Generating Electricity Using Tribo-Electric Generator

ABSTRACT

This work is on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) which generate electric output of a short AC pulse, which has high voltage but low current. This work describes an innovative design of an interface circuit for a triboelectric nanogenerator that is transformerless and easily integrated. The circuit consists of large-capacity electrolytic capacitors that can realize to intermittently charge lithium-ion batteries and the control section contains the charging chip, the rectifying circuit, a comparator chip and switch chip. More important, the whole interface circuit is completely self-powered and self-controlled. Meanwhile, the chip is widely used in the circuit, so it is convenient to integrate into PCB. In short, this work presents a novel interface circuit for TENGs and makes progress to the practical application and industrialization of nanogenerators.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

• PROBLEM STATEMENT
• AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
• APPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• SCOPE OF THE STUDY
• METHODOLOGY
• DEFINITION OF TERMS

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• REVIEW OF THE STUDY
• OVERVIEW OF TRIBOELECTRIC
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF TRIBOELECTRIC
• BASIC MODES AND MECHANISMS OF TRIBOELECTRIC GENERATORS
• REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES
• DIFFERENT SOURCES OF ENERGY HARVESTING
• FACTOR AFFECTING THE EFFICIENCY OF TENG
• APPLICATIONS OF TRIBOELECTRIC NANOGENERATORS

CHAPTER THREE

• MATERIAL AND METHODS
• SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM
• WORKING MECHANISM OF A TENG
• SYSTEM SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
• CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0       RESULT AND DISCUSSION

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY
• CONCLUSION
• SUMMARY

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                        INTRODUCTION

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENGs) is known as a technology that converts mechanical energy as produced by small-scale physical change into electricity which have been verified in the last decade that effectively convert daily mechanical energy into useful electric power. Not only natural energy such as rain or wind but also everyday body motion such as hand touching or walking can serve as a mechanical energy source for triboelectrification (Cao et al., 2016 & Kwon et al., 2016).

In triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) devices, charges are separated on the contact surfaces, and an electrical potential is generated between the surfaces. The alternating potential resulting from the dynamic mechanical motions can be stored in a storage unit or can be used for powering electric devices afterward (Wu et al., 2019). Additionally, the potential profiles or the current profiles of the triboelectric nanogenerator can also be used as sensing signals to monitor the mechanical or chemical stimuli exerted on triboelectric nanogenerators (Wang et al., 2013).

Till date, different system design and circuit design have been extensively carried out to improve the output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators, which led to setting up different modes (such as contact-separation mode, sliding mode, single-electrode mode, and freestanding mode).

Different analog circuits have been developed to analyze the irregular triboelectric nanogenerators profiles and to minimize the power loss caused by the signal irregularity (Luo et al., 2016). Relatively, material design to improve the TENG performance has not been investigated thoroughly. Microscopic understanding of the electrification mechanism is not well established, and the materials used for TENGs are limited to a few species (Wang et al., 2014).

This study discusses the design of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). The material setup aspects of enhancing the electric power output of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) were discussed in this work.

The work is organized as follows: chapter one discusses the introductory part of the work,   chapter two presents the literature review of the study,  chapter three describes the methods applied, chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.

1.1      Background of the study

Supply of a reliable, adequate and economically priced power supply is vital for the socio-economic development of any country such as in Nigeria. It has been noted that the growth rate of the Nigeria population has a direct relationship with the growth in the per capital electricity consumption (Mshelia, 2011). The importance of energy to the Nigeria economy cannot be denied; it is underlying currency vital to the economic prosperity of the citizens. The population growth has already raised concerns over supply difficulties, exhaustion of energy resources and substantial environmental impacts (Albadi et al., 2011).

The development of every country in the contemporary world is largely depends on electricity.

There are many ways to generate electrical energy such as coal, gas etc which uses combustion to transform energy from chemical energy to electrical energy which is also inefficient. The process of generating energy through combustion causes serious environment problems. Recently, development of portable electronics and sensor Networks make it urgent demand to develop sustainable and stable energy sources for them. Powering them entirely with battery has become practically faulted and unfavourable, mainly for the lifetime of the battery. Despite the rapid growth in development of modern batteries such as lithium-ion batteries and Tanktwo string cell batteries due to the enormous distribution of batteries usage atmosphere lifespan, a lot of energy is needed for proper battery monitoring, recycling and replacement. Thus, realizing efficient energy conversion and storage always attract the interest of scientific researchers. This led to the development of nanogenerator (TENGS) by Prof Wang Zhongli’s nano research team invented the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) in 2012 (Wang et al., 2012).

Recently, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENGS) based on contact electrification and electrostatic induction have become a promising technology in mechanical energy harvesting, which shows unique merits including large output, high efficiency, low weight and cost-effective materials, and simple fabrication. Since invention, a lot of breakthroughs have been made to utilize triboelectric nanogenerator as direct power source to portable electronic devices, charge mobile battery and worked as self-powered sensors.

