BLOCK DIAGRAM

Fig.4 Block Diagram of Road Power Generation

Fig.5 Schematic Representation

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 WORKING PRINCIPLE

The principle of the electric power generation using sliding mechanism is very simple. It is based on the
same principle as in the case of electricity generation in case of hydroelectric power plant, thermal
electric power plant, nuclear power plant, geothermal energy, wind energy, tidal energy etc. In all of the
above power plant mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. In this setup also mechanical
energy is converted into electrical power using a D.C. generator.

While moving, the vehicles possess some kinetic energy and it is being wasted. This kinetic
energy can be utilized to produce electrical power by using a special arrangement called POWER
HUMP. It is an Electro-Mechanical unit. It utilizes both mechanical and electrical techniques for the
power generation and its storage. POWER HUMP is a dome like device likely to be speed breaker.
Whenever the vehicle is allowed to pass over the dome it gets pressed downwards then the springs
attached to the dome are compressed and the rack which is attached to the bottom of the dome moves
downward in reciprocating motion. Since the rack has teeth connected to gears, there exists conversion
of reciprocating motion of rack into rotary motion of gears but the two gears rotate in opposite direction.
A flywheel is mounted on the shaft whose function is to regulate the fluctuation in the energy and to
make the energy uniform. So that the shafts will rotate with certain R.P.M.. These shafts are connected
through a belt drive to the dynamos, which converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy. The
conversion will be proportional to traffic density. Whenever an armature rotates between the magnetic
fields of south and north poles, an E.M.F (electro motive force) is induced in it. So, for inducing the
E.M.F. armature coil has to rotate, for rotating this armature it is connected to a long shaft. By rotating
same e.m.f. is induced, for this rotation kinetic energy of moving vehicles is utilized. The power is
generated in both the directions; to convert this power into one way, a special component is used called
zener diode for continuous supply. All this mechanism can be housed under the dome, like speed
breaker, which is called HUMP. The electrical output can be improved by arranging these POWER
HUMPS in series. This generated power can be amplified and stored by using different electrical
devices.

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 CONSTRUCTION

All the components required for this system are easily available. These are as follows:-

Fig 6. Constructional Diagram

1. Fabrication Details
The Frame structure for the total unit is fabricated using L-angle frames and ordinary frames.
These frames are made of mild steel. They are held to proper dimensions are attached to form a
unit with the help of welding then the bearing which are of standard make are kept in place with
their respective shafts through them and are welded to the frame structure. The shafts are also
made of mild steel. Hinges are used to move the speed breaker arrangement by welding it to the
frame structure. These hinges are responsible for the movement of the speed breaker in an up and
down motion. A rack which are made up of mild steel is welded to the speed breaker
arrangement. A pinion also made of mild steel amd which has 36 teeths is fitted on the shaft
initially and welded. This pinion tooth is exactly made to mate with the teeth of rack. A bicycle
sprocket and chain arrangement of standard make is fitted with the larger sprocket on the torque
shaft and its smaller sprocket on the bottom shaft. The sprocket wheels are welded to the shaft. A
flywheel that is made of cast iron is machined suitably to the precise dimensions in a lathe and is
placed on the shaft with its axis coinciding with the axis of the shaft and is welded. A special
stand arrangement is made to see the DC generator. DC Generator is placed within the seat and is
held firm using bolt and nut.

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2. Fabrication Model Showing Inner Parts
Wires are connected to the terminal of the DC Generator and its other end are connected to the
lead acid battery. Another wire is taken from these points on the battery and its other end are
connected to the positive and negative terminal of an inverter. An output wire from the inverter
is sent to the load.

3. Materials Used
 Rack - Mild Steel
 Pinion - Mild Iron
 Sprocket Wheels - Mild Steel
 Chain - Mild Steel
 Spur Gears – Cast Iron
 Spring - Mild Steel
 Shaft - Mild Steel
 Speed Breaker - Mild Steel

4. Specifications
 Generator – 12 v DC Generator
 Inverter – 250 W AC
 Battery Unit – Lead Acid Battery

5. Rack & Pinion

Fig 7. Rack & Pinion

 A rack and pinion gears system is composed of two gears. The normal round gear the
pinion gear and straight or flat is rack.
 A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises pair gears which convert
rotational motion into linear motion. The circular pinion engages teeth on a linear “gear”
bar which is called the “rack“.
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  Rotational motion applied to the pinion will cause rack move side, up the limit of its
travel.
 For example, in a rack railway, the rotation of pinion mounted on locomotive or a railcar
engages rack between the rails and pulls a train along steep slope.
 The rack and pinion is also used to convert between rotary linear motion. Rack is the flat,
toothed part, and the pinion is gear. Rack and can convert from rotary to linear of linear
to rotary motion.
 It converts the linear motion of the speed breaker into the circular motion needed to turn
the shaft.

