Download rain drops as an alternative electrical energy source

APEC Youth Scientist Journal Vol. 4 / No.1
RAIN DROPS AS AN ALTERNATIVE ELECTRICAL ENERGY
SOURCE
∗
Agathon Henryanto1
1
Karangturi Senior High School, Jalan Raden Patah 182-192, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
Asia-Pacific countries have tropical and subtropical climate with high rainfall each
year. Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia which has a tropical climate and very high
rainfall, that has two seasons per year, they are rainy season and dry season.
Rain drops that fall to the earth's surface occur through a long process called the
hydrologic cycle. The cycle starts from the evaporation of water in the earth's surface by the
heat of the sun, the condensation of water vapor to form clouds, until the clouds become
saturated and eventually become rain. Rain water that absorb by the soil is very useful, such
as ground water. Moreover, the rain has potential force and kinetic force. Thus, if the force
that contain in the rain can be utilized as much as possible, we will get great benefits,
especially for Indonesia, which is a tropical country with high rainfall. In addition, by using
this system as an alternative electrical energy source, we do not need to worry about the
power outages, because when it is rain, this system could produce electrical energy. This is
the main idea why the author has decided to study about this research.
Keywords : power outages, potential energy, kinetic energy, water flow, turbines, generator
∗
Correspondence to : Agathon Henryanto ([email protected])
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1. INTRODUCTION
Countries in Asia Pacific region, have tropical and subtropical climates, which means
they have a fairly high rainfall each year. For example, Indonesia, a country in Southeast Asia
that has a tropical climate and within the equator line. The rainfall in Indonesia is very high,
where it has rainy season for 6 months each year.
The high rainfall in Indonesia often bring a wide range of problems, for example
floods, landslides, overflowing rivers, and various other problems. These terrible problems
make us think that rain only bring problems, and we can not get any benefit from the rain.
But is it so?
Rainwater that falls into the earth's surface occurs through a long process called the
hydrologic cycle. The process starts from the evaporation of water in the earth's surface by
the heat of the sun, then continue by the condensation of the water vapor to form clouds, until
the clouds become saturated and eventually becomes rain. Rain water that absorb into the soil
is also very useful, such as ground water reserves, water wells, etc..
Moreover, the rain falls have potential force and kinetic force. Thus, when the force in
the rain water can be utilized as much as possible, I am sure that we will have some great and
useful benefits, especially for Indonesia that has high rainfall each year. In addition, by using
this system as an alternative electrical energy source, we do not need to be worry about the
power outages.
When the rain drop the system will generate electrical energy. This is what
underlies the author to conduct a study on the utilization of rain water for producing electrical
energy, and make an experimental tool to serve the system.
2. THEORIES
Through various experiments, Michael Faraday (1791-1867), a genius British scientist
finally succeeded in proving that the change of the magnetic field can generate electric
current. Generating an electric current due to the change in the magnetic field is called
electromagnetic induction,. This discovery is known as "Faraday's Law".
Faraday Experiment Conclusion
When the magnet is moved (and out) in the coil, the galvanometer needle will deviate,
when the magnet is moved (stop) in the coil, the galvanometer needle does not deviate
(shows zero). Deviation of the galvanometer needle shows that the electric current flowing in
the coil. Electric currents are called induced currents.
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Electric currents arise because of changes in the number of lines of magnetic force,
which resulted in the coil ends arising potential difference. The potential difference is called
the induction electromotive force (emf induced).
Based on the conclusions in the above experiment of Faraday, Faraday's law obtained
which contains:
“If a conductor cutting lines of force of a magnetic field (flux) is constant, then the
conductor of the induced voltage will occur. Magnetic flux changes in a series of
conducting material, will cause the induced
voltage in the circuit.”
From this theory we can also say that the movement of the magnet inside the coil will
produce electricity. The movement of magnet need a force to move it. In this case, we also
use the theory of converting energy.
Converting Energy
One of the greatest scientist ever, James Prescott Joule said that Energy can not be
created or destroyed, but only can be convers from one kind of energy to the other kind of
energy. To produce electricity with the magnet and coil (generator), we need other kind of
energy to move the magnet. We can use this conversion energy. From the kinetic energy that
contains by the raindrops to produce electrical energy by the generator. But of course not
100% of kinetic energy will be convers to electrical energy, some of them will be convers to
the other kind of energy, for example heat and sound. This is what we call as efficiency.
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1
Collecting Materials
A. Collecting Stainless Steal Wastes
-
In this experiment I decide to used stainless steal because we work with water.
Stainless steal is an corrosion resistant material. But we know that stainless steal
is not cheap, so I collecting stainless steal wastes.
B. Collecting Turbines Wastes
-
Two kinds of turbines that I use in this experiment are taken from Car Air
Conditioner System, because the size is not too big and easy to use.
C. Materials Needed
-
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Water, cable, LED, electrolyte condenser 50 V 4700µF, diode 2A, hose, nut bolts
APEC Youth Scientist Journal Vol. 4 / No.1
D. Tools Needed
-
AVO meter, a screwdriver, glue, tape, scissors, rulers, water pumps, water
containers, welder, cutter.
