Special Issue - 2019 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)

ISSN: 2278-0181
RTESIT - 2019 Conference Proceedings

Free Energy Electric Bicycle

Ligil Vijayan, Shamil R.P, Subath Momin U,
Mahammad Athavulla Mr. Yogeesh Rao, Asst. Prof.
Dept. of Electrical & Electronics Dept. Of Electrical & Electronics
Yenepoya Institute Of Technology Yenepoya Institute Of Technology
Karnataka, India. Karnataka, India

Abstract— The Electric Bicycle System incorporates three

different ways of charging a lithium-ion battery: using dynamo, B. Methodology
regenerative braking, and solar power; which is used to power The basis of this project is to construct a system for an
an electric hub motor running a bicycle. The purpose of the electric bike. There are many key components within the
project is to show that it is possible and relatively simple, to block diagram for this system. They consist of a lithium-ion
build an electric bicycle by oneself. This project can be broken battery, a motor controller, a DC-DC converter, a photo-
down into five separate categories: the lithium-ion battery, the voltaic solar panel, and a brushless DC motor. The power
DC-DC boost converter, the solar panel, the motor, and the brakes and throttle/cruise controller are simple button
motor controller. Each of these will be built upon and improved
systems that are used to trigger the functions for increasing
further in future. The hope is that this design can become very
efficient, cost-effective, and one day mass-produced, especially
speed, keeping the speed constant, and turning off the motor.
in developing countries where automotive transportation is an
impossibility.

Keywords—Electric Bicycle, Harnessing, solar energy,

Economical, Electricity

1. INTRODUCTION
The electric bicycle offers a cleaner alternative to travel
short-to-moderate distances rather than driving a gasoline-
powered car. In recent years, India has increasingly
encouraged a cleaner environment and less dependence on
foreign oil. The price of crude oil has increased significantly
over the past few years and there seems to be no turning
back. The environment has also been more of a focus
throughout the world in the past few years, and it seems that
cleaner alternatives have been steadily on the rise with no end
in sight. The electric bicycle is a project that can promote
both cleaner technology as well as a lesser dependence on oil.
It will run on clean electric power with the ability to recharge
the battery 3 separate ways: through the 120V AC wall
source, by generating power through the pedals of the Fig 1: Block Diagram Of Entire Project
bicycle, and by solar-cell generative power. An extra benefit
to building the electric bicycle is that it can also show the
general public how much cheaper it would be to convert their 3. OPERATION
regular bicycle into an electric bicycle rather than driving The power source for the system was a DC battery
solely in their gas-powered vehicles. The greater importance source chosen to output 48V. The battery was primarily
of the environment in the world leads to an opportunity for chosen due to the lithium ion cells used to configure it. A
students in our position. With the economy trying to get out lithium ion battery was the most efficient choice for an
of one of the worst depressions of the century, there are electric bike because it offers high energy density while
numerous opportunities for us to help out. This is our remaining relatively light-weight and compact in size.
opportunity to contribute a greener and more efficient planet. Lithium ion batteries can be very dangerous; therefore it is
essential to research the quality of the lithium ion cells and
the protective implementations used. The Golden Motor
2. ELECTRIC BICYCLE battery has a high voltage rating diode at the output, and uses
A. Main principle it as a current protector. This is essential to the project
It works on the principle that the electromotive force of an requirement for interfacing multiple forms of charging such
A.C. motor which receives electrical energy stored in D.C. as solar energy, mechanical energy, and high AC voltage
battery is converted with the help of D.C. to A.C. converter. through an outlet.

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Special Issue - 2019 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
RTESIT - 2019 Conference Proceedings

