The MAGNIC contactless generator is the first compact contactless dynamo for a bicycle. A new invention that could revolutionize electric bikes. The generator can generate electrical energy without touching the wheel like classic generators.

There are some models on the market that also generate electricity without touching the wheel, but the wheel must have magnets on it. MAGNIC works without magnets, and fully gives the LEDs, which are the source of light, the necessary amount of electricity. Attaches to the fork of a bicycle if used as a headlight or on the rear stays if used as a position light. Removes and installs in seconds.

The principle of operation of a contactless electricity generator for a bicycle

The MAGNIC generator works with all types of metal alloys from which bicycle rims can be made (aluminum, steel, magnesium). Aluminum and magnesium are not known to be magnetic metals, but they are conductive.

When the rim of a bicycle wheel moves relative to a magnet, on the border of the conductive material from which the rim is made, eddy induction currents arise - in this case, a metal frame. These eddy currents have their own magnetic fields which are absorbed by the coil in the MAGNIC.

Thus, electrical energy is generated. Although there is no friction, the eddy current magnetic field still has a minimal braking effect, but it is so small that it is not taken into account.

Advantages of contactless electricity generator

- low weight;
— fast installation and removal;
- Batteries and accumulators are not needed;
— no noise;
- no friction;
- no tire wear, as in a contact generator;
- works with all metals from which the rim is made, except carbon
- wheel size doesn't matter
- no wires - everything is enclosed in one sealed box;
— can work in any weather conditions (rain, mud, snow) — the distance between the rim and the generator is 5 mm.

Also read on this topic:

The generator of electricity or dynamo was invented in 1827 by A. I. Yedlik, a Hungarian electrical engineer and physicist. This happened six years before the same invention was presented to the world by Siemens, but Jedlik did not patent it ...

In order for a bicycle headlight to fully perform the functions that are assigned to it, certain requirements are imposed on it ...

In the 60s of the last century, LEDs (Lighting Emission Diode) with very intense light emission were invented. Their use in everyday life was delayed for a long time due to the high cost and at that time ...

The USB charging system for a bicycle was designed by students of a technical university. There is nothing complicated in it, it was only necessary to adapt the existing chargers to the bike. The only difference is…

An electrical energy generator is a device that converts chemical, mechanical or thermal energy into electrical current. Such a generator, used on bicycles to power the rear lights and headlights, is a dynamo.

Varieties

Consider existing species factory-made bicycle dynamos.

Bottled

This type of bicycle generator is the most affordable and simple. However, its power is not the largest of all types. The alternator drive roller rotates by touching the tire tread of the wheel while driving.

Sleeve dynamo

The hub dynamo is, in its design, an axial dynamo. The implementations of such models can be different kind. The cost of a bushing generator is quite high. Installation is more complicated than the bottled version.

When purchasing, you must check the number of spokes and the method of fixing the setting wheel. The advantages of a bushing generator include its protection from moisture, unlike a bottle generator, the drive roller of which slips over a bicycle tire in wet weather. The device is enclosed inside the wheel hub, and the work comes from its rotation.

The disadvantages of such a device include the fact that it will not work to turn off the operation of the sleeve generator.

chain

The chain version of a bicycle generator is quite rare. However, there are several different versions of this kind. The device can be equipped with a USB port for charging mobile gadgets.

The disadvantage of this design is a short service life, since during operation there is an impact of metal bicycle chain on the plastic elements of the generator.

Contactless

This is an original dynamo with a non-contact principle of operation. The bicycle wheel acts as a rotor. A special hoop is fixed on the wheel, on which 28 magnets are fixed. They are arranged alternately, with different poles.

The stator is an induction coil in which an electric current is generated. This system includes a battery for energy storage. According to the manufacturer, to ensure a normal light flux, it is enough to move at a speed of 15 km per hour.

The advantages of this design are:

• No moving elements.
• Silent operation.
• Unlimited service life (except battery).

