ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING RRESEARCH

ISSN 2394-9368 (Online); EAPJMER/issn. 2394-9368/2016; Volume 2 Issue 1 (2016)

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DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT OF A SOLAR POWERED LAWN MOWER FROM

LOCALLY SOURCED MATERIAL IN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Ogiemudia .O.G, Dr. Sadjere .G,

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Mechanical
University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. Engineering, University of Benin, Edo
[email protected] State, Nigeria.

Chughiefe .L,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Ariavie .G
University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT
This work is based on the design and stimulation of an improved solar lawn mower machine which was undertaken
in university of Benin. It was design to improve solar lawn mower using locally available materials in Nigeria. It
also aimed at improving the filed efficiency of the cut when compared to the conventional fossil fuel powered lawn
mower. A single sickle-like rotating blade was used for this design. The heart of the machine is a battery-powered
dc electric motor. It is made of a twin solar panel of 75A/100W capacity each, which charges the battery of the
mower. The solar panels are connected in series to a charge controller that serves to prevent complete discharge or
overcharge of the battery. The lawn mower has its cutting blade attached to a 2.1kW, 24V DC electric motor, driven
by two 12 volts, 35AH lithium battery connected in series. The DC batteries are recharged using solar energy
harnessed by the solar panels.
Keywords: Lawn Mower, Solar Panel, DC motor, Battery, charge controller, Blade, Field Efficiency

1. INTRODUCTION environment which modern man abide, is

Lawn maintenance and landscaping remain one usually covered with vegetation which includes
of the most important constraints from keeping forest trees or grass land (Atkins, 1984). As
a clean and fresh looking gardens and yards. man evolved intellectually, much effort has and
Man is constantly trying to adapt to his will continue to be expended to improve the
environment/surrounding by creating a habitat state/condition of his habitat for various
suitable for his survival. The natural purposes (security or aesthetic value). A lawn
 ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING RRESEARCH

ISSN 2394-9368 (Online); EAPJMER/issn. 2394-9368/2016; Volume 2 Issue 1 (2016)

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mower is a machine that uses one or more which use a cutting cylinder mounted on a
revolving blades to cut a grass surface to an bench to trim clothes for a smooth finish after
even height (Ahmad, 2008). The blades may be weaving (Satwik et al., 2015). Budding realized
powered either by hand, by pushing the mower that a similar concept could be used to cut grass
forward to operate the mechanical blades, by if the mechanism is mounted in a wheel frame
an electric motor, by solar power or a small to enable the blades rotate close to the lawns
internal combustion engine to spin the blades. surface. These early machines were made of
Some mowers also include other functions, cast iron and featured a large rear roller with a
such as mulching the cut grass or collecting cutting cylinder (reel) in the front. Cast iron
their clippings in a bag. Different styles of gear wheel transmitted power from the rear
blades are used in lawn mowers. Lawn mowers roller to the cutting cylinder. In 1832, Ransoms
employing a single blade that rotates about a of Ipswich (under license) began the making of
single vertical axis are known as rotary Budding’s mower. This company is today the
mowers, while those employing a multiple world’s largest manufacturer of lawn care
blade assembly that rotates about a single equipment. By mid-1850, Thomas Green
horizontal axis are known as cylinder or reel developed a mower which used chains to
mowers. There are several types of mowers, transmit power from the rear roller to the
each suited to a particular scale and purpose. cutting cylinder. It was called ‘Silens Messor’
The smallest type is pushed by a human user meaning silent cutter. The machines were
and is suitable for small residential lawns and found comparatively lighter and serene than the
gardens. Electrical powered or fossil-engine gear driven machines that preceded them. By
mowers are used for larger residential lawns late 1890, motorized mowers appeared as light
(Pamujula et al., 2015). Riding mowers, which weight petrol engines and small steam power
resembles small tractors, are larger than push units became available. In US, Colonel Edwin
mowers and are suitable for large lawns. A George produced the first gasoline powered
transition from hand-guided or ride-on mowers mower in 1919. Electric powered mowers and
to automatic electric or solar mowers is rotary cutting machines emerged in the 1920’s
beginning to take place, with the growth in and 1930’s.
robotic lawn mower. There are primarily two types of mowers,
The first lawn mower was invented in 1830 by namely (i) the reel mowers, and (ii) the rotary
Edwin Beard Budding who obtained the idea mowers (Bhaskar et al., 2015). Today, the
after watching a machine in a local cloth mill recent
innovation is the Research have showed
rotary mower. that the rotary lawn
 ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING RRESEARCH

