Design And Construction Of A Foot Step Power Generator Using Piezoelectric Sensor

Electrical Electronics Engineering | Engineering

A footstep power generator employing piezoelectric sensors harnesses the mechanical energy generated by human footsteps to produce electrical power. This innovative technology capitalizes on the piezoelectric effect, where certain materials generate an electric charge in response to mechanical stress. The design typically involves strategically placing piezoelectric sensors beneath high-traffic areas, such as sidewalks or entrances, where foot traffic is frequent. As individuals walk, their weight applies pressure to the sensors, causing them to deform slightly and generate electrical energy. This harvested energy can then be stored in batteries or capacitors for various applications, including powering low-energy devices, lighting systems, or charging portable electronics. The construction process involves selecting suitable piezoelectric materials, designing robust sensor arrays, and integrating efficient energy conversion and storage systems. Additionally, considerations such as durability, weather resistance, and efficiency optimization play pivotal roles in the successful implementation of this sustainable energy solution.

ABSTRACT

This work is on foot step power generation using piezoelectric sensor. This device is designed to convert foot step, walking and running energy into electrical energy. It is used to generate electricity from by walking or running on foot step. The demand of electrical energy is increasing day by day. But power generation conventional resources are now not enough for total demand of electrical energy. Therefore many researchers and engineers are working on non conventional ways of electrical power generation. Foot step power generation system is also a non conventional electrical energy production system. It converts mechanical energy of foot steps into electrical energy by using transducers. It can be implemented on roads, bus stations and many public places. Foot step power generation system basically converts force energy of foot into electrical energy by using piezoelectric sensor. Piezoelectric sensor is transducer which converts force energy into electrical energy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

PROBLEM STATEMENT
AIM/OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT
BRIEF OUTLINE OF CHAPTERS
APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT
METGODOLOGY
PROJECT ORGANISATION

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

EVOLUTION OF PIEZOELECTRIC SENSOR
PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
DEFINITION OF TERMINOLOGIES

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE CHAPTER
RESEARCH DESIGN
MATERIALS
CIRCUIT AND BLOCK DIAGRAM
WORKING PRINCIPLE
USB CONNECTION AND CONFIGURATION
DESIGN CALCULATION

CHAPTER FOUR

TESTING AND RESULTS

CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE AND TESTING
INSTALLATION OF THE COMPLET DESIGN
ASSEMBLING OF SECTIONS
TESTING
RESULT ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION
RECOMMENDATION

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

There are many conventional methods of energy generation but these are depleting very vastly hence non-conventional energy system are very essential at this time and age we are now. Therefore, an alternate method of non-conventional energy is proposed in this project.

This energy is not based on the burning of fossil fuel or splitting of atoms. The renewed interest in this field of study comes from the undesired effect of pollution both from burning of fossils fuels and from nuclear waste byproduct.

The non-conventional energy using foot step is converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, with the aid of a ‘‘piezoelectric sensor’’. When humans are walking, jumping or dancing on a surface which contains the piezoelectric sensors, it then will produce sufficient force due to their weights for energy generation process. This energy generated can be stored in batteries also for numerous future purposes.(Miss. Mathane Nitashree V., 2015)

Just as the population in the country is increasing on a daily basis, the requirement for power is also increasing. The development of technology and the use of gadgets, electronic devices are also increasing. At the same time the wastage of energy is also increasing in humans even in locomotion. To overcome this problem, the wasted energy can be converted to usable energy using the piezoelectric sensor which is what this project is about.

A piezoelectric sensor broadly speaking is an electric device which is used to measure acceleration, pressure, or force to convert them to an electrical signal. Piezoelectric materials exhibit the unique property known as piezoelectric effect.

Piezoelectric effect is the effect in which mechanical vibrations, pressure or strain applied to piezoelectric material is converted into electrical form. This project gives idea about how energy is used while stepping on stairs. The use of stairs in every building is increasing day by day even small building has some floors. When climbing stairs, some amount of this wasted energy is utilized and converted to electricity by piezoelectric effect. Piezoelectric effect is the effect of specific materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress.

When these materials are subjected to a compressive stress, an electric field is generated across the material, creating a voltage gradient and a subsequent current flow.

The main concept of this project is capturing unused energy from surrounding systems and converting it into electrical energy. The piezoelectric sensors placed under insulating material like hard rubber and pressure created by foot step and water fall pressure will produce electrical energy which can be stored and used for domestic purpose. The property of Piezoelectric Material is to generate electricity when we apply pressure. It has two axes, mechanical axis and electrical axis When we apply pressure in mechanical axis, it generates power in its electrical axis. Piezo means the generation of the electrical polarization of a material as a response to mechanical strain.

These sensors are mainly used for process control, quality assurance, research and development in various industries. The applications of this sensor involve aerospace, medical, nuclear instrumentation, and as a pressure sensor it is used in the touch pad of mobile phones. In the automotive industry, these sensors are used to monitor ignition when developing burning engines. The application areas of this project also involve public areas like temples, streets, metros, railway stations, bus stations, malls, etc. Then, this system may generate voltage on each and every step of a foot.

