Johnson, B USEP: Journal of Research Information in Civil Engineering, ,Vol. 8, No.1, 2011,

Technical Note

Infrasound Generator for a Future Electricity Emanating from Sound – A Brief Discussion

1B. Johnson and 2A A Adedeji1Faculty of Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, USA

2Department of Civil Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, 2aaadeji@unilorin.edu.ng

Abstract

This paper identified with a brief discussion on design, modeling validation of future power generation that will use the same generator for the hydropower, but driven by a very low infrasound, ambient energy generator based on ambient vibrations to be used in remote and long term sensing networks. General submission and simulations studies validate the functionality of individual components in an integrated piezoelectric generator unit.

Keywords:

Sound energy, light energy, hydroelectric generator, piezoelectric generator

1. Introduction

The prior question is: Is it possible to produce energy from sound using piezoelectric sensors ? Yes. Let’s start from here. The Piezoelectric effect is an effect in which energy is converted between mechanical and electrical forms. Specifically, when a pressure (piezo) is applied to a polarized crystal, the resulting mechanical deformation results in an electrical charge. Piezoelectric microphones serve as a good example of this phenomenon. Microphones turn an acoustical pressure into a voltage. Alternatively, when an electrical charge is applied to a polarized crystal, the crystal undergoes a mechanical deformation which can in turn create an acoustical pressure. An example of this can be seen in piezoelectric speakers. (These are the cause of beeps that are found in computers). Recent research involves the use of piezoelectric (PE) materials for applications such as: i) a transformer for a mobile phone battery charger (Brebol, 2001), ii) a micro-generator for embedded microsystems such as medical implants or building sensor

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Johnson, B USEP: Journal of Research Information in Civil Engineering, ,Vol. 8, No.1, 2011,

(Glynne-Jones et al 2001, Johnson and Tayahi 2011) and iii) a shoe mounted device for powering devices such as a Radio Frequency RF tags (Rebis, 2011).

2. Sound Waves

Future power generation will use the same generator in Figure 1 below, but driven by a very low infrasound (>8Hz) whereby its “trumpets” ( series of continuous wave, constant frequency & amplitude sine waves) sound is uni-directly pointed at the turbine blade for rotation. For other technical details, Rebis (2011) described a simple use of sound converted to low current voltage. According to Rebis (2011) the simplest device to change sound to electric was a speaker - 120mm polymer membrane, which was connected to a transformer for changing impulses to the higher voltage. Transformer was connected to the rectifier (4 diode Gretz System). After that signal was cut to 1.5V through Zener's diode (e.g. BAP 811 1,5V 500mW). All these were connected to the 1.2V resistor. A accu and accu gives power to watch. According to the researcher (Rebis, 2011) the gadget worked for more than 3 years. A simple diagram on how to connect all parts is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 produce of electrics from sound (Rebis, 2011)

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Infrasound

Johnson, B USEP: Journal of Research Information in Civil Engineering, ,Vol. 8, No.1, 2011,

A note of caution: Infrasound is especially dangerous, due to its strong vibrations, or oscillations. Infrasound waves hug the ground, travel for long distances without losing strength, and are unstoppable. 3. Infrasound Generator

The energies in the extremely low frequency (ELF) range in electromagnetic, sound or acoustic waves like the infrasound can move greater distances and can be highly directional by setting up a high resonance. For instance in a hydro electric power, the theory is to build a dam on a large river that has a large drop in elevation. The dam stores lots of water behind it in the reservoir. Near the bottom of the dam wall there is the water intake. Gravity causes it to fall through the penstock inside the dam. At the end of the penstock there is a turbine propeller, which is turned by the moving water. The shaft from the turbine goes up into the generator, which produces the power. Power lines are connected to the generator that

carry electricity to your home and mine. Conversion of hydropower to Infrasound Generators are shown in Figures 2 and 3 (Johnson, 2012).

4. Concluding Remarks

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Johnson, B USEP: Journal of Research Information in Civil Engineering, ,Vol. 8, No.1, 2011,

The underlying concept of piezoelectric sensor is to extract energy from the vibration that the sound energy undergoes to produce light through an infrasound generator adapted to the hydroelectric generator using turbine. The piezoelectric sensor consists of an energy converter, a DC-DC converter, and a wireless transceiver. The energy converter could be designed using a 10-18-ring piezoelectric stack to provide power to various remote sensors. The high voltage output from the piezoelectric stack is converted to a lower voltage and higher electric current where necessary.

References

Brebol, K. (2001). Miniaturized Battery Charger using Piezoelectric Transformers, Proc. 6th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, 1, pp. 492-6.

Glynne-Jones, P, Beeby, S. P. and White, N. M. (2001). Towards a Piezoelectric Vibration-Powered Micro-generator, Proc. IEEE, 148, pp. 68- 72.

Johnson, B. and Tayahi, M. B. (2011). Piezoelectric Generator For Powering Remote Sensing Networks, Technical paper at Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, 89557, USA

Johnson, B (2012) Short Note: Future Light Energy Emanating from Sound Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol. 2, No.3 , pp.122-124

Rebis, J. A. R.(2011). http//:www.researchgate.net/profile/Janusz_RebisShenck, N. S. and J.A. Paradiso,(2001) Energy Scavenging with Shoe-

Mounted Piezo-electrics, IEEE Micro., Vol. 21, pp. 30-42, May-June 2001.

Williams, C. B. and Yates, R. B. (1996). Analysis of a micro-electric generator for microsystems, Sensors and Actuators A, A52(1-3), pp. 8-11, Mar.-Apr. 1996. citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.104.

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