Steps towards sustainability: Energy generating swing ride

Theme Parks today have many different types of swings. Many of the swings have rotary and to-fro motion. These swings can be connected to an energy conversion system that harnesses the available mechanical energy when the swings are in operation. Being able to capture the available mechanical energy these parks could self-generate the required power for the park. In this paper, a fine small-scale model of a swing is made, it is connected to a system that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. The measurements of different parameters are taken such as electrical power output, rpm and mean height at different weights. These measurements are used to assess the efficiency and the amount of electrical power that could be generated from the system. The results suggest that around 16% of available mechanical energy can be harnessed by these swings. This energy can be used to power the park partially or completely, lowering the operating cost of and making it an ecofriendly park.