Using Piezoelectricity for Power Generation to support high utilization of power at University Campuses

摘要

In this era of technology advancement, the demand for electricity for industrial and services deliver is on the constant rise. The main challenge is the exponential increase in the demand for electricity and the lower rate of electricity generation to meet this higher demand. That notwithstanding, there is a need to design and develop new energy sources to meet the current market demand. One of the sectors that have attracted much interest is the generation of energy using devices such as Piezoelectric device which can convert other types of energy into electrical energy. Piezoelectric Energy Generation is a technique used to generate low-voltage electrical energy based on the concept of green technology. This study developed a power generation system that uses piezo sensors to generate power from human footsteps. The system allows for a platform for placing footsteps. The piezo sensors were mounted below the platform to generate a voltage from footsteps. The generated voltage could be observed by using the embedded monitoring circuitry. The monitoring circuit consists of microcontrollers which allow the user to monitor the voltage. The generated energy could be stored in 24 volts DC battery for external use. The generated energy displays also display on an LCD screen. A representation of the mass of individuals stepping on the piezo sensors against the generated voltage was illustrated graphically during the testing of the project. The study was able to achieve a high-performance energy generation system which has an output that could be used in offices and homes.