International Journal of Research in Advanced Technology - IJORAT

Vol. 1, Issue 10, DECEMBER 2016

POWER GENERATION FROM UNTAPPED

SOURCES IN DAY TO DAY LIFE
E. Sivakumar1, K. Ariyanayagam2, S. Siva Subramanian3
Assistant Professor, Department Of Mechanical Engineering, Francis Xavier Engineering College, Tirunelveli,India1
Assistant Professor, Department Of Mechanical Engineering, Francis Xavier Engineering College, Tirunelveli,India2
Assistant Professor, Department Of Mechanical Engineering, Francis Xavier Engineering College, Tirunelveli,India3
ABSTRACT: This paper concern about the tapping of untapped or unnotified mechanical energy into
electrical energy using piezoelectric crystals. Some of the untapped mechanical energy are force exerted by
human being during movements, rotational movements of automobile parts in vehicles, pressure force
applied while typing, etc. This untapped mechanical energy are tapped by piezoelectric crystals for
generating electrical energy. The piezoelectric crystals like PVDF. Piezoelectric crystals are one of many
small scale energy sources. Whenever piezoelectric crystals are mechanically deformed or subject to vibration
they generate a small voltage, commonly known as piezoelectricity.
Keywords: untapped, mechanical, piezoelectric, PVDF, electrical energy.

I INTRODUCTION
This paper deals about the method of generating
power from the untapped mechanical energy. The
power generated from the conventional resources are
emptied at a much faster rate than they are
replenished. So it is necessary to adopt another power
source preferably non-conventional energy source to
reduce pollution and power demand. Recent
developments have been made in harnessing the
untapped mechanical energy for generating electrical
energy. Piezo-electric crystals have the capability of
harvesting energy from mechanical vibrations in a
dynamic environment. Untapped power exists in
various forms such as walking, frictional parts of
automobile, vibration in pavements while walking,
vibrations in roads and bridges etc. These energies
are converted into electrical energy by piezoelectric
crystals. The power generated by this crystals are
used for charging/feeding the low power
consumption systems like mp3 players, mobile
phones, automobile batteries, GPS receivers or
sensors of remote sensing systems or transmitters
which are conventionally powered by batteries.
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric
polymer crystals are used commonly due to its
flexibility and strength. The advantage of
piezoelectric power supply is ecological, embedded
and it does not require any maintenance.
Piezoelectric polymers are commercially available
and are relatively inexpensive.

Fig. 1 Piezoelectric behavior

II SOURCES OF ENERGY
2.1 WALKING
Walking is a huge mode of transportation.
People walk for so many reasons: to buy groceries,
for shopping, local transport, to go to nearby places,
for fitness and so on. Walking is one of the exercises,
which involve quite a lot of our muscular energy.
Many people walk as a hobby, and in our postindustrial age it is often enjoyed as one of the best
forms of exercise. An average walking speed is about
6 to 7 km/h (3 to 4 mph).
2.1.1. WALKING STATISTICS
The Ramblers formerly known as the Ramblers'
Association, is the largest walkers' rights organisation
in Great Britain, which aims to look after the interests
of walkers (or ramblers). It is a charity registered in
England and Wales, with around 135,000 members.
There are 485 Ramblers' groups in about 50 areas,
and around 350 other affiliated bodies, such as
societies especially interested in the heritage of the
countryside, the Footpath Society, and local councils.
The statistical data about the walking community
of Great Britain is issued by its Department of

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International Journal of Research in Advanced Technology - IJORAT

Vol. 1, Issue 10, DECEMBER 2016

Transport. There are many people who make walk

trips to visit their nearby houses or places. The chart
showing the walk trips made by the men and women
of Great Britain.

Fig. 4 Piezoelectric road

Fig. 2 Data indicating the walk trips of people of England

2.2 ROADS
The following chart will show the tendency of
people towards walking as years roll on. It could be
found out that the tendency of the people towards the
walking decreased. People use cars to reach even
nearby places almost 58% people use cars to reach
the distances within mile. Hence the usage of
roadways also gets increased.

PIEZOELECTRIC SHOES: Our concept

of piezoelectric shoes involves 0in the
placing of piezoelectric sheets inside our
shoes so that the stress which is being given
on to the shoes while walking, running and
jogging could be effectively utilized using
the piezoelectric effect. Any people to go
anywhere could wear a shoe and there are
lot of Footsteps made every day by the
people. So this is an idea of harnessing the
power from each of the footstep.

Fig. 5 Piezoelectric shoes

Fig. 3 Comparisons of travel by walking and through
roadways

2.3 SIMILAR ISSUES

There are similar concepts harnessing energy
from untapped mechanical energy. Some of them
resembles and related to our idea
PIEZOELECTRIC ROAD:
We can develop a way to recoup the prestine
energy from cars operating on public roadways.
Using piezoelectric crystals installed under the
asphalt, highway vibrations are converted into a
staggering amount of electricity. It is possible to
cultivate electrical energy from the untapped
mechanical energy up to 500 kilowatts from a busy
four-lane road per kilometer. It is enough to power
about 100 homes.

PIEZOELECTRIC TIRES: As the vehicle

moves, new area of the tire continually
deforms and relaxes in a cyclic pattern
whose frequency is dependent upon the
vehicle velocity. The deformation of the
Treadwall and the reduction in the effective
Section Height. Due to the deformation of
the Sidewall presents an opportunity for
energy harvesting through the use of
piezoelectric bender elements that would
deform and relax with the tire.

Fig. 6 Tire deformation

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International Journal of Research in Advanced Technology - IJORAT

Vol. 1, Issue 10, DECEMBER 2016

Mr.S.KUTTALA RATNAM (EEE), without whose

invaluable guidance, patience and constant
encouragement nothing would have materialized.
REFERENCES:
1.
Fig. 7 Piezoelectric crystals in tire

PIEZOELECTRIC POWER STATION

It is possible to power up the whole area (small
region) by collecting the power generated by the
piezoelectric roads, piezoelectric railroads and
piezoelectric pavements and storing it in a unique
station which is known as piezoelectric power
station. From the piezoelectric power stations the
power is converted and transmitted to various parts of
the city/village/area. We can also set up a charging
station for charging electrical vehicles.
OTHER PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICES
By using piezoelectric crystals it is possible to
generate power from presitine mechanical energy of
various sources. The following devices are designed
to generate and power electrical energy. Some of
them are piezoelectric keyboards, piezoelectric
railroads, piezoelectric backpacks, piezoelectric
mobile phones etc.

2.

3.
4.

5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

10.
Fig. 8 Piezoelectric Keyboard

11.

III CONCLUSION
It is possible to harvest large amount of power
using the piezoelectric crystals by employing the
above mentioned energy harvesting methods
wherever the mechanical energy is untapped. This
kind of prestine mechanical energy converters may
reduce the power demand of other conventional
energy sources and produce a green energy to our
environment.

12.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

14.

SUDHARSAN SRINIVAS would like to thank

Mrs.P.ANURADHA, Assistant Professor (EEE)
who is working in ANNA UNIVERSITY OF
TECHNOLOGY
(Ariyalur
Campus),
Ms.S.SARASWATHI PRIYA, Assistant Professor
(Civil) who is working in SRI SOWDAMBIKA
COLLEGE
OF
ENGINEERING
and
Er.
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13.

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