The disadvantage of the non-contact model is the low capacity of the batteries. It only takes a few minutes. However, many craftsmen easily correct this shortcoming. different ways, including replacing the battery with a more powerful one.

Other designs

Currently, various interesting devices that are made in China are very popular. Sometimes you see devices that have never been produced anywhere before. Even their principle of operation is not always clear, but they work.

Such a Chinese device can be safely called a bicycle generator of the future. The dynamo machine from the Middle Kingdom looks like a science fiction movie. Judging by appearance, it does not need to be in contact with the wheel bar or chain to function. There are also no magnets.

The principle of its operation is not entirely clear. Perhaps this is the technological secret of the manufacturer.

Design features and operation

The most popular model of dynamo on bicycles is its bottle design, followed by the hub dynamo. Other types are used much less frequently. Therefore, we consider the most common models.

Dynamo bottle

A bottle-shaped dynamo runs on the side of a bike's front tire. It is made in the form of a small generator of electrical energy, and serves to operate the rear light and front light of the bicycle, as well as charge electronic mobile devices.

Such a mini-generator can be mounted both on the front wheel and on the rear. In the first case, the device can be combined with a built-in flashlight. To turn off the generator, a special folding mechanism is provided that fixes the generator body in a position where there is no contact with the bicycle wheel tire.

The name of this device comes from the external resemblance of the shape to a bottle. A bottle bike generator has another name - a side dynamo. The drive rubber or metal roller is driven on the side of the wheel tire. When the bicycle is moving, the tire gives rotary motion a roller of a bicycle generator that generates an electric current.

Advantages

• The disconnected drive of the generator does not resist the movement of the bicycle. When the generator is on, the cyclist has to apply more force to move. A hub dynamo, unlike a bottle bike generator, always resists the rotation of the wheel, although the value of this resistance is negligible. If the bottle generator is turned on, but the lights and headlight are not connected to power, then there is less resistance to the movement of the bike.
• Easy and simple installation. Such a device is easy to install on any bike, unlike the hub generator, which requires the assembly of the entire dynamo wheel with spokes.
• Small cost. Such models are usually cheaper than other types of bicycle generators, although there are exceptions to this rule.

disadvantages

• Complicated setup. It requires careful tuning and adjustment of contact with the tire of the wheel at a certain angle, tire pressure, height. If the bike falls or the fixing screws loosen, the alternator may be damaged. An incorrectly adjusted generator device will make a lot of noise, create excessive resistance, and slip on the wheel. If the fixing screws are loosened too much, the mechanism can move out of place and get caught in the spokes of the wheel, causing the spokes to break and the bicycle wheel to fail. Some bike generators are equipped with special loops that prevent them from getting into the spokes.
• Switching requires physical effort. To start the generator, it is necessary to move its body until it comes into contact with the wheel. Bush generators can be switched on automatically or electronically. This does not require any effort.
• Increased noise. During operation, a buzzing noise is heard, while the hub dynamos do not make noise.
• Wheel tire wear. To operate the generator, contact with the tire is required, resulting in friction and tire wear. Compared to a hub dynamo, there is no friction with the tire.
• Movement resistance. The bottle dynamo offers significantly more resistance to the movement of the bike than the hub model. However, when correct setting resistance is negligible, and in the off state is absent.
• slippage. In wet rainy weather, the drive roller of the bottle generator will slide on the wheel tire, which reduces the generation of electric current and reduces the brightness of the headlight and taillight. Bush generators do not require good tire traction to operate, and are not affected by weather or other adverse conditions.

Hub Dynamo

The sleeve design of the bicycle generator was developed in England, and is produced various firms in many countries. The power of this design can reach 3 watts at a voltage of 6 volts. The technologies for their manufacture are constantly being improved, the dimensions of the structure are becoming smaller and more powerful. Modern bicycle headlights have begun to emit more efficient light, as they are used and.

