How does a bicycle powered generator work
What is it?
When scientists discovered that power generating houses are the leading polluters of the world, coupled by the fact that the electricity tariff has sky-rocketed, a demand came in from the money-conscious customers out there, for a cheap source of power to light their homes. Then the engineers out there thought, why not all be health conscious as well?
So, why not convert some extra calories in you belly, to electricity. This idea is being implemented to help produce power by utilizing a bicycle. Many of you will consider it to be something far-fetched and impractical. Many of you may give pleasant arguments. But, one thing is for sure. Nothing can limit the progress of technology. This is what is dealt in the piece of work.
As the thumb-rule of engineers say, all the products should be cheap, simple and at the same time effective. So the contents presented is a method of making a simple version.
1) A cycle.
2) A small dynamo of 24 volts power.
3) A torch bulb, 24 volts rating(To prevent overheating, in case.)
All you need to do is to remove the back wheel and connect the belt with the wheel rim. Make sure that the diameter of the belt is of the size as the rim thickness. Else slip can occur and this will result in loss of efficiency. The other end of the belt should be coupled with the pulley of the rotor. The cycle should be erected on its stands, so that it remains stable. Connect the bulb to the dynamo using copper wires. Make sure that the dynamo is of single phase. Else, selection of a proper phase may be a problem. Also ensure that there is no electrical leakage from the dynamo. This is from the point of view of user safety.
How does it work?
With the connections done in the way mentioned above, the model is ready for use. When the person starts to pedal, the rotational force s transferred from the wheels to the pulley of the dynamo. This then sets the rotor of the dynamo into action. So, according to Faraday’s Law of electromagnetic induction, mechanical work gets converted into electric power. This can be seen from the shimmering of the bulb filament. For the beginners, this assignment may seem to be a mammoth task. But you should not be disheartened by failures. Never hesitate to take a professional help, wherever required.