Energy of the Future

Recycling Kinetic Energy

 

Engineers have created many other ways of recycling kinetic energy, these include tiles that harvest kinetic energy when stepped on, carpets under roads, road bumps etc. They are currently researching a 'kinerail' which will go under train tracks near train stations where approaching trains brake. 

 

To harvest kinetic energy from footsteps, tiles called 'pavegen tiles' have 

been engineered. A Pavegen tile is made from mostly rubber with minimal

stainless steel and an LED light in it so walkers can see that energy is being 

harnessed. This also means that young children will be able to see what they 

are doing for the planet, a planet which will one day be their responsibility.

As the walker steps onto the Pavegen tile, it compresses by 5 mm, which in turn converts the 

kinetic energy into electrical energy to be stored in batteries.

These tiles each produce approximately 2.1 W of electricity per hour in a large built-up city.

This energy collected can be used to power low wattage street lamps, billboards and bus stops

just to name a few things, but the possibilities on a large scale are endless.

 

'Kinerbumps' are specially designed road bumps which, standing at a height of 3.5" and a travel length of 13 ft, convert kinetic energy of the vehicles travelling over them into electrical energy which is, again, stored in a battery or energy store. This electrical energy can be used to power street lamps without using an excess of energy and therefore less unnecessary heat energy is lost from the lights and reduces the contribution to global warming.

These road bumps harvest energy from rolling resistance, deceleration and the braking process. 

We can consider the amount of energy that is used in a vehicle and what it is used for:

- 62.4% is used to propel the vehicle

- 17.2% is used in standing by

- 5.8% is used in braking

- 5.6% is used to lubricate the engine

- 4.2% is used in rolling resistance

- 2.6% is used against aerodynamic resistance due to the shape of the vehicle

- 2.2% is used in accessories for example the radio and heating

 

So, if the energy from braking and rolling resistance can be reconverted back into electrical energy, on average that is 10% of the total energy used in a vehicle. 

A single road bump can produce 1848 kW/h of electricity for every 10,000 cars that pass over it with the average lifespan of each bump being 10 years if regularly maintained meaning that replacement is rare. 

 

An alternative to the road bumps are the 'KinergyPower Carpets' 

which are placed in areas of frequent and heavy braking for 

example, rest areas, bus stops, traffic lights etc.

The carpets, which contain hydraulic pistons, work by a vehicle 

driving over the carpet which compresses the pistons. The 

compression of these pistons causes the hydraulic fluid to be 

pushed through the system and turn a generator. This means

that the heavier the vehicle, the more energy that is produced 

so the most effective place for these would be in a bus station

where buses regularly stop.

 

100 m of KinergyPower carpets can power:

 - One North American home for a day per 10 fully loaded lorries.

 

 

Advantages:

 

- Using Pavegen tiles or a road bump or carpet is cheaper than using traditional energy sources.

- There are no pollutants involved in the manufacture of either the energy harvesting device or in harvesting the energy itself.

- No hazardous waste is produced.

- No fuel is used (excluding that which is powering the vehicles, however, would have been used anyway).

- Energy can be harvested regardless of the weather, temperature or climate.