Hub dynamos do not create noise during operation, but their mass is greater than that of other models. There are no rubbing parts in the sleeve version of the device. They function due to a magnet having many poles and made in the form of a ring. It is located in the sleeve housing and rotates around a fixed armature with a coil fixed on the axle. The resistance to rotation of this design is very small.

Hub dynamos generate alternating current. At low speeds, more electricity is generated compared to the bottle model, due to the low frequency of the current. There are rectifier circuits for the dynamo. They are made according to a simple bridge circuit of four diodes.

The hub dynamo generates low voltage, so when using silicon diodes, the losses are significant - 1.4 volts. With germanium diodes, losses are reduced, and are only 0.4 volts.

The principle of operation of the dynamo

A dynamo generates an electric current using the effect of electromagnetic induction. The rotor rotates in a magnetic field, resulting in an electric current in the winding. The ends of the rotor winding are connected to a collector made in the form of rings. Through them, with the help of pressing brushes, electric current enters the network.

The current in the winding has a maximum value if the rotor is perpendicular to the magnetic lines. The greater the angle of rotation of the winding, the less current. The rotation of the winding in a magnetic field changes the direction of the current twice in one revolution. Therefore, the current is called variable.

A similar generator for direct current is made on the same principle. The difference is in some details. The ends of the winding are connected not with rings, but with half rings, which are isolated from each other. When the winding rotates, the brush contacts alternately with each half ring. Therefore, the current supplied to the brushes will have only one direction and will be constant.

Details Published: 07.10.2015 07:30

In a world where more than half of the population has no or severely limited access to electricity, a device that transforms muscle energy man into electricity, could have a significant impact on developing countries, and its potential to change the lives of billions of people.

Manoj Bhargava - an American billionaire with Indian roots, the owner of a company that produces a mega-popular energy drink in the United States 5-hour Energy, founded a movement called " Billions in change»(Rus. Billions are changing). Its goal is to "create a better future by developing and implementing technologies to solve the world's most serious problems in areas such as fresh water supplies, energy and health."

Within the framework of the project, several innovative solutions were presented that can radically change the lives of many people - a stationary bicycle generator, a medical device, a new method of obtaining geothermal energy and an industrial method of obtaining drinking water.

bike generator

Manoja Bhargava aims to provide electricity to millions of homes around the world that do not have access to the central grid with his Free Electric bike. So, for example, in India, 10,000 hybrid “electric bikes” are planned to be delivered early next year, equipped with a battery that, according to him, is capable of providing the daily energy requirement for a rural home, after just one hour of pedaling.

Video: Free Electric Bicycle Generator

“It's so simple that I think we can sell it for $100… Any bike repairer can fix it,” Bhargava says of his brainchild. And indeed - nowhere is simpler: the pedal drive rotates the rotor of an electric generator, which stores energy in the battery. The first 50 Free Electric bikes will be tested in 15 or 20 villages in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India, and only then, in the first quarter of 2016, will the main batch follow. In addition to the fact that the bikes will be produced in India itself, the billionaire does not provide any details.

Bhargava, who dropped out of Princeton University after a year of study and wandered the ashrams of his native India for 12 years, did not stop at the electricity-generating bicycle. He also developed effective method turned sea water into drinking water, created an apparatus for improving blood circulation and proposed a concept for the extraction of an unlimited amount of geothermal energy using a graphene cable.

“If you are rich, then your duty is to help those who have nothing,” says the 62-year-old philanthropist in Billions in Change documentary, talking about the projects of his Michigan Stage 2 Innovations lab. “Really change people's lives, and don't just talk about it,” Bhargava shares his thoughts.

Health

Described as "the best-funded field of engineering imaginable," his lab's engineering team is also making headway in the medical field. They have developed "Renew" - an apparatus that plays the role of an auxiliary heart, displacing blood from the legs to the central organs of the human body.