ISSN 2394-9368 (Online); EAPJMER/issn. 2394-9368/2016; Volume 2 Issue 1 (2016)

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mowers are more lawn mower is better energy utilization. 2. METHODOLOGY
effective than the than that powered by The efficiency of
reel mowers internal combustion design relies on the
because of its clean engines, because it ability to predict the
mowing and eliminates the circumstance under
provision for emissions of an which failure is
collecting grass internal combustion likely to occur, this
(Gbasouzor et al., mower which are was done using
2016). The most mostly responsible for SOLIDWORKS
important part of environmental 2014 version using
the rotary mower is pollution and causes Finite Element
the cutting blade. the greenhouse gas Method (FEM) to
Rotary mowers effect believed to be simulate the
generally have responsible for designed model.
opening by the side worsening global The important
of the housing warming of our planet variables connected
through which cut (Tint et al. 2015; with structural
grasses are Pratik et al., 2014). failure include the
expelled. Some are This is so because nature of the
attached with a solar energy is material; the load
grass collector at green/renewable configuration; the
the exit point. The energy. It does not rate of loading; the
blade is seldom require a gasoline shape, surface
sharp enough to refill or occasional peculiarities and
give a neat cut. The replacement of spark temperature of the
blade simply tears plugs. Solar lawn member and the
the grass resulting mower can be used in characteristics of
in brown tips. rural areas where the medium
However, the there is no electricity. surrounding the
horizontal blades Nigeria is located in member. In this
are easy to remove the tropical region study, review of
and sharpen or with daily long past literature and
replace. sunshine and is thus a consultation with
The solar powered good area for solar lawn mower
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ISSN 2394-9368 (Online); EAPJMER/issn. 2394-9368/2016; Volume 2 Issue 1 (2016)

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technicians was designed model
undertaken. for failure
The design predictions
variables were respectively. The
calculated following were
theoretically steps involved:
using existing  AUTOCAD
formulas and isometric and
governing pictorial view
equations. This of lawn
allowed the mower (Fig.
selection of 1)
critical  SOLIDWOR
parameters KS 2014
needed for version
optimum modeling of

performance of parts (Fig.2,

the lawn Fig.4, Fig.6

mower design. and Fig.8)

Moreover,
analysis of the
most crucial
part of the lawn
mower which
in this case is
the cutter blade
was carried out
in
SOLIDWORK
S 2014 version
using Finite
Element
Method (FEM)
to simulate the
 SOLIDWORKS 2014 version using Finite
Element Method (FEM) to simulate the
designed model for failure (Fig.5, Fig.7 and
Fig.9)

3. DESIGN CONCEPT
Figure 1. Show the isometric view of the lawn
mower. Figure 3. Shows the circuit diagram of
the mower while Table 1. Gives the component Figure 1: Isometric and Pictorial view of the
parts of the lawn mower concept 3

