Nicaragua: Lighting Assessment and Bicycle Generator

Author(s)

• Nicholas Hoffman, University of Dayton

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

8-31-2006

Abstract

Two projects were completed during the May – July 2006 internship. An Excel template used to perform lighting assessments was designed for Suni Solar. The template used the zonal cavity method to calculate work plane illumination. The template was used to assess the lighting efficiency of the Xerox Company plant in Managua, Nicaragua.

A primitive bicycle generator was constructed and tested for Grupo Fenix. Grupo Fenix wanted a bicycle powered generator for charging 12V deep cycle marine batteries. The initial system used a shunt-wound dc motor and performed poorly. The second attempt used a car alternator as the energy source; it performed much better than the dc motor. Support and torque transfer systems need to be developed. Conceptual designs were completed for a more advanced bicycle powered generator. An energy meter is desired and the meter operation has been diagramed.

eCommons Citation

Hoffman, Nicholas, "Nicaragua: Lighting Assessment and Bicycle Generator" (2006). ETHOS Technical Reports. 58.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/ethos_reports/58