6. Sprocket

Fig. 8 Sprocket
A sprocket or sprocket-wheel is a profiled wheel with teeth or cogs that mesh with a chain, track
or other perforated indented material. The name "sprocket" applies generally to any wheel upon
which are radial projections that engage a chain passing over it. It is distinguished from a gear in
that sprockets are never meshed together directly, and differs from a pulley in that sprockets have
teeth and pulleys are smooth. The word "sprockets" may also be used to refer the teeth on wheel.
Sprockets are used in bicycles, motorcycles, cars, tracked vehicles, chainsaws and other
machinery either to transmit rotary motion between two shafts where gears are unsuitable or to
impart linear motion to a track, tape etc. Perhaps the most common form of sprocket may be
found in the bicycle, in which the pedal shaft carries a large sprocket- wheel, which drives a
chain, which, in turn, drives a small sprocket on the axle of the rear wheel. Early automobiles
were also largely driven by sprocket and chain mechanism, a practice largely copied from
bicycles. Sprockets are of various designs, a maximum of efficiency being claimed for each by

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 its originator. Sprockets typically do not have a flange. Some sprockets used with timing belts
have flanges to keep the timing belt centered. Sprockets and chains are also used for power
transmission from one shaft to another where slippage is not admissible, sprocket chains being
used instead of belts or ropes and sprocket-wheels instead of pulleys. They can be run at high
speed and some forms of chain are so constructed as to be noiseless even at high speed.

7. Drive Arrangement
Relative position of sprocket in drives should receive careful consideration. Satisfactorily
operation can be secured with the centerline of the drive at any angle to the horizontal, if proper
consideration is given. Certain arrangement require less attention and care then others are
therefore less apt to cause trouble. When the large sprocket is directly above the small sprocket a
drive cannot operate with much chain slack. As the chain wears shaft center distance must be
adjusted or an idler be placed against the outside of the slack strand to adjust slack and keep the
chain in proper contact with the small sprocket. With the drive slightly inclined less care will be
required, because the weight of the slack chain strand has to maintain better contact between the
chain and the sprockets. Where center distance is short or drives nearly horizontal. The slack
should be in the bottom strand specially where takeup adjustment is limited. An accumulation of
slack in the top strand may allot the chain to be pinched between the sprocket. When small
sprockets are used on horizontal drives it is better to have the slack strand on the bottom rather
than on the top. Otherwise with the appreciable amount of slack the strands may strike each
other.

8. Flywheel

Fig 9. Flywheel

A flywheel is a mechanical device specifically designed to efficiently store rotational energy.

Flywheels resist changes in rotational speed by their moment of inertia. The amount of energy
stored in a flywheel is proportional to the square of its rotational speed. The way to change a
flywheel's stored energy is by increasing or decreasing its rotational speed by applying a torque
aligned with its axis of symmetry,

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Common uses of a flywheel include:

 Smoothing the power output of an energy source. For example, flywheels are used in
reciprocating engines because the active torque from the individual pistons is intermittent.
 Energy storage systems
 Delivering energy at rates beyond the ability of an energy source. This is achieved by collecting
energy in a flywheel over time and then releasing it quickly, at rates that exceed the abilities of
the energy source.
 Controlling the orientation of a mechanical system, gyroscope and reaction wheel

Flywheels are typically made of steel and rotate on conventional bearings; these are generally
limited to a maximum revolution rate of a few thousand RPM. High energy density flywheels can be
made of carbon fiber composites and employ magnetic bearings, enabling them to revolve at speeds
up to 60,000 RPM (1 kHz). Carbon-composite flywheel batteries have recently been manufactured
and are proving to be viable in real-world tests on mainstream cars. Additionally, their disposal is
more eco-friendly than traditional lithium ion batteries. Flywheels are often used to provide
continuous power output in systems where the energy source is not continuous. For example, a
flywheel is used to smooth fast angular velocity fluctuations of the crankshaft in a reciprocating
engine. In this case, a crankshaft flywheel stores energy when torque is exerted on it by a firing
piston, and returns it to the piston to compress a fresh charge of air and fuel. Another example is the
friction motor which powers devices such as toy cars. In unstressed and inexpensive cases, to save
on cost, the bulk of the mass of the flywheel is toward the rim of the wheel. Pushing the mass away
from the axis of rotation heightens rotational inertia for a given total mass.

