IdeeP-Bump

Traditional speed bumps are designed solely to slow down vehicles, dissipating the mechanical energy generated by traffic as heat or vibration. The piezoelectric speed bump, however, harnesses the otherwise dissipated energy into electricity by leveraging the piezoelectric effect. This innovation enhances the utility of speed bumps and addresses the growing demand for renewable energy in urban, developing areas. The system utilises hydraulic and piezoelectric principles to maximise efficiency, conversion of energy, and durability. At its core, the system consists of a hydraulic input cylinder with a 10cm diameter bore, connected via pressurised hydraulic fluid to an output cylinder with a 31.6cm diameter bore. This ensures a 10:1 cross-sectional area ratio, allowing the output piston to exert a force 10 times greater than the input force. The hydraulic fluid is stored in a reservoir and pressurised by a gear pump. The entire system is enclosed in a 1 0.5x1m cuboid structure. The amplified force from the output piston is directed onto a PZT (lead zirconate titanate) piezoelectric mechanism beneath it, which is structured as a vertical stack with a 2828cm base. The stack comprises four modular PZT sections, each containing 100 thin layers with electrodes between each section. Internal electrodes are routed through grooves to prevent damage while maximising energy capture. Finally, the entire PZT is covered in a layer of insulation, followed by supports to maintain position. This configuration allows efficient and durable conversion of mechanical stress from the piston into electrical energy. A vacuum-based return mechanism ensures smooth piston retraction without absorbing the force intended for the PZT stack. Structural elements support the PZT mechanism in preventing stress-related failures while maintaining full force transfer efficiency. This system is modular, with one section of the speedbump measuring 0.5x3m. When a vehicle drives over such a module, its weight applies a force (F=m⋅g) that compresses the piezoelectric stack. This mechanical deformation generates an electrical charge as the crystal lattice within the piezoelectric material shifts, creating a potential difference. The DC power is then stored in lithium-ion batteries or transmitted to the city grid via an inverter and transformer, ensuring compatibility with grid voltage and frequency standards. This product is a sophisticated approach that offers a new positive outlook in a regular day-to-day global issue, taking advantage of traffic and overpopulated roads as a medium to generate natural mechanical energy and convert it to electrical energy. Ultimately, this product looks to complete two goals with one action: identifying a potential positive benefit of traffic and providing renewable energy solutions to rural areas. Electrical companies are now looking to appeal to a market that values environmentally friendly processes through corporate social responsibility. Thus, this product aims to source and distribute green energy to impoverished communities. From determining the force exerted by a single tyre of a vehicle, which, at 375kg, produces 3,675N (using F=mcg). The hydraulic system amplifies this force tenfold, resulting in 36,750N exerted on the PZT mechanism. The force is then distributed over the 28x28cm² cross-sectional area of the PZT stack, generating a stress of 46,875Pa. Given a 1 mm displacement of the PZT stack (0.001m), the energy applied to the stack is calculated as 4,687.5J, using E=P⋅V, where the volume is the product of the stack’s area and displacement. Factoring in the 88% efficiency of the PZT material, this amounts to 4,113.68J of energy harvested for each car going over the bump. Indonesia’s per capita electricity consumption is approximately 1,111kWh per year, translating to about 11.552kWh or 41,587,200J per household daily(https://www.worlddata.info/asia/indonesia/energy-consumption.php)(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421519303337). This would cost the household around IDR16,000 per day or IDR486,000 a month in electricity. However, in impoverished neighbourhoods, individual households typically consume less electricity due to limited access and fewer appliances. Daily traffic data from DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency suggests that Jalan Hayam Wuruk in Jakarta, a moderate-traffic road on the lower spectrum, sees traffic of around 20,000 cars per day (https://www.hrpub.org/download/20230830/CEA30-14892473.pdf). Using this number, we can estimate that smaller, lower-traffic dense roads can see traffic between 5,000-10,000 cars per day on a moderate estimate. This would mean that one P-Bump stationed at a point in the road would be able to generate 20,568,400J-41,136,800J. A single P-Bump can provide enough energy per day to power the average household in Indonesia.

Project Management & R&D