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POWERING THE WORLD WITH ENERGY FROM MECHANICAL OSCILLATIONS |
Category: Sustainable Technology |
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Prahlad Menon
NITK Surathkal
Bangalore, IN
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Page Views: 441
Votes: 11
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Entered: 07/18/2008
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My sustainable energy idea is a cheap, effective and versatile method for harnessing energy for household and utility-scale applications using a stand-alone system. According to the 1st law of thermodynamics, no thermodynamic system can run with a single source and no sink (energy reservoirs). But if the heat source is an infinite one, the heat lost is not really lost as it has actually come from an infinite reservoir. In-fact an infinite source, if truly infinite, would never get depleted. Vibrations are present all around us, and could therefore be considered as such an ‘infinite source’.
A remarkable invention of lore called the ‘Dippy-Bird’ uses the principles of thermodynamics in a near carnot cycle that would produce oscillations consistently and constantly, in spite of running on a real thermodynamic cycle. The oscillations of the dippy bird can be transmitted by means of a lever to a flywheel with a ratcheting mechanism like in the freewheel of a bicycle wheel.
The nature of oscillations of the lever may be defined as a mechanically amplified version of the oscillations produced by the dippy bird. This phenomenon, called Secondary Oscillations Mechanical Amplification, was first predicted by Veljko Milkovic’s, who claimed that: the amount of energy derived in the lever can be many times more than the amount of energy required to keep the primary pendulum swinging.
Consider a Dippy bird in hot and dry climatic conditions with a time period of oscillation of about 10 seconds, which does the net work of lifting 40g of fluid (Freon-11) for a height of 30cms.
The work done in doing this = 0.12 J
Let us say that 0.12 J would be equivalent to 0.12 N.m of torque. Since we are using secondary oscillation mechanical amplification (SOMA) with a lever arm of length say ‘L’ (refer fig i), the mechanical oscillation amplitude magnification factor as estimated through Milkovich’s experiment is about 12 times.
Torque (T) ? d2?/ dt2
Hence, if ?SOMA = 12 x ?dippy_bird
Hence, torque available to the axle of the flywheel is:
TSOMA = 0.12 x 12 = 1.44 N.m
If this torque is made available at a wheel of radius of gyration greater than the source (the dippy bird in this case), the net energy stored in the flywheel would be:
W = 1.44 x IFlywheel / IDippy_bird
If we use 2 flywheels on the same axle, each of the same radius of gyration of the dippy bird, we will be able to make
IFlywheel = 2 x IDippy_bird
Hence : W = 1.44 x 2 = 2.88 N.m
If a flywheel speed(N) of 150 RPM is achieved (when the angular acceleration of the flywheel is a maximum) then, the power (P) available for harnessing at the flywheel axle is = 2?NW/60 Watts.
This power is = 30 W @ just 150 RPM and 2.88 N.m
This power alone is enough to power 2 CFL 13W bulbs equivalent to 2 x 60W filament bulbs.
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Meet the Entrant, Prahlad Menon
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Contact Email: prahlad.menon@gmail.com |
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Association: NITK Surathkal |
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Profession: Student |
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Number of times entering contest previously: 1
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Design Tools:
Pencil and Paper
Physical models
Image rendering software
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What role does Prahlad believe product design plays in creating a better future?
My product design is a sustainable energy technology. It is a cheap, effective and versatile method to harness energy for household and utility-scale applications using a stand-alone system. This would allow remote regions (especially in India) to enjoy the benefits of electrification, in spite of constraints like accessibility by road, availability of hard wiring to power grids and other encumbrances of connectivity that rural dwellers face.
The highlight of my idea is the novel method of harvesting energy from feeble mechanical oscillations. Since the proposed energy solution has been designed considering the basic needs of a single household alone, the system is portable and rugged.
I have designed this system with the intension of helping rural dwellers to create a better future for themselves, with the blessing of electricity.
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Hardware used for design:
Dell
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