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Miniscale Energy Generation

Designing a compact generator with high energy output, using magnets, windings, and supercapacitors, for various applications.

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Miniscale Energy Generation

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  1. Miniscale Energy Generation Peter C. Gravelle, Borce Gorevski, Nick Ieva Sponsor/Advisor: Dr. S. Lyshevski, Electrical Engineering Department

  2. Objective • To design and prototype a self-sufficient miniscale generator

  3. Goals • Sub-5 cm3 volume • At least 0.1 W/cm3 • We can probably exceed these greatly • Waterwheel with permanent magnets • Salt-water resistant (nautical/sharks) • Output voltage greater than 7V

  4. Design Choices • Generator • Wheel • Magnets • Windings • Electronics • Energy storage • Energy harvesting circuitry • Housing

  5. Wheel

  6. Technical Details: Wheel • Diameter of wheel: <2.5cm • Material: plastic • Teflon? Durlen? HDPE? Nylon? • Magnets mounted on wheel

  7. Magnets • SmCo • Corrosion resistant • More expensive • Weaker • NdFeB • Very highly magnetic • Low cost • Very corrodible

  8. Magnet Feasibility Graph

  9. We picked NdFeB • Dr. Lyshevski told us to  • Cheaper • Stronger • More easily machined into small parts • Arcs required for our design • Corrosion can be dealt with by plastic coating • Right now looking at ring magnets with OD = 0.625”, ID = 0.250”, and thickness of either 0.250” or 0.375”

  10. Field Simulation for N35 grade NdFeB (3mm dia, 1mm thick disc)

  11. Windings • Dr. Lyshevski has windings that we can use • We also found several websites, should we need different windings • Axial motor winding pattern • Pattern will be made of plastic (see below)

  12. Energy Storage • Batteries • High energy density • Limited charge cycles • Lower voltage • Temperature sensitivity • Supercapacitors • High (but lower than batteries) energy density • Unlimited charge cycles • Higher voltage • Temperature insensitive ( -40C to 70C)

  13. Batteries vs. Supercapacitors

  14. We picked Supercapacitors • Smaller size • Greater cycle life • Will not ignite in water • Greater power density • High voltage density

  15. But which supercapacitor?

  16. So, which one is it? • Further investigation is needed to determine the relative importance of our conditions • Size vs. Voltage • Size vs. Current • The smaller the size, the better!

  17. Energy Harvesting: AC-DC • Standard bridge rectifier

  18. Harvesting Circuitry: Voltage Regulation • Switched-capacitor DC-DC voltage converter • Efficiency: ~90% • Doubles input voltage • Max output current: 300mA • Step-up (boost) converter • Also has an efficiency of ~90% • Depends entirely on ESR values for capacitors and resistors • But needs more parts (volume, cost) • Adjustable output voltage/current • Max output current: 1A

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