Gym Power Generation System: Exercise Bike Generator
Team
- Richard Beck, Electrical Engineering
- Cedric Mannie, Computer Engineering
Specail Thanks to
- Dr.Hongjie
- Dr. Don Cripps
Project
What?
- Design and build an exercise bike that produces power!
Why?
- Nobody likes pollution from burning fossil fuels.
- We need more renewable power sources.
- Energy from exercise is usually wasted.
Considerations
- The bike needs to have adjustable resistance.
- The power produced needs to be usable.
- The system needs to be safe and user-friendly.
System
Methods
1 We built our own stationary bike and attached an automotive alternator.
2 We designed and built a boost converter to boost the ~14 V alternator output high enough to charge a 24 V battery. We attached an inverter to the battery to produce 120 V AC power.
3 We allowed the user to select resistance levels using a switch and microcontroller. We regulated boost converter output with the microcontroller to achieve resistance control and optimal battery charging.
Conclusion
User-adjustable resistance control and battery charging.
| Resistance Level | Power Output (W) | Input Current (A) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 1.4 |
| 2 | 40 | 2.8 |
| 3 | 60 | 4.2 |
| 4 | 80 | 5.6 |
| 5 | 100 | 7.0 |
| 6 | 120 | 8.4 |