9. Dynamo or DC Generator

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A dc generator is an electrical machine which converts mechanical energy into direct current
electricity. This energy conversion is based on the principle of production of dynamically induced emf.
This article outlines basic construction and working of a DC generator.

According to Faraday’s laws of electromagnetic induction, whenever a conductor is placed in a varying

magnetic field (OR a conductor is moved in a magnetic field), an emf (electromotive force) gets induced
in the conductor. The magnitude of induced emf can be calculated from the emf equation of dc
generator. If the conductor is provided with a closed path, the induced current will circulate within the
path. In a DC generator, field coils produce an electromagnetic field and the armature conductors are
rotated into the field. Thus, an electromagnetically induced emf is generated in the armature conductors.
The direction of induced current is given by Fleming’s right hand rule.

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 CALCULATION

Let us consider,

The mass of a vehicle moving over the speed breaker =300Kg (Approximately)

Height of speed brake = 10 cm

Work done = Force x Distance

Here, Force = Weight of the Body = 300 Kg x 9.81 = 2943 N

Distance traveled by the body = Height of the speed brake =10 cm

Output power=Work done/Sec = (2943 x 0.10)/60 = 4.905 W (For One pushing force)

Power developed by 1 vehicle passing over the arrangement within one minute = 4.905 W

Power developed for 60 minutes (1 hour) = 294.3 W

Power developed for 24 hours = 7063.2 W

This power is sufficient to burn four street lights in the roads in the night time.

The Output calculated here is for one vehicle only. From this we can estimate the daily power generation
of a single unit which is installed after a certain distance on the road, from which many vehicle will pass
in a day. At an efficiency of 70%

Output = 4944.24 W.

The following graphs illustrate the relation between different parameters of this system during

a) Different speed of vehicles

b) Different load of vehicles

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Fig 11. Voltage generated for different speed of vehicles

Fig 12. Voltage generated for different load

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 ADVANTAGES & LIMITATIONS

Following are the advantages of this system:-

 Power is generated without polluting the environment.

 Simple construction, mature technology and easy maintenance.
 Since it doesn’t require any fuel for its functioning, it helps in the conservation of non-renewable
sources.
 The RPG unit has minimum visual impact on their surrounding environment.
 The RPG emits no noise.
 The unit will have minimum cost of installation and maintenance.
 This unit could be located at the close proximity to services and power grid.
 Possible answer for battery charging station.
 Completely isolated street light or traffic lights.
 Power can be generated all over the year.

The major limitations to this system are:-

 It needs to be protected by rain and dust which will reduce its life significantly.
 Although the cost of maintenance is low, it needs to be checked manually within certain interval
of time for any mechanical fault.
 If there is any fault in a single unit, the maintenance work will disrupt the traffic flow on that
route.

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 APPLICATIONS

 This technique can be used in all highways.

 This technique can be used in rural areas where there is no provision of street lights.
 The electricity generated can be fed directly to the grid.
 The stored power can act as a charging point for different devices and for the vehicles working
on electricity.

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 CONCLUSION & FUTURE ASPECT

Road Power Generation is a new type of unconventional source of energy. This uses wasted energy of
moving vehicles. It converts kinetic energy from moving vehicles to electrical energy. RPG is possible
answer for battery charging station and also for the lightning of the street light. The higher frequency of
passing vehicles provides higher capacity. This project designed for road power generation can be
specifically used on highways, entrance and exit of school, college, companies, and malls. It can be
installed at toll booths, bus stands, airports and railways parking zone where there is a uniform
frequency of vehicles.

We are witnessing the use of green or electric vehicles in this century which are specifically
designed to limit the use of those vehicles that require fuels such as gasoline, diesel, etc. because these
vehicles are one of the main causes of environmental pollution. It is expected that in the future green
vehicles will be dominant in all the places. To provide these vehicles electricity more renewable
methods will be needed. Here RPG can play an important role because it doesn’t require any fuel for its
operation. By using RPG with other techniques we can provide battery charging stations for vehicles
near the road which will be better than erecting new structures for generation and distribution of
electricity.

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 REFERENCES

1. “Power Generation from Speed Breaker”, International Journal Of Advance Research in Science
and Engineering.
2. Generation of Electricity through Speed Breaker Mechanism; International Journal of
Innovations in Engineering and Technology (IJIET, 2(2), 2013, 20-24.
3. “Road Power Generation” , www.slideshare.com
4. “Road Power Generation”: Wikipedia.

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