The battery block is interfaced with the motor

controller block. The motor controller controls all the
functional capabilities and is the central component of the
system. The basic requirement for the control is to regulate
the amount of power applied to the motor, especially for DC
motors. The motor controller can be adjusted to synchronize
with other brushless motors. There are also many built-in
functions for this controller that vary from detecting any
malfunctions with the motor hall sensors, the throttle, and the
brake levers to protect functions against excessive current and
under-voltage, which are ideal for protecting the lithium ion
battery. These functions are beneficial to the success of this
project and also provide a solution to any troubleshooting and
damages that may occur.
One key feature that is integrated with the interface
of the controller and the motor was the regenerative braking.
A regenerative brake is an energy recovery mechanism that Fig 2: Schematic Diagram
reduces the bicycle’s speed by converting some of its kinetic
energy into a useful form of energy instead of dissipating it as DC motors are used extensively in adjustable-speed
heat from conventional brake friction. The energy is then drives and position control applications. Their speeds below
supplied back to the power source. The control allows the the base speed can be controlled by armature-voltage control.
battery to interface with the motor to be bidirectional which Speeds above the base speed are obtained by field-flux
can supply and receive power. Software is provided with the control. As speed control method for DC motors are simpler
controller so that it can adjust the setting and operations for and less expensive than those for the AC motors, DC motors
several of the controller’s functions. By creating a switch that are preferred where wide speed range control is required.
purposely is “fooling” the controller to use the motor as a
generator without completely braking the wheel, it is possible
to generate mechanical energy through pedaling. 5. COMPONENTS OF E-BICYCLE
Another source of battery charging comes from the 1) PMDC Motor:
photovoltaic solar panel. Initially a light-weight and flexible The rotor is slotted armature which carries armature
solar panel was desired. Once a voltage and current is winding. Rotor is made from layers of laminated silicon steel
generated through the solar panel a DC – DC boost converter to reduce eddy current losses. Ends of armature winding are
block is needed to step the output voltage from the solar connected to commutator segments on which the brushes rest.
panel to match the battery’s voltage of 24V. The power must Commutator is made from copper and brushes are usually
be conserved in a converter therefore, as the voltage in made from carbon or graphite. DC supply is applied across
increased, the current is decreased. It is more efficient to have these brushes. The commutator is in segmented form to
a higher current input to the boost converter but for the achieve unidirectional torque. The reversal of direction can
current budget and resources, it is not practical. Due to the be easily achieved by reversing polarity of the applied
inefficient charging power supplied to the battery, it is not voltage.
realistic for the solar panel to fully charge the battery. Its
primary purpose is to provide a longer life cycle for the
battery and to provide some charge when access to an outlet
is not available.

4. WORKING
The function of the dynamo is to convert the
mechanical energy into electrical energy. Dynamo is fitted in
the bicycle. It is in contact with the wheel. When the wheel
rotates, dynamo is functioning. Dynamo is connected with the
battery. The battery is charged by means of dynamo. The
battery contains two terminals. One is the positive terminal
and another one is the negative terminal. The wire
connections were made for the flow of electrons from one
part to another part. When the motor energies through the
current, the stator field coil get magnetized and induces the Fig 3: PMDC Motor With Torque Controller
rotor shaft to rotate in the counter clockwise direction. Motor
shaft is connected with the shaft of rear wheel, thereby
transmitting power to the wheel. So the bicycle moves in 2) Gear Trains:
forward direction. Whenever bicycle is running, the above Gear trains, belt drive and chain drive are the power
mentioned processes are continuously going on. transmission element. Here, chain drives are used in power

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Special Issue - 2019 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
RTESIT - 2019 Conference Proceedings

transmission. The major components of the chain drives are

sprocket and chains.

Fig 5: Dynamo
Fig 4:Chain Sprocket
3) Solar Panel: 5) Battery:
Photovoltaic solar panels absorb sunlight as a source The battery also acts as a condenser in a way that it
of energy to generate electricity. A photovoltaic (PV) module stores the electric energy produced by the generator due to
is a packaged, connected assembly of typically 6x10 electrochemical transformation and supply it on demand.
photovoltaic solar cells. Photovoltaic modules constitute the Battery is also known as an accumulator of electric charge.
photovoltaic array of a photovoltaic system that generates and This happens usually while starting the system.
supplies solar electricity in commercial and residential
applications. 6) Braking System:
For the braking system it is convenient to use
Each module is rated by its DC output power under braking system used in regenerative brake system which
standard test conditions (STC), and typically ranges from 100 consist of spring loaded friction- shoe mechanism, which is
to 365 Watts (W). The efficiency of a module determines the driven with the help of hand lever.
area of a module given the same rated output – an 8%
efficient 230 W module will have twice the area of a 16%
efficient 230 W module. There are a few commercially
available solar modules that exceed efficiency of 24%.
4) Dynamo:
Dynamo is a device which converts mechanical
energy into electrical energy. The commutator was needed to
produce direct current. When a loop of wire rotates in a
magnetic field, the potential induced in it reverses with each
half turn, generating an alternating current. However, in the
early days of electric experimentation, alternating current
generally had no known use. The few uses for electricity, Fig 6: Braking System
such as electroplating, used direct current provided by messy
liquid batteries. The commutator is essentially a rotary
switch. It consists of a set of contacts mounted on the 7) DC-DC Boost Converter:
machine's shaft, combined with graphite-block stationary A boost converter (step-up converter) is a DC-to-
contacts, called "brushes", because the earliest such fixed DC power converter that steps up voltage from its input to its
contacts were metal brushes. The commutator reverses the output. It is a class of switched-mode power supply
connection of the windings to the external circuit when the containing at least two semiconductors and at least one
potential reverses, so instead of alternating current, a pulsing energy storage element: a capacitor, inductor, or the two in
direct current is produced. It would probably be more combination. To reduce voltage ripple, filters made of
practical to design a free energy recharger for the batteries capacitors are normally added to such a converter's output.
that is not attached to the bicycle, and design our bike to Power for the boost converter can come from any suitable DC
operate on a small electric motor that uses the rechargeable sources, such as batteries, solar panels, rectifiers and DC
batteries. This arrangement would be easy to do, as free generators. A process that changes one DC voltage to a
energy battery rechargers are commonly. different DC voltage is called DC to DC conversion. A boost
converter is a DC to DC converter with an output voltage
greater than the source voltage. A boost converter is
sometimes called a step-up converter since it "steps up" the
source voltage. Since power (P=VI) must be conserved, the
output current is lower than the source current.