Triboelectricity is an energy harvesting technology has been very intensively developed for self-powered mobile electronics. It is one of the most promising are systems that convert human-body motion to electricity. This was made possible due to reducing the power consumption of modern wearable electronic devices.

Triboeletric generator is such micro-electronic device that operates at ultralow power consumption, making it possible to be powered by the energy harvested from our living environment (Wang, 2014). New technologies that can harvest energy from the environment as sustainable self-sufficient micro-power sources are a newly emerging field of nanoenergy, which is connected with applications of nanomaterials and nanotechnology for harvesting energy to power micro or nano-systems.

However, there are still requirements for continuing improving their output Performance for more applications, demand rational design and careful optimization of both materials and structure.

This work discusses the method of generating electricity using triboelectric generator.

1.2      Statement of the Problem

If there is one factor that has perpetually maintained the status of Nigeria as a less developed country, it is its electricity sector. Till date, many households and industrial businesses cannot be guaranteed of 24 hours supply of electricity from the National grid. At this stage of Nigeria’s social and economic development, the country cannot deliver sufficient energy to the citizens despite huge financial resources that have been expended in the sector (Albadi et al., 2018).

Rather, Nigerians have continued to rely on electricity generators for their power supply, fuel marketers are taking significant portion of households’ institutions of learning’s and businesses’ incomes to supply power, noise pollution from regular humming generators have become integral part of living for many Nigerians with imaginable consequences on their health. The usage of fossil fuels such as coal and oil in the generation of electricity creates massive pollution, and it leads to the reduction of life span to humans. Presently, Nigerians are also relying on battery powered portable devices in other to conserve energy. However, the drawback in batteries limits the purpose and be an obstacle to miniaturize the sensors. As per the batteries in concern, the batteries require periodical replacement, and the recycling of batteries is still a significant challenge. The precursor used for the fabrication of the batteries is highly hazards to human life and creates pollution to the environment (Vivekananthan et al., 2019). The disposal has many concerns regarding soil and water contamination as they contain a lot of heavy metals.

To overcome all these issues, an alternative energy harvesting approach had been introduced across the globe to protect humanity and overcome the growing energy crisis which involves scavenging energy from our day to day activity into useful electrical energy by harvesting energy from vibration – triboelectric power generation. A triboelectric generator is a type of technology that converts mechanical/thermal energy as produced by small-scale physical change into electricity. This concept entirely reduces the usage of batteries, which have a complex issue in recycling, disposal, protecting our soil and water from contamination and protecting our environment to air pollution caused by fossil fuel powered generator.

1.3      Aim and objectives of the study

The main aim of this work is to generate electrical energy using Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs)

Objectives:

The objectives of this project are:

1. To design and fabricate a triboelectric nanogenerator prototype.
2. To generate electricity at low cost that is capable of generating electrical energy during teaching in classrooms

• To reduce carbon discharges and subsequently reduce global warming particularly in a period when poor climatic change has become a threat to human survival and life in general to all living creatures hence an ever increasing concern to control it.

1.4      Applications of the study

Energy generated from a triboelectric generator can be used in powering portable devices or electronic gadgets that require electric power in the range of few microwatts to milliwatts such as:

1. communication devices,
2. GPS devices,

• implantable and health monitoring devices

1. ultrasensitive sensors, microelectronic devices, self-powered systems such as, smart homes, environmental protection and new energy technology that provide a viable solution to the global energy crises

1.5   Significance of the study

Working in this subject shall serve as a means of providing efficient and affordable power supplies for portable electronics needs. The main advantage of this type of energy is the cheapness and the possibility of fixing into moving mechanical objects and systems.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) having the advantage of accessible design, less fabrication cost, and high energy efficiency can replace the battery in lowpower electronic devices.

1.6      Scope of the study

The scope of work covers studying tribolectrics as a promising source of energy. The data on the main types of generators in triboelectricity was analyzed. The schematic diagram of application of tribogenerators in various devices based on electronic modules we are also studied. The efficiency of the use of tribogenerators in applied devices, when combined with other energy sources and accumulating it with super capacitors has been made.

1.7     Methodology

To achieve the aim and objectives of this work, the following are the steps involved:

1. Study of the previous work on the Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) so as to improve it efficiency.
2. Draw a block diagram.

• Test for continuity of components and devices,

1. Studying of various component used in work.
2. The setup of the circuit was carried out. The construction of this project includes the placing of components and connection of components.
3. Finally, the whole device was cased and final test was carried out.

1.8      Definition of terms

Triboelectric generator:  is based on triboelectric effect which comes into effect when two dissimilar materials come in to contact

Energy harvesting:  is the process by which energy is derived from external sources, captured, and stored for small, wireless autonomous devices, like those used in wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks.

Nanogenerator: is a type of technology that converts mechanical/thermal energy as produced by small-scale physical change into electricity.