Cal Poly
Energy Harvesting from Exercise Machines: Comparative Study of EHFEM Performance with DC-DC Converters and Dissipative Overvoltage Protection Circuit
Abstract
dc:description.abstract<p>Energy Harvesting from Exercise Machines (EHFEM) is an ongoing project pursuing alternate forms of sustainable energy for Cal Poly State University. The EHFEM project seeks to acquire user-generated DC power from exercise machines and sell that energy back to the local grid as AC power. The end goal of the EHFEM project aims to integrate a final design with existing elliptical fitness trainers for student and faculty use in Cal Poly’s Recreational Center. This report examines whether including the DC-DC converter in the EHFEM setup produces AC power to the electric grid more efficiently and consistently than an EHFEM system that excludes a DC-DC converter. The project integrates an overvoltage protection circuit, a DC-DC converter, and a DC-AC microinverter with an available elliptical trainer modified to include an energy converting circuit. The initial expectation was that a DC-DC converter would increase, when averaged over time, the overall energy conversion efficiency of the EHFEM system, and provide a stable voltage and current level for the microinverter to convert DC power into AC power. In actuality, while including a DC-DC converter in a test setup allows the EHFEM system to function with less frequent interruptions, this occurs at the cost of lower efficiency. Testing demonstrates the EHFEM project can convert user-generated DC mechanical power into usable AC electrical power. Retrofitting existing equipment with the EHFEM project can reduce Cal Poly’s energy cost.</p>
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- MS in Electrical Engineering
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Electrical Engineering
- Year dc:date.available
- 2017
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Kiddoo, Cameron
- Contributors dc:contributor
-
- David B. Braun
Subjects
dc:subject × 6Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Identifier
- 10.15368/theses.2017.31
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:digitalcommons.calpoly.edu:theses-2948