CONSTRUCTION OF A FUEL-LESS 2.8KVA GENERATOR AS AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY GENERATING SYSTEM
Abstract
In this work, a 2.8kva alternator was coupled to a 4 H.P dc motor acting as a prime mover to produce a fuel-less generator. The coupling was done using two crankshaft pulleys to match the speed of the alternator to that of the dc motor. Two 24v dc deep cycle batteries were also used as the exciter unit and a sustainable output voltage of 232V was achieved.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 BACKGROUND OF A 2.8KVA FUEL-LESS GENERATOR 1
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT 2
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES 2
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF PROJECT 3
1.5 METHODOLOGY 3
1.6 SCOPE OF PROJECT 4
1.7 REPORT LAYOUT 4
CHAPTER 2 6
LITERATURE REVIEW 6
2.1HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 6
2.2 CHEMICAL REACTION IN A DEEP CYCLE BATTERY 9
2.3 THE INNOVATION IN THIS PROJECT 11
2.4 FUTURE PROSPECTS 11
CHAPTER 3 13
MATERIALS AND METHODS 13
3.1 MATERIALS 13
3.1.1 ALTERNATOR 13
3.1.2 DC SHUNT MOTOR 14
3.1.3 COUPLER 15
3.1.4 RECTIFIER 16
3.1.5 BATTERY 17
3.1.6 METAL CASING 18
3.2 METHODS 18
CHAPTER 4 21
CONTRUCTION 21
4.1 CONTRUCTION OF GENERATOR FRAME 21
4.2 CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXCITER SECTION 22
4.3 CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONVERSION SECTION 22
4.3.1 CONSTRUCTION OF DC MOTOR BASE 22
4.3.2 CONSTRUCTION OF COUPLING SYSTEM 23
4.3.3 CONSTRUCTION OF ALTERNATOR BASE AND SELECTION OF ALTERNATOR 23
4.4 CONSTRUCTIION OF THE OUTPUT SECTION 24
4.5 CONSTRUCTION OF THE RECTIFIER SECTION 25
4.6 SELECTION OF DC MOTOR 25
4.7 SPEED MATCHING OF THE ALTERNATOR AND DC MOTOR 26
CHAPTER 5
TEST RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
5.1 TESTING OF THE EXCITER UNIT
5.2 TESTING OF THE OUTPUT SECTION (UNIT)
5.3 TESTING OF THE RECTIFIER UNIT
5.4 RELIABILITY TEST OF THE GENERATOR
5.5 LOAD/ PERFORMANCE TEST OF THE GENERATOR
5.6 PERFORMANCE TEST OF THE BATTERY
CHAPTER SIX
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
6.1 CONCLUSION
6.2 RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCE
List of figures
Fig. 1.1 Block diagram of a fuel-less generator system-
Fig 3.1 Diagram of an alternator- - -
Fig 3.2 Diagram of a DC shunt motor- -
Fig 3.3 Diagram of a Belt drive pulley- -
Fig 3.4 Diagram of a Rectifier- - - - -
Fig 3.5 Diagram of a deep cycle Battery- -
Fig 4.1 Generator Frame- - - -
Fig 4.2 Motor Base- - - - -
Fig 4.3 Alternator Base- - - - - -
Fig 5.1 A graph of reliability test under no load condition- -
Fig 5.2 Graph of output voltage vs load- - -
LIST OF TABLES
Table I: Output Voltage of Generator on no load.............
Table II: Output voltage of Generator under load……………
Table III: Battery discharge rate on no load condition……………
Table IV: Battery discharge rate on load condition………………
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF A 2.8KVA FUEL-LESS GENERATOR
With the supply of electricity being erratic for a long time in Nigeria, the global consumption of electrical energy continues to grow rapidly every day. Hence, there is need for more sources of electrical energy (renewable). One of these alternatives is the generation of electricity from a fuel-less engine with low maintenance cost. A fuel-less generator is an electrical machine that is designed to produce or generate electricity constantly without fuel (i.e. petrol, diesel, oil, gas, sun, wind etc.). The driving mechanism is a 3.1kw, 24v DC motor which is driven by a 24v battery. The battery powers the DC motor while the motor in turn drives a 2.8kva alternator to generate electricity of about 220/230v and at the same time, the electricity generated recharges the battery through a full wave rectifier system. It uses a suitable controller to regulate the voltage due to variation in consumer load.
This system of electricity generation is ecologically friendly, pollution free and sustainable. It can serve as one of the best alternatives to the unsteady power supply experienced in the country at large. This generator can be used in the hospitals, at schools, on work sites, data centres etc. It can also be built to the capacity of the required load.
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Most times power failure occur in the generating stations, transmission line and distribution line as a result of loss of power in the prime mover, falling of transmission lines/poles, damage of insulators used on the power system. This in effect has led to interruption of production in industries, damage of resources in the refining industries etc.
The adverse effect of the conventional sources of electrical energy on the environment together with carbon dioxide emission and cost of constant injection of fossil fuel have also been challenging. Hence there is the need for alternatives like fuel-less generator which can reduce to the barest minimum all the problems caused by power failure and thereby leading to maximum profit achieved.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this project is to construct a generator that will produce 2.8kva electrical energy constantly in order to take care of the unsteady power supply, while the objectives are as follows;
i. To construct a 2.8kva fuel-less generator.
ii. To show how electricity can be generated using DC motor as a prime mover.
iii. To evaluate the generator’s performance.
iv. To carry out reliability test and load test on the fuel-less generator in order to establish some of its characteristics.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF PROJECT
The importance of this generator is innumerable. Nigeria which depends on fossil fuels (crude oil) would undoubtedly benefit from this project as it explores the use of basic electrical and mechanical components in the country. Also the large electrical energy demand in the country can be met by employing the technology of this fuel-less generator. The energy produced is clean, non-polluting and renewable. The electrical supply is constant and efficient; it is of low maintenance cost since a deep cycle battery can last for 5 years.
1.5 METHODOLOGY
This project is designed for 24V, 150A deep cycle battery to power a 3.1KW DC motor. The DC motor in turn drives the alternator through a coupler. The alternator generates the electricity that will be connected to the load and also the one required by the full wave rectifier system that recharges the battery at the same time. The block diagram of this construction is shown in figure 1.1
