Direct triboelectricity from friction of wheel tires on pavements

Abstract

Energy consumption in road and street traffic is significant and increasing. A partial recovery of this energy is the objective of the research briefly presented in the present paper. The proposed technique is totally innovative and has not been investigated, even through laboratory research, anywhere else. It aims to harvest triboelectric energy generated while wheel tires are directly rubbed against a pavement surface where oppositely charged electrodes are properly attached. The laboratory testing device consists of a rotating wheel bearing a vehicle tire, set up adequately to move down to a solid bench where flat bars, rods or tubes, susceptible to being oppositely charged by pairs, are attached. Metals, such as copper, bronze and aluminum, developing high electrical conductivity, were used in most experiments, as electrodes. Triboelectricity tests, under different placement of the electrodes regarding the wheel, were conducted in the laboratory and provided noticeable values of electric potential. Even more promising seem the results obtained following an intermittent application of the wheel load. Further experimentation introducing a much bigger wheel load, a different tire texture and other test improvements are ongoing, aiming at higher values of electric potential.