Figure 2: SOLIDWORKS sickle-like Blade

Figure 3: Circuit Diagram of the Lawn

mower
Table 1: Component Parts of the Mower 2 100Watt 7.5A 2
Solar panel
S/N Item QTY REMARK 3 Charge 1
Controller
1 12V 35Ah 2 4 1HP, 62.14A 1
battery D.C Motor
 5 Handle 1 battery to run the D.C. motor, while the solar
6 Cable lump
panel power, and continuously recharge the
7 Switch
8 Bolt and Nut battery while in operation. When the power
9 Stainless Steel 5mm thick
switch is on, the electrical energy from the
Plate
10 Angle Iron 1 × 1 inch battery powers the motor which in turn actuates
the blades. The solar panel generates current to
3.1. Principle of Operation
recharge the battery, thereby compensating for
The solar powered lawn mower involves the
the battery discharge. The solar lawn mower is
application of solar power to charge batteries
made up of a lawn mower deck with handle, a
for the purpose of using it to power a DC motor
24 volts DC motor two 12 volts battery and a
which in turn rotates the blades of the mower.
sickle-shaped blade (Table 2.1). A charge
When the mower blade revolves it draws air in,
controller is mounted separately used for
fire air inlet located at different point of the
charging the batteries. The solar panel is a
outside of the mower. The air is drawn into the
photovoltaic cell that generates current when
center of the blade, because the blade is
light falls on its surface. Two 100 Watts solar
rotating, the air is push down creating a high
panels connected in series are used to charge
pressure rating of air underneath the machine.
the batteries. The D.C. motor forms the heart of
This high pressure rating creates lift, raising the
the machine and provides the driving force for
mower on inclusion of air which also allows
the blades. The design variables used in this
the mower to be easily maneuvered. When the
study are highlighted as follows;
mower moves, the lawn mower blades which
are attached to the revolving of the D.C motor
3.2. Maximum Distortion Energy Theory
cut the glass. The electric circuit ensures power
(Von Mises)
transfer from the
In this theory, failure by yielding occurs when,
at any point in the body, the distortion energy
per unit volume in a state of combined stress
becomes equal to that associated with yielding
in a simple tension test.

(𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2 2 second is 1.8Watts. Tanimola, et al (2014). This

) + (𝜎 − 𝜎𝑦 ) + (𝜎 − 𝜎𝑥)2 +
𝑧 𝑧
6(𝜏𝑥𝑦2 + 𝜏𝑦𝑧2 + 𝜏 𝑥𝑧 2) = 2𝜎𝑦𝑝 (1) is quite a small value, but it plays an important
role in selecting the power needed. According
In terms of principal stresses is expressed as to Tanimola, et al (2014), the greater the
shown in equation (2) power, the greater the efficiency. Hence,
considering the power required to move the blade, the
(𝜎 − 𝜎 )2 + (𝜎 − 𝜎 )2 + (𝜎 − 𝜎 )2 = strength and density of grass as well as
1 2 2 3 3 1

2𝜎𝑦𝑝2 (2) efficiency and factor of safety in design, 2.1

kW is selected. This will be able to handle

3.3. Power Selection different types of grass at expectedly high

The force required to cut grass by a sharp efficiency.

object should not be less than 10Newtons, this

is subjected by factors such as: the height of the 3.4. Battery Size

grass, type as well as grass density in the area. According to Alexander (1989); Khurmi and

However a slightly bigger force will be Gupta (2000);

required (or selected) for high efficiency. Current x Voltage

Design Power = Power Factor of the Machine
Considering the blade in concept three; (6)
2
Area of blade = 0.24m Where current is the expected current to be
Volume of blade = Area of blade x Thickness drawn by the motor, Voltage is the expected
(3) voltage of the battery, and power factor is 0.8.
3
= 0.00176m Current used to power the motor is given below
Density = mass/volume (4) Current = (2100 x 0.8) / 24 = 70 Amps
3
= 1001.7 kg/m Suitable battery in the market is 35Ah. Thus,
Thus, Mass of blade = 1.763kg; 35Ah is selected at 12 volts.
Force = 1.763 x 9.81= 17.295N The battery is expected to discharge after; 35/70
Torque required to turn the blade = Force x = 0.5hours
Radius of blade (5)
= 17.295 x 0.331 = 5.725 Nm 3.5. Solar sizing
Thus, depending on the density of grass, the The average sunshine in Benin in Nigeria
minimum power required to move the blade in located at latitude of 6°20’5.95”N and a
1 longitude of 5°36’13.49”E from January to
November 2016 is about 4.86hours (meteoblue, Battery charge for two days = 36.45 x 2 = 72.9Ah
2016). Thus the battery will be fully charged in (2 x 35)
Solar panel suitable in the market = 7.5A / 72.9 = 1.43days
charging and 100 Watts
Average battery charge per day = 7.5A x 4.86H 3.6. Forward Velocity
= 36.45 Ah Forward distance covered = 20m
Time taken = 65 Sec
Average Forward Velocity = 20/65 = 0.31 m/s

3.7. Field Efficiency Figure 4: tappered blade

Theoretical Field Capacity (TFC) = Forward
Speed x Theoretical width (7)
But theoretical width of blade = 0.43m
TFC = 0.31 x 0.43 = 0.13333m2/Sec
Effective Field Capacity (EFC) =

Figure 5: tappered blade

Figure 6: flat blade

Total Area Covered
Total Time (8)
2 2
= 100m /833sec = 0.11997 m /sec
Field Efficiency = EFC/TFC = (0.2326 /0.1333)
x 100 = 90%

The SOLIDWORKS models developed for the

analysis in this study are presented in Figure 4-
9 Figure 7: flat blade
 lesser weight to the machine. But considering
the SOLIDWORKS static stimulation of this
blade, it was observed to fail easily when
considering VON MISES failure criterion.

