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The Awesome Lever Arm Generator.

Abstract

One paragraph summary of your project from background to discussion and next steps.

Background

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Problem Statement and Criteria

Problem Statement

The objective is to create a human powered generator that produces energy in an entertaining and innovative way that may be operated by most ages and capabilities.

Criteria

Criteria Weight Description
Safety 10 All electrical components safely weatherproofed, all hazardous moving components protected from user.
Cost 10 Must be less than or equal to $375.
Durability 8 Must withstand a lifespan of 8 months in New York climate.
Ease of Use 7.5 Simple, non-intimidating, and no instructions required.
Transportable 7.5 Mobile enough for one person manage.
Energy Output 7 Minimum: 50 Watts
Embedded Energy 6.5 The energy in a material’s production and transportation.
Aesthetics 6 Attractive without compromising safety, durability or cost.
Educational Value 5 Spreads the idea of sustainability though alternative energy.

Description of Final Design

The solution we implemented was the Lever Arm Generator. The Lever Arm Generator incorporates the principle of a lever arm as witnessed in a maintenance rail car hand trolley. The Lever Arm’s pumping motion, instead of causing a rail car to move, causes a rotation about a generator axle thereby generating power. The following subsections break the generator down into their components and explains them in detail.

Components

Bike

Bike to modify

Our solution’s main component is a bicycle that is available to strip, cut, and reassemble in a way that utilizes the bike’s already manufactured gears, bearings, and support bars to create our final design.

Gears

The gear system for a standard multiple speed bicycle is perfect for a multiple chain generation setup. One side of the pedal setup is an ideally shaped rotating axis to attach the piston shaft to from the lever arm. The gears attached to the pedal create a way to transfer the energy from pumping, to the back wheel gear cassette.

Gear Setup
Modified Frame
Frame

Removing the front forks and striping off the handlebars, wheel, and all braking/shifting components allows for the forks to be inverted and inserted in the location for the seat. This creates an upright support to secure the lever arm as well as supplying us with an already manufactured spinning axel between two supports. As for a lever arm, a square steel bar can be used and a round steel tube can be used as a shaft to run to the rotating pedal. By creating this design, a triangular base with the gears and chains is created, a shaft and lever arm setup is created, as well as completing the setup for a mostly bicycle made lever arm generator.

Lever arm + Frame

Electrical

A small generator is attached to the rear gear setup of the bicycle. It then sends its power through a blocking diode to ensure that the current only flow to the battery and not from it. A charge controller is also used to smooth out the current coming from the system to the battery, and also insures there is no chance of overcharging the battery.

Generator setup ‎

Final Design

The finished product of the Lever Arm Generator is can be used in two ways. First, small appliances can be directly hooked into the female end of the cable connected to the generator thus powering each item individually. Second, the Lever Arm Generator can be used to charge a battery to store power for later use.

Proper usage of the Lever Arm Generator can be achieved by one or two people by stationing themselves adjacent to the lever bar and applying an up and down force on the lever bar. The lever bar’s motion causes the bike portion of the generator to begin rotating due to the connecting shaft between the two components. As the pedal gear rotates, the wheel connected to the rear gear spins causing the belt attached to both the generator and the tire of the wheel to produce power.

Final design

Usage

The finished product of the Lever Arm Generator is can be used in two ways. First, small appliances can be directly hooked into the female end of the cable connected to the generator thus powering each item individually. Second, the Lever Arm Generator can be used to charge a battery to store power for later use.

Proper usage of the Lever Arm Generator can be achieved by one or two people by stationing themselves adjacent to the lever bar and applying an up and down force on the lever bar. The lever bar’s motion causes the bike portion of the generator to begin rotating due to the connecting shaft between the two components. As the pedal gear rotates, the wheel connected to the rear gear spins causing the belt attached to both the generator and the tire of the wheel to produce power.

Maintenance will be needed primarily to ensure that all rotating joints are properly greased and functioning properly.

Costs

Caption: INSERT UPDATED PIE CHART HERE

Design Cost

The cost of the design is measured in number of hours, represented in the chart to the right. The chart is distributed by number of hours spend in each phase of the design process. A total of _____ hours were spent in the entire design process.


Implementation Cost

Below is a table of the cost of materials used in the construction of the Pump'n Power Handcar Generator. The costs are tabulated in two columns: one indicating items that were donated and of zero cost, and one indicating the projected cost of the donated items. The total cost of implementation the design was: _______.

Materials cost table
Material Quantity Our Cost Subtotal Retail Cost Subtotal
Bar, Round, Steel 3/4" x 5' 1 $5.51 $5.51
Bar, Square, Steel 1-1/2" x 6' 1 $18.94 $18.94
Bicycle 2 Donated $120.00
Bicycle Components Total Donated $10.00
Blocking Diode 1 $9.45 $9.45
Charge Controller 1 TBA TBA
Chain Tool 1 $16.19 $16.19
Fuse Holder 1 $3.23 $3.23
Fuses, 8A, Pack of 4 1 $3.45 $3.45
Gear, 13 tooth, splined 1 Donated $5.00
Hand Grips (two sets) 2 $24.30 $24.30
Hardware (nuts, bolts, washers) Total $43.80 $43.80
Hub Axel 1 $3.00 $3.00
Motor, 24V, 350W, 8.9A 1 $63.00 $63.00
Plate, Aluminum, 6" x 6" x 1/2" 1 Donated $10.00
Plexiglass, 3' x 3' 1 $4.00 $4.00
Rectifier, 50V 25A 1 $3.77 $3.77
Spray Paint, Rustoleum Primer 1 $4.84 $4.84
Steel Endcaps 2 $2.39 $2.39
Steel Spacers 5 Donated $5.00
Weight, Disc, 10lb 1 Donated $10.00
Wire, Red and Black, 3' Each 2 $2.57 $2.57
Total: $208.43 $368.43

Maintenance Cost

Maintenance of the Pump'n Power Handcar Generator is illustrated in the table below, in number of hours per month.

Maintenance cost table
Maintenance Task Frequency Time (hours)
Inspect and tighten bolts. Weekly 0.25
Inspect and oil chains. Weekly 0.25
Inspect electrical components for moisture. Weekly 0.25
Monthly Total: 3.00

Results

We hope to have great results with testing and with its final use with our client. Ideally, we were able to use all components of a bike. This made our design less complicated and less stressful on our budget. We are getting very close to knocking out the construction part. We expect many celebrities at the event, including Lady Gaga and of course, Team Excergy. Tom Hanks will be running through town and promised HSU that he will bring Bubba’s Shrimp. All we hope is that our project works and Forrest Gump gets out of those leg braces. If those two conditions are met, our results will be a great success.


How to Build

If you would like to build your own, check out the Pump'n Power Handcar Generator instructions.

Discussion and Next Steps

discussion

Team Excergy

References

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