Electricity From Walking

Santhosh Ramaraj “ELECTRICITY FROM WALING” the simplest and the easiest way to generate electricity from walking.

11/3/2009

Table of Contents INTRODUCTION: ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 PRINCIPLE: ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3 BLOCK DIAGRAM: ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 PROTOTYPE: .................................................................................................................................................................... 5 APPLICATIONS: ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 REFERENCE: .................................................................................................................................................................... 8

INTRODUCTION: The major problem in this world is the energy deficiency. Energy not only means electricity or other forms of energy (petroleum, fossil fuels etc.).Nowadays people have begun to use electricity from renewable sources (wind mills, hydro power, and solar power).A new method has been found to generate electricity from walking. Though there are methods to generate electricity from walking the new way is more cost effective and requires less space.

PRINCIPLE: This new way is based on the principle “PIEZOELECTRICITY”. It means that whenever any mechanical stress or pressure is applied on certain crystals, an electrical potential is developed over the crystal lattice. When this electrical potential is not shorted an electrical voltage is created. In 1880, Jacques and Pierre Curie discovered an unusual characteristic of certain crystalline minerals: when subjected to a mechanical force, the crystals became electrically polarized. Tension and compression generated voltages of opposite polarity, and in proportion to the applied force. Subsequently, the converse of this relationship was confirmed: if one of these voltage-generating crystals was exposed to an electric field it lengthened or shortened according to the polarity of the field, and in proportion to the strength of the field. These behaviours were labelled the piezoelectric effect and the inverse piezoelectric effect, respectively, from the Greek word piezein, meaning to press or squeeze.

BLOCK DIAGRAM: AC to DC • AC electricity from the Piezoelectric cells is rectified to DC

Smoothing • The rectified AC is made into a smoothened DC voltage.

Step-up / Stepdown • The DC voltage is modified (step-up /stepdown)as required.

Force Restoring force

Piezoelectric material

PROTOTYPE: The pictures of the prototype are below.

My first prototype(1” by 1”).

Multimeter showing 16.85V when I walked on my prototype.

My second prototype with the piezoelectric cells and diodes populated on a cardboard.

My second prototype with connected components.

My second prototype finished.

APPLICATIONS:  In crowded areas such as railway stations, sub-ways, bus terminus etc.  The electricity can be used to charge batteries and used for street lights and night lights.  Emergency exits.  Direction boards or sign boards.

My apologises for any mistakes committed inadvertently in this document. If you had any doubts or suggestions for this document please mail me at [email protected] Please send comments. If you want to construct this project please mail me for the project building details.

REFERENCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectricity http://www.americanpiezo.com/piezo_theory/piezo_theory.pdf http://memebox.com/futureblogger/show/1406-commuters-to-generateelectricity-from-walking-into-train-station http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/lets_generate_electricity_by_walking/