Generation of Electric Power Through Road Traffic Wind
The objective of the project is to design a wind turbine to recapture wind energy from vehicles on the highway. Wind energy is considered the fastest growing clean energy source however; it is limited by variable natural wind. Highways can provide a Considerable amount of wind to drive a turbine due
2025-06-28 16:27:28 - Adil Khan
Generation of Electric Power Through Road Traffic Wind
Project Area of Specialization Electrical/Electronic EngineeringProject SummaryThe objective of the project is to design a wind turbine to recapture wind energy from vehicles on the highway. Wind energy is considered the fastest growing clean energy source however; it is limited by variable natural wind. Highways can provide a Considerable amount of wind to drive a turbine due to high vehicle traffic. This energy is unused. Extensive research on wind patterns is required to determine the average velocity of the wind created by oncoming vehicles. The wind turbines will be placed on the medians therefore fluid flow from both sides of the highway will be considered in the design. Using all of the collected data, existing streetlights on the medians can be fitted with these wind turbines. Additionally, since the wind source will fluctuate, a storage system for the power generated will be designed to distribute and maintain a constant source of power. Ideally, the turbine can be used globally as an unlimited power source for streetlights and other public amenities.
Project ObjectivesThis system of electrical power generation utilizes wind draft force from vehicles traveling on roadways. Moving at high speed, vehicles push away air as they travel, producing a lot of energy. By placing wind turbines on the side of a road or in the center of a road, energy can be captured.
There are more than 2.5 billion cars, which generate wind turbulence. The same wind turbine which is responsible for huge windmill rotation can be replaced by small efficient traffic wind turbines, which rotate with the help of moving air from passing cars on the highway.
Natural wind speed normally does not exceed several miles an hour. To commercially adopt a wind powered electricity generator, it requires a large-scale wind impeller. Using small roadside wind turbines, energy can be captured by wind draft generated by high speed moving vehicles.
A center of the road wind turbine is able to capture wind draft in opposite directions from each side of the road. The road center wind turbine has two air flow conduits, one for each side of road. Each conduit has an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a middle opening. The inlet opening faces toward the opposite direction of roadway traffic. The outlet opening faces toward the direction of roadway traffic on its side. The middle opening allows wind turbine blades to work with air flow traveling through this conduit.
A road side wind turbine is similar to the road center apparatus, except that it only faces one side of traffic, therefore it only has one air flow conduit and only one set of inlet and outlet openings.
Project Implementation MethodYoung entrepreneur, SanwalMuneer, invented a wind turbine for use on the side of the road. His company, Capture Mobility, moved to Scotland from Pakistan under the global entrepreneur program of the government body, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). The Scottish government is investing in cleaner-energy technologies; and since the wind is strong and plentiful all year round, this made Scotland a good location for Muneer’s company.
Muneer’s turbine stands 8’ tall and is made of recyclable carbon fiber. The turbine weighs just 20 pounds, which makes it easy to transport and install. The fully-charged battery can hold a kilowatt of electricity, which is enough power to run two lamps and a fan for around 40 hours. The idea is that this turbine could supply electricity for rural communities in developing countries, or could be used to power traffic lights or road signs in urban areas.
BLOCK DIAGRAM:
Wind energy is the fastest growing source of clean energy worldwide. A major issue with the technology is fluctuation in the source of wind. There is a near constant source of wind power on the highways due to rapidly moving vehicles. The motivation for this project is to contribute to the global trend towards clean energy in a feasible way.
Technical Details of Final Deliverable BLOCK DIAGRAM:
| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 70000 | |||
| Turbine | Equipment | 1 | 60000 | 60000 |
| Blades | Equipment | 1 | 10000 | 10000 |