Piezoelectric Energy Harvester for Smart Lights

Project Title

Piezoelectric Energy Harvester for Smart Lights

Project Area of Specialization Internet of ThingsProject Summary

Saving fossil fuels and energy sources for the future is a quite complex job. We all need to put collective efforts for this task to achieve the green and sustainable energy. The idea is to migrate towards renewable energy sources so that the naturally occurring fossil fuels can be saved from becoming extinct. To implement this, we need to use modern and smart technologies like IoT (Internet of Things) where everything is connected to every other thing over a network. The next batch of innovation in the field of energy conservation would be driven by data and sensors, thereby, IoT which is the future. If we can use these the right way, the IoT, cloud computing, smart metering, wireless connected sensors can help us produce and use our own electricity thus, saving resources. Our project idea is to make use of Piezoelectric phenomena to produce electric current and then use it in powering up the LDR smart lights. Piezoelectric phenomena can be used to harvest renewable electrical energy from the pressure applied on the ground by walking. This pressure produces vibrations that can be converted into electric signals by using transducers. People move daily from one place to another on foot. In a university, students move from one department to another, from cafeteria to library etc. So in order to get benefit from this walking, we are using the piezoelectric phenomena to produce electricity which will contribute in conserving natural fossil fuels. Pakistan, being an underdeveloped country can not generate sufficient amount of electricity due to limited resources. The electricity production plants are not efficient due to the use of old technology. This leads to low production at high cost. To overcome this issue, we have come up with an idea of producing electricity from piezoelectric phenomena. This will lead to a step forward towards attaining green and sustainable energy in an affordable cost.

Project Objectives

The goal of our project is to provide enough electricity using piezoelectric phenomena so that the commonly used street lights can be powered up merely by just the energy provided by walking on the footpaths in which our Piezoelectric Energy Harvester hardware system will be integrated. Finding renewable energy sources is very crucial for us in order to save the fossil fuels from becoming extinct. So we have decided to use the energy produced from walking to power up small electric devices. This is possible by using transducers that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

The output of this project is a piezoelectric pavement on which applying foot pressure will generate electric current. All the work done is IoT based hardware controlled by a micro-controller. This project will help in harvesting electrical energy to fulfil local needs at individual levels which can later be commercialized for the production on large scale and implemented in different areas. The electricity produced as result of this phenomena will be used to power up smart LDR smart lights which itself is another way of conserving energy.

Project Implementation Method

The project is purely IoT and Embedded Systems based approach. It will be using:

-- Micro-controller (Arduino)

-- Arduino IDE

-- Piezoelectric Sensors

-- Capacitors

-- Rechargeable Batteries

-- Light Dependent Resistors (LDR)

-- Electric Bulbs (CFL)

-- Connecting wires

-- Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

-- Resistors

-- Transducers

-- Digital Multimeter (for measuring Current and Voltage)

-- Soldering Iron

--Glue Gun

-- Metallic Frame Housing (for shielding the components from outer interference)

All the above components will be used in designing the Piezoelectric Energy Harvester pavement. The final output will be a hardware on which anyone can step easily. The pressure applied by stepping will be sensed by the piezo sensor. Mechanical vibrations generated as a result of this applied pressure from the foot will be converted into electric pulses. These will be passed through capacitors to smooth the flow of voltage. Finally this voltage will be stored in rechargeable batteries for use by Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs on sensing the ambient light intensity of the atmosphere. An Arduino will control the LDRs so that to control the mechanism of switching the CFL bulbs on/off. For storing the AC voltage into batteries, it has to be processed through full wave rectification process so that the AC voltage is converted into DC voltage that can be stored for the time being when there is no need of voltage (during day time). As soon as it becomes dark outside, the stored voltage will again be rectified and converted back to AC voltage.

Benefits of the Project

Piezoelectric Energy Harvester system is a one-time cost and effort. Once deployed after its completion, we can get unlimited amount of electrical energy by just walking on it. This whole system is scalable and easy to maintain hence it can be deployed in the footpaths and walking ground in parks, gym and shopping malls where there is a lot of walking activity. As a result of moving on it, electricity will be generated which will be stored up in batteries continuously to power up CFL bulbs in parks, gym or shops in the mall. Our project is capable of generating AC source of voltage which can directly be provided to the electrical components (Bulbs, Smart Lights etc.) unlike Solar Panel which only generates DC power source that can be used only to power up DC appliances for a limited time. Solar Panels require sunlight to work, but our project requires mechanical pressure i.e., walking. Whether it is raining outside or it is intense fog, electrical energy can be generated anytime anywhere simply by walking on the pavement all in a low cost and efficient way. Our project is a natural way of generating electricity which means there is no need of using any external voltage source eg: WAPDA etc. The voltage generated during this phenomenon is utilized in powering up electrical components requiring low voltage eg: CFL bulbs etc.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The final output of our project will be a Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Pavement which can be easily deployed on footpaths, parks, road crossing, shopping malls, offices, school/college corridors etc. and anywhere where there is enough walking activity. This pavement can vary in size from around the size of a common tile with standard dimension of 20 x 20 cm or medium sized tile with dimensions of 23.5 x 23.5 cm etc. Since these are the common sizes easily available in the market, therefore our hardware pavement will be easy to deploy at malls, office buildings, school/college corridors where tiles are used. This pavement can be replaced with common tiles in the form of an array so that maximum voltage can be generated and the pressure applied can be divided equally over the whole surface of tiles and on all sensors.

Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemCore Industry ITOther Industries Energy , Manufacturing Core Technology Internet of Things (IoT)Other Technologies Robotics, Clean TechSustainable Development Goals Affordable and Clean Energy, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	33240
Arduino UNO Board	Equipment	2	680	1360
Piezoelectric Sensors	Equipment	40	80	3200
Rechargeable Batteries 9V DC	Equipment	5	500	2500
Electric Bulbs (CFL)	Equipment	5	90	450
Printed Circuit Board 59	Equipment	5	370	1850
Digital Multimeter	Equipment	1	8640	8640
Soldering Iron	Equipment	1	900	900
Glue Gun	Equipment	1	450	450
Printing + Flex + CD printing	Miscellaneous	1	5400	5400
Stationery (Files + Paper)	Miscellaneous	1	3500	3500
LCD 7 Segment Display	Equipment	2	550	1100
IRF630 MOSFET Module	Equipment	3	110	330
12V - 220V center tapped step up Transformer	Equipment	2	430	860
20x20cm ceramic floor tiles	Equipment	2	1350	2700