1.2 Steps of Research
A. Collect the stainless steal wastes, then connect them to get a long bar of stainless
steal, and a width board of stainless steal.
B. Placed the first turbine in the top part of the stainless steal bar, and the second
one on the water container. Make a big hole on the container for the water from
the turbine, and a small hole for the hose from the water pump.
C. Place the stainless steal bar on the water container. Put the water pump inside the
water container. Connect the water pump and the first turbine with hose.
D. Fulfill 3/4 part of the container with water. This water will shown as the
raindrops.
E. Connect wires from the two turbines to the board of LED, diode, and AVO meter.
F. Plug the water pump wire in to the socket.
G. After several experiment, we know that the voltage that produced by the first
turbine is smaller than the second. So we continue the experiment with the
second turbine
H. Change the high of the first turbine into 8 cm, 19 cm, 30 cm (from the top of the
second turbine). The different high of the first turbine shows the different high of
the drainpipe.
4. RESULTS OF EXPERIMENT
NO
HIGH
VOLTAGE (AC)
VOLTAGE VOLTAGE (DC)
WITH LED (DC)
VOLTAGE
WITH LED
(DC)
1
8 cm
10.5 V
10.2 V
6.4 V
2.4 V
2
19 cm
14.6 V
13.5 V
13.1 V
2.6 V
3
30 cm
16.6 V
15.1 V
14.8 V
2.8 V
Table 1. The relation between the high differences and the voltage produced by the generator.
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The results of the experiment are shown in Table 1 that the flow of rainwater in the
drain pipe will turn the paddles that serve as a turbine, the rotation of magnets in the
generator will produce electric voltage. The generator is connected to a diode, then to the
electrolyte condenser, and then connected to the LED, to light up the LED. The high
differences automatically will impact the voltage that produced by the generator.
4. DISCUSSION
The flow of rainwater in the drainpipe has a certain speed. We could make
assumption that the roof height is H. In the H position the water has potential energy and
kinetic energy. After a lot of rainwater collection from the roof, the water will drop through
the drainpipe. The paddles are placed under the drainpipe, so that the water flow will rotate
the paddles. The higher the drainpipe, it will make the water produces greater potential
energy. So that the paddles will spin faster and this mechanism makes the voltage also greater.
In the experimental tool, the generator produces alternating current. The generator is
connected to the diodes in order to make a direct current. At the experiment, the higher the
position of the hose, the higher voltage resulting. And conversely, in the lowest position, the
voltage becomes lower. The AC voltage is greater than the DC voltage. In the circuit of AC
and DC, when fitted with LEDs, the voltage appears in the AVO meter are smaller than
before it was fitted with LEDs. The voltage show a possibility that the real tool will produce
greater voltage. This is because the real tool is made larger and is applied for the real rain
drops, and it is located in the higher position.
Why the tool is not made in a smaller size and is placed by the level? Before the
chosen form of a series, it has been tested and the results showed that the sum of voltage that
produced by each tool is equal to the voltage that produced by the bigger tool that was placed
under the drainpipe. Therefore, as an economical reason, it would be wasteful if the
installation is placed in a graduated form. When the installation is placed under the drainpipe,
the generator used can be larger than when it is formed in a graduated form.
The advantages of applying this tool is very environmentally friendly, because it does
not cause any pollution and waste during the process, and the tool is also safe to be used. The
only disadvantage of the tool is the size of the utility voltage is dependent on rainfall, height
of drainpipe, and the size of the tool. Figure 1 shows the picture of the tool.
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APEC Youth Scientist Journal Vol. 4 / No.1
Figure 1. From the top to the bottom : hose, turbines (inside the drainpipe), pipe,
turbines (under the drainpipe), water container, water pump.
5. CONCLUSION
A.
This tool can be used as an alternative energy source beside the electricity from the
central provider, especially when raining occurs then the tool will automatically be
operated.
B.
In the real application, this tool will produce higher electricity voltage because of the
size of the tool will be bigger and the drainpipes will also be higher.
C.
This tool can be applied in every type of housing units because it works in simple
mechanism and easily to be put, but very helpful.
D.
Future studies are needed to maximize the voltage that produced, and to create the
applicable form of tool.
6. REFERENCES
1. Edminister, Joseph. 2005. Teori dan Soal-Soal Rangkaian Listrik. Jakarta : Penerbit
Erlangga.
2. Alexander, Charles K. 2007. Fundamental of Electric Circuits, Third Edition. New
York : Higher Education.
3. B.Krauskopf, Konrad, dan Arthur Beiser. 2006. The Physical Universe Eleventh Edition.
Higher Education.
4. Kadir, Abdul. 1995. Sumber Energy Alam. Jakarta : Penerbit Universitas Indonesia.
5. Tipler, Paul A. 1991. Physics for Scientist and Engineers, Third Edition. Richmond :
Worth Publisher, Inc.
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6. http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/technology/hydro/
7. http://www.absak.com/library/micro-hydro-power-systems
8. http://www.hk-phy.org/energy/alternate/print/hydro_phy_print_e.html
9. http://www.djlpe.esdm.go.id/
Agathon Henryanto
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