Electrifying idea: Metro trains to generate power
26 Feb 2015 12:09 AM GMT
The Delhi Metro, which has been so far associated with just commuting, can now be used for generating electricity, because the students of Kalindi College, Delhi University, and their teachers have found a way to produce electricity using wind turbines that will trap the wind energy produced in underground Metro stations.
“One day, while they were at a metro station, waiting for their train, some of our students came up with the idea. They thought – what if we can install small wind turbines by the tracks and trap the wind produced by the fast moving trains and convert it into electricity?” said Punita Verma, principal investigator of the project and professor at the college.
Thus, after an extensive research and coordination from the DMRC officials, a light rotor multi blade turbine was installed at the Chawri Bazaar and Kashmere Gate metro stations. “We tried with two, three and five-blade turbines and found that only the five-blade turbine produced the desired result at the Chawri Bazaar station,” said Vernika, a student of Kalindi College, who is working on the project.
“The five blade light rotor turbine with cut-in speed less than 1.5 m/s, worked very well. It was bought last month. Now, we are waiting for the DMRC’s permission to install the new turbine. We will connect it to a battery and measure how much power it generates,” said Punita Verma.
Though some may doubt the concept, the method is already in practice in California. “A similar project, after being in effect for a month in California, showed that it can generate an average of 77.7 kilowatt hours (KWH) per day. It can generate more than 28,000 KWH per year if the train runs at a speed of 70 mph. Therefore, since the Delhi Metro airport line runs at a speed of 65 mph, we can hope to generate a good amount of electricity,” concluded Punita Verma.
“One day, while they were at a metro station, waiting for their train, some of our students came up with the idea. They thought – what if we can install small wind turbines by the tracks and trap the wind produced by the fast moving trains and convert it into electricity?” said Punita Verma, principal investigator of the project and professor at the college.
Thus, after an extensive research and coordination from the DMRC officials, a light rotor multi blade turbine was installed at the Chawri Bazaar and Kashmere Gate metro stations. “We tried with two, three and five-blade turbines and found that only the five-blade turbine produced the desired result at the Chawri Bazaar station,” said Vernika, a student of Kalindi College, who is working on the project.
“The five blade light rotor turbine with cut-in speed less than 1.5 m/s, worked very well. It was bought last month. Now, we are waiting for the DMRC’s permission to install the new turbine. We will connect it to a battery and measure how much power it generates,” said Punita Verma.
Though some may doubt the concept, the method is already in practice in California. “A similar project, after being in effect for a month in California, showed that it can generate an average of 77.7 kilowatt hours (KWH) per day. It can generate more than 28,000 KWH per year if the train runs at a speed of 70 mph. Therefore, since the Delhi Metro airport line runs at a speed of 65 mph, we can hope to generate a good amount of electricity,” concluded Punita Verma.
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