough task. There are many problems in the production of electrical energy. Renewable energy sources are better tools for power generation. In this regard, solar and wind energy sources have been successfully producing electrical energy.
Cycling pedaling can also be a source of power generation, which is eco-friendly and a form of renewable energy source. There would be various applications of pedaling power generation like Pedal-powered laptops, Pedalpowered washing machines, Pedal-powered water pumps, Pedal-powered lawnmowers, Pedal-powered refrigerators, etc. [6] Similarly, electricity generation from speed breakers is also a renewable energy source, which can produce a considerable amount of electricity. There are various models which have been introduced in this regard, but electricity generation from speed breaker has not been adopted by human society. Generally, in cities and highways a road divider is used for dividing ongoing and incoming traffic. [7] The power generation from the speed breaker can be installed at both sides of the divider and utilized the vehicle kinetic energy to rotate the generator shaft. If any vehicle came from the wrong/ other direction then it will be treated as a simple speed breaker.

Conclusions
Nowadays almost every city in the world is flooded with automobiles. The wasted kinetic energy of vehicles at speed breakers can be utilized for power generation. The main aim of this prototype was rotation of dynamo shaft with respect to rotation of rollers. The findings of this study were the conversion of the kinetic energy of vehicles into the rotational motion of rollers with ratchet and pawl mechanism which avoided backward motion. This rotation of rollers causes rotation of generator shaft which can produce a considerable amount of electricity. This generated energy can be stored with the help of batteries. On the basis of this prototype fabrication, the following conclusions have been made: 1. It has been observed that there is no backward motion of rollers with a ratchet mechanism. 2. The rotational energy of rollers is converted into the rotational energy of the dynamo shaft.
3. It is pollution-free energy conversion. 4. It is a form of renewable energy resource. 5. The number of rollers can be increased for more power generation.
Thus the energy generated from speed breakers can be utilized in streets and highways lighting, providing electricity to stores and residual areas and for operating electric motors, etc.