A Novel Design of Water-Flow Based Electrical Generator as an Energy Harvesting Device

Abstract

This paper is aimed to investigate, experimentally, new two designs of Energy Harvesting Device: Water-Flow Based Electrical Generator (WEG). This device directly converts the motion of water inside a permanent magnet tube to electricity. Its output power is affected by several parameters such as permanent-magnet tube diameter, its length, water velocity and the concentration of minerals in the water (fresh, sewage or sea water). The relationship and dependency of these parameters are examined experimentally to obtain a set of graphs which can determine the suitability and performance of the proposed model for different applications. Advantages of these new models are clean power resource, simple and non-expensive design. The output power of these generators can power or recharge cell phones, mobile computers, radio communication equipment, stairs lighting of residential towers, commercial street signs, inside sea signs, etc.

Keywords

• Energy harvesting devices
• Water-Flow Based Electrical Generator (WEG)
• Permanent magnet tube
• Water velocity