ABSTRACT

In Nigeria today, the problem of lack of power for domestic and industrial use have reached an alarming state. Demand for the scarce power is increasing daily due to increase in population. Worst still, the problem of environmental pollution, caused by burning fossil fuels, as the prime movers ofthe internal combustion engines and gas power station use for the generation of public power are enormous. This now calls for an emergency in the power sector. In this direction, the design, performance improvement of the existing diode machine was conceive to address the issues of pollution, provide clean, stable and affordable energy. The study therefore, deals with the design, construction, performance improvement of a 1000W (1KVA) diode machine, as an alternative to other sustainable sources of energy. The component that distinguishes the machine from other existing ones is the direct shaft (shaft to shaft) coupling adopted to ensure little or no power loss during transmission. The materials used for the project work include alternator, D.C motor, connecting shaft, deep circle battery, charging panel (transformer, diode and capacitor), frame and insulators. The method involved design calculations to determine the appropriate capacities of the components to be employed, fabrication of the connecting rod to conveniently fit into the D.C motor and align with alternator. The generator frame and casing was constructed to provide support and rigidity and also house other components of the machine. The charging system (diode, capacitor, and transformer) was connected, also the battery terminal was connected to the D.C motor. The result of the performance evaluation of the diode machine shows that the peak efficiency was 89.1 % at load of 100W using an electric bulb, and a lowest efficiency of 13.4% at a load of 900W with an output voltage of 27.264V. The comparative study of the diode machine and a solar generator shows that the diode machine is more economical and durable.