Video: Renew medical device, review

“Renew is a blood flow improvement machine that uses the EECP (enhanced external counterpulsation) method. EECP improves circulation by expelling blood from lower parts body to its central organs, while unloading the heart. It's like an extra supply of blood between each heartbeat. Thus, the speed of blood circulation increases and the load on the heart decreases, delivering more nutrition and oxygen to human organs, ”says the Billions in Change website.

Water

The Stage 2 Innovations lab researchers propose to solve the problems of water shortage and drought with the help of the Rain Maker device, a machine capable of turning dirty or salt water into drinking water with a capacity of 1000 gallons (3785 liters) per hour.

Video: Rain Maker seawater maker

According to Bhargava, water, which can also be used for agricultural purposes, can be delivered to consumers directly from barges equipped with its machines located in coastal areas. sea ​​waters. On the this moment a desalination machine the size of a small car is being tested by a research department in New Mexico.

Earth Energy

Manoj Bhargava hatches an even grander idea - to rid the world of dependence on fossil fuels, the use of which poisons the atmosphere with greenhouse gases. No matter how people talk about pollution issues, in the film he says: "Pollution is a problem," and offers his "simple" solution: "Take the energy that lies in the depths of the Earth."

Video: Billions in Change Solution - Earth's Infinite Energy

Geothermal energy has long been used in various countries such as Indonesia, Iceland, Norway and others. But Bhargava takes a very different approach. Instead of using steam mixed with various chemicals to deliver heat to the surface, he suggests doing this with a graphene tether. Graphene is known for its strength, which is higher than that of steel, in addition, it has an "incredible" thermal conductivity.

“There is no need to burn anything. If you can bring the heat to the surface, there is no need to change the infrastructure,” the billionaire says, adding that utilities will simply deliver energy to consumers instead of natural gas, coal or oil.

Bhargava estimates that 85% of today's hydrocarbon consumption can be eliminated with the use of geothermal technologies. According to him, maps of the Earth show that at least half of the planet has rich reserves of underground heat, and since the graphene cable is able to “work” in the horizontal direction, the second half can also be developed.

“I think someone will kill me soon,” the philanthropist entrepreneur jokes about how such an idea could change geopolitics. Work on innovative geothermal technology is underway at the Singapore Research Center, and the first results of the development of a graphene tether and its photographs are planned to be presented later this year.

A generator on a bicycle is an indispensable thing far from the benefits of civilization. Charge your phone, illuminate the road at night, listen to music on the go, connect a navigator or GPS tracker - yes, you never know what you need electricity for on the road.

OLD BIKE GENERATOR

Shkolota does not remember the first bicycle generators that appeared along with the Kams and Salyuts:

Such a generator is attached to the fork and pressed against the side surface of the wheel by the shaft, due to which it can produce voltages up to 7 volts and a power of 5 watts.
Not much, but enough for a headlight. It will not work to connect such a generator directly to charge a phone or an MP3 player; a converter is needed that will output a stable 5 volts at the output. In short, without refinement, it is not suitable for modern devices.

Although it's a pity, the thing is reliable, made for centuries. Until now, in the flea market, you can buy such a bike generator in working condition. It surpasses even the next cycle generator from the famous SHIMANO bicycle brand in terms of power.

BUSHING BIKE GENERATOR

Generator from SHIMANO quite an expensive toy. There are certain difficulties in installation, for example, you need to re-spoke the front wheel to install such a generator. The voltage gives out not stabilized, i.e. it is also impossible to power electronic devices directly - you need voltage transformer. And not some kind, a divider of two resistors, as they say in various incompetent sources.

Shimano AlfineDH-S701 bike generator on wheel

The voltage produces 6 volts, the power is 2.4 watts. Suitable for headlights.

The cheapest sleeve alternator SHIMANO costs from $35.