The sensor used in this work is made of piezo ceramic material Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT), which belongs to the group of ferroelectric materials. It is circular in shape which fits comfortably into the sole of the footwear and it is commercially available at low cost.

One disadvantage of the piezoelectric sensor is that they cannot be used for truly static measurements. A static force results in a fixed amount of charge on the piezoelectric material. However, it is not true that piezoelectric sensor can only be used for very fast processes or at ambient conditions. In fact, numerous piezoelectric applications produce quasi-static measurements.

Piezoelectric sensors can also be used to determine aromas in the air by simultaneously measuring resonance and capacitance. Computer controlled electronics vastly increase the range of potential applications for piezoelectric sensors (Wali, 2012).

1.2 PROBLEM OF STATEMENT

Can we imagine a world were by people could easily get access to power whenever they want to, most especially in some parts of Africa? This technology increases the chance of its possibility, giving the ordinary man the access to power without having to spend much. The cost of fuel has become unstable and it has also become ridiculously scarce that the ordinary man may not be able to afford it but with cheap and non-conventional ways of generating power such as this, people would be able to have access to clean power, and there would be regular continuity in human services, making the environments free from toxic substances caused by these burnt fuel fossils that is harmful to human begins.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The overall goal of this project is to successfully design and implement a non-conventional way of generating dc power using a piezoelectric sensor, which would have an output voltage of 5volts which can charge phone batteries.

The benefits of designing and implementing this system are:

It is cheap and easy to access, inexhaustible, pollution free and renewable source of energy device.
It can charge more than one phone battery.
It should be a welcome idea, which is a way of developing the country.

The objective of this project is to develop much cleaner, cost effective way of power generation, which in turns helps to bring down the global warming, reducing the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other pollutants making the environment more serene for living as well as to reduce power shortages. The risk of high voltages damaging electronic appliances is reduced drastically; work done by humans either by walking, dancing, running etc. will not be wasted but converted into useful energy this way more power will be generated allowing energy storage to be much feasible.

To also know the effect of different weights of people on the piezoelectric sensor compared to the output voltage of 5volts.

In summary, the objectives are as follows:

To provide a non-conventional way of power generation.
To ease continuity in human services.
To set the output voltage of the circuit to be 5volts.
To design a circuit that consists of an ADC (analog to digital converter).
The provision of a USB port for the charger output supply.

1.4 JUSTIFICATION

The piezoelectric sensor came into existence because humans tend to exhaust and waste lots of energy especially from locomotion which can be effectively utilized. Electricity can be generated from resources like water, wind etc. to generate the electricity from these resources development of which requires big plants having high maintenance cost. Moreover, considering the overemphasized need for power due to the increase in population, unstable power supply and sometimes scarcity in fuel supply. With innovations like this, power could be generated easily allowing continuity in human services, which requires minimal maintenance cost and also help develop the country. It can be used for charging an electronic device battery for emergency purpose where there is no direct source of electricity. This was the problems that lead to the development of the idea of a piezoelectric sensor. To make the generation of power more clean and usable for production.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

The project was designed to produce an output voltage of 5volts to charge a battery which in turn can be used to charge portable devices like phones, and also to compare the effect between pressure or weight to the output produced. The scope of this project was kept concise and simple in other not to introduce unnecessary complexities and render it generally uncomfortable. There are no complex peripheral devices attached to the project due to reasons of affordability of the materials and also accessibility of the materials.

1.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE PROJECT

It is of important significance to know that the project is limited to an output of 5volts and cannot be used in place where there is lots of human traffic like bus-stops, stadiums, railway stations. Etc. the location of this project is limited to an office or a room. Solely for the purpose of storing electrical charges in a battery due to pressure sensed by it, when humans step on it to charge portable electrical devices.

1.7 BRIEF OUTLINE OF CHAPTERS

The organization of this project is well detailed. It covers all the activities and information during the research work.

Chapter one of this work took care of the introduction, aims and objectives, justification, scope of the work, limitations of the project and brief outline of chapters. Chapter two highlights on literature review. Chapter three highlights on the description of the system and some components used were well emphasized.

1.8 APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

Foot step power generation system has many applications, but some of them are given below:

Mobile charging
street lighting
bus station lighting
emergency power failure stations
Rural areas etc

1.9 METHODOLOGY

To achieve the aim and objectives of this work, the following are the steps involved:

Study of the previous work on the project so as to improve it efficiency.
Draw a block diagram.

Test for continuity of components and devices,

Design and calculation for the device was carried out.
Studying of various component used in circuit.
Construction of the circuit was carried out.

Finally, the whole device was cased and final test was carried out.

1.10 PROJECT ORGANISATION

The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work, chapter two presents the literature review of the study, chapter three describes the methods applied, chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.