Abstract:
The purpose of this project is to utilize the phenomenon of Vortex Induced Vibrations
(VIVs) in order to make a clean, green electricity generation device. With
fossil fuel deposits rapidly depleting, much of the focus of the world with regards
to energy has shifted towards renewable energy resources. Water is an abundant
renewable energy resource that is used very often to generate electricity. One way
to obtain energy from water is to place cylinders in a flowing stream of water.
The vortices generated as a water passes over them causes them to vibrate. This
vibrational energy can then be converted into a useful form of energy.
Our aim is to study this phenomenon, investigate the variables influencing the
behaviour of the flow across cylindrical structures and then to propose an energy
generation method based on this phenomenon. According to our study, these
oscillations are much more energetic in case of multi-cylinder arrangements as
compared to single cylinders. Therefore, multiple cylinders have been used in our
device. The cylinders situated upstream are kept stationary as their sole purpose
is to generate vortices. Cylinders intended to vibrate are kept in the wake of the
upstream cylinders to cause them to vibrate under the influence of vortex-structure
interactions. A mechanism is attached to the cylinders in order to convert this
vibrational motion into electricity by means of electromagnetic induction.