Volume 7, Issue 08 Published by, www.ijert.org 3

Special Issue - 2019 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
RTESIT - 2019 Conference Proceedings

We are highly indebted to Mr. Yogeesh Rao for his

guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing
necessary information regarding the project & also for his
support in completing the project.

We also extend our thanks to the faculty members of

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, Non-
teaching Staff and all our Friends for their encouragement
and sincere co-operation.
RESULT
1. Bicycle that utilizes renewable energy from various
sources
2. Kinetic energy of bicycle is converted to electrical energy
using dynamo
3. These energy is used to run the bicycle
Fig 6: DC-DC Boost Converter

LITERATURE SURVEY CONCLUSION

The idea of a motorized bicycle, let alone the electric This project brought together several components
powered bike, it is not a recent concept and has been around and ideas to achieve a common goal: to prove that it is
for more than a century. In 1867, the first non motor bike was possible to build a bicycle with 3 separate charging sources.
invented by Sylvester Howard Roper of Boston, MA. His We put a lot of time into this bicycle to make sure that it was
innovative approach to the bicycle would be commercially perform best it possibly could. Now that the project as a
known as the Roper steam velocipede, which was basically a whole is finished, we hand it over to future generations to
bike powered by a steam engine. Although the use was design and improve each component. Possibly future projects
around for a while during those times, it wasn’t until 1895 may include:
that the electric bicycle made its place in history. The Ogden 1) Design of a charge controller for the battery: The battery
Bolten designed using 6 pole brush and commuter DC hub management system (BMS) built within the battery was very
motor connected to the rear wheel. He was then granted a US hard to access, so we couldn’t get an idea of how it was
patent. Couple of years later, Hosea W. Libbey invented designed. Having a BMS with the ability to take in a wider
electric bike which was propelled by double electric motor. range of voltages and currents will be ideal.
This motor was so designed that it was attached with the 2) Design of the motor controller: The current motor
crank set axle. Later in 1990’s torque sensors and power controller is a very nice size and weight, but the connections
controls were developed including some modified versions of that it provides are not as stable and protected as it can be.
bike with NiMH, NiCd and/or Li-ion batteries which offered Limiting the amount of wiring and connections may also be
lighter, density capacities batteries. As the year progresses, desired.
more and more electric bikes were produced with varying 3) Construction of a separate hub motor: There are many
driving mechanisms. Some had a motor connected to the levels to the design of the 48V, 1000W motor can be placed
wheel with a belt or chain. It was the patent of Albert Parcelle on the front wheel of the bicycle or it can just be used to
of Boston,MA. By the year 1992, there were still hardly any compare the speeds and efficiencies to the current motor on
commercial electric bicycles available. the bicycle
4) Design of a more effective boost converter: The current
K.VIGNESH et.al [2015] [1]: In this paper “Free energy boost converter provides only 3mA from the solar panel to
bicycle” where the bicycle is made to run using dynamo. charge the battery. That would take about 4000 hours to fully
S.B BARVE et.al [2016] [2]: In their paper “Design and charge the battery from an empty charge. The design of a new
development of solar hybrid bicycle” two or more also be able to provide a higher current will be beneficial to
photovoltaic cells may be used to harness solar energy to the life of the b single charge will last.
generate voltage to charge the battery.
REFERENCES
Today, we are planning to continue on with the [1] Aikenhead, "Bicycle Applications for On-Board Solar Power
concept of electric bike and look for new ways of making a Generation", 2011.
more efficient and practical electrical bike. In our project we [2] S.B Barve,"Design and Development of Solar Hybrid Bicycle",
design an electric bicycle which uses zero external power International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology,
2016.
supply and runs using various energy sources like solar, [3] Prof. Palak Desai, "Design And Fabrication Of Solar TRI Cycle",
dynamo, energy regenerated during braking etc. International Journal of Engineering Sciences & Research, 2016.
[4] T.Bhavani,"Novel Design of Solar Electric Bicycle with Pedal",
ACKNOWLEDGMENT International Journal & Magazine of Engineering, 2015.
We have given sincere efforts in this project. [5] K.Vignesh, "free energy bicycle", 2015.
However, it would not have been possible without the kind
support and help of many individuals and organizations. We
would like to extend our sincere thanks to all of them.

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