Watch the performance test video SHIMANO DH-3N30:

The invention of the Chinese bicycle industry, appeared not so long ago. The original idea to remove energy from the bicycle circuit and the built-in voltage converter will allow you to connect a phone, MP3 player or other device powered by a USB connector for charging. The built-in small battery allows you to issue a stable voltage of 5 volts and a current of up to 1 ampere.

CHAIN ​​BIKE GENERATOR on a fork

The disadvantages of this bike generator are additional noise and unreliable mounting on the rear fork of the bike.

Watch a video about CHAIN ​​BIKE GENERATOR:

Finally, there is an opportunity to show you a video on a topic that interests so many Internet users. In this video tutorial, we'll show you how to make a fairly powerful electric generator from a bicycle that will generate a current of 12 and 220 volts. Thanks to this device, it is possible to charge the battery in 1-1.5 hours and power a TV or other electrical appliances from it for several hours through an inverter. As a bonus, such a generator becomes a good exercise bike, on which it is pleasant to “ride”, realizing the benefits that it brings. You can use a bicycle generator in the country, at home with frequent blackouts, and on a hike it will be a great help to create almost urban comfort, if you make all the details of the structure foldable and mobile enough.

Technical characteristics of the bicycle generator. With a leisurely “ride” by pedaling, an electric current of 5 amperes is generated, with a voltage of 220 volts. The acceleration of rotation produces more than 10 Amps; in this mode, the author of this device blew a fuse.

For work you will need:
- 12 volt collector motor;
- nozzle on the motor axis - a chuck from a drill;
- uninterruptible power supply or inverter from 12 to 220;
- diode for 10 amperes: D214, D242, D215, D232, KD203, etc.;
- wires;
- a bike;
- 12 volt battery (the higher the power, the longer its charge will last).

Assembly.
First, set up the bike so that the rear wheel is suspended above the ground and rotates freely. To fix the bike in the right position, the author of the video tutorial used improvised materials and made a stand from the boards. On the motor axis, he fixed the cartridge from the drill and installed the motor so that with the help of a spring it was securely pressed against rear wheel. The connection turned out to be reliable, without slippage.

In this design, the motor acts as a generator, so any 12 volt collector motor can be used. The greater the power of the motor, the more energy it will generate. The device that the author made uses a fan from a VAZ car. Its rated power is 120 watts.

In order to find out how much power this motor is capable of generating electricity in generator mode, we connect a 90-watt light bulb to it and see that the generator performance is so high that the light bulb may burn out when the engine speed increases.

To store electricity, it is advisable to use a battery. A car battery is well suited for this purpose. To prevent the motor from rotating from the battery, you need to assemble a circuit with a diode that will block the current in the right direction and prevent unnecessary discharge. Diode anode to motor positive, cathode to battery positive.

The 12-volt battery can now be charged, which can be de-energized for equipment with the appropriate voltage. But in order for the voltage to be 220 volts at the output of the generator, an uninterruptible power supply from the computer will help.

The design of the uninterruptible power supply has a small 12-volt low-power battery. When the current is turned off in the network, the converter that is included in the UPS circuit increases 12 volts to 220, allowing the computer to work from it for some time. In order to ensure work for a long time, you can remove a low-power battery from the circuit and connect instead, as described above, a powerful car battery.

Now, by simply pedaling, you can get 220 volts, almost the same as in a conventional network. Such a generator is able to power many electrical appliances in the house. There is one but. If you connect a load of more than 500 watts to an uninterruptible power supply, then it starts to warm up and the battery is quickly discharged. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the power of the bicycle generator and the battery built into it and the expected load. Instead of an uninterruptible power supply, you can use a car inverter from 12 volts to 220 volts.

When the battery is charged by pedaling, the battery voltage will increase. When it reaches 14.4 volts, the battery will be charged. It is impossible to continue charging further, since when recharging it, the electrolyte will begin to boil away.

Unlike a gasoline generator, a bicycle-based power generator does not require resources that may be in short supply.