Table 3. Physical Properties of Concept Two

Parameters Values
Figure 8: sickle-like blade
Density 1003305kg/𝑚3

Mass 12.14kg
Volume 0.0000121𝑚3
Surface Area 0.01319𝑚2

The table above shows the physical properties

of concept two which is a flat blade design for
a mower, this blade has a high mass which will
require a larger and heavier machine support
thereby increasing the overall weight of the
machine, making it not portable and easy to

Figure 9: sickle-like blade maneuver.

4. RESULTS Table 4. Physical Properties of Concept

Three
Table 2. Physical Properties of Concept one Parameters Values
Parameters Values Density 1001.70kg/𝑚3
Density 1000kg/𝑚3 Mass 1.763kg
Mass 1.248kg Volume 0.00176𝑚3
Volume 0.001248𝑚3 Surface Area 0.24𝑚2
Surface Area 0.1307𝑚2
The table above shows the physical properties
From the table above, concept one is a tapered of concept three which is a sickle like shape
shape blade, due to the blade shape it has a blade. The mass and surface area of the blade is
higher cutting pressure and lesser weight is relatively small which gives a lesser weight to
exerted on the machine support which gives a
the machine. Due to the shape of the blade it
Table 5. Calculated design variables
has higher cutting force and capable of cutting
tough grass.
 Design Variable Result the entire mass of the lawn mower and the
Average Forward 0.31 m/s
higher effort required moving the machine
Velocity
Theoretical Field 0.13333m2/Sec around the lawn as well as the rate at which
Capacity (TFC
fuel is consumed. In this case, the difference
Effective Field 0.11997 m2/sec
Capacity (EFC) between the mass of the blade in concept 1 and
Field Efficiency 90%
concept 3 is not quite much (there is proximity)
Table 6. Result obtained from Stress Analysis although lower mass signifies less fuel
Concepts Maximum Minimum Yield consumption and less effort to operate the lawn
Von Von Mises Strength
Mises 𝑁/ 𝑁/𝑚2 𝑁/𝑚2 mower. Also, the maximum and minimum von
𝑚2 Mises stress considered for the three concepts
Concept 13,966.78 5.750 620,422,
One 9 000.000 shows that the von Mises stress obtained for
Concept 21,380,60 154,104.81 620,422, concept 2 is quite high and this high value
Two 0.000 3 000.000
Concept 1308.689 0.843 620,422, implies that the design is more prone to failure.
Three 000.000 Comparing the von Mises stress obtained for
concept 1 and concept 3, it is obvious that
concept 1 has a higher von Mises stress than
4.1. DISCUSSION
concept 3 which therefore implies that in real
Considering the physical properties of the three
life operation of both concept 1 and 3, concept
concepts shown in Table 2-4, it can be
1 has a high tendency of failure than concept
observed in Table 3 that concept 2 has the
three. Conclusively, the three concepts has not
highest mass of 12.14Kg, followed by the mass
exceeded their yield strength which implies
of the blade in concept 3 (1.763Kg) as shown
that they are all safe for operation, but in cases
in Table 4, whereas, the mass of the blade
where consumers require a design with
designed in concept 1 has the lowest mass of
durability and longevity and optimum
1.248Kg respectively. The mass is significant
efficiency, design concept 3 is preferable,
in the sense that, the higher the mass of the
whereas, design concept 1 is preferable in
blade, the higher
terms of fuel consumption due to the liter
weight. Hence, design concept three was
selected for the lawn mower design and all the
calculations considered were in respect of
design concept 3.
5. CONCLUSION give a very neat cutting of the grasses as height of
A solar powered design for rotary lawn mower the blade is adjusted to give a desired height of cut.
was achieved. The mower was simulated to
Considering the various model and simulated  Sujendran S. and Vanitha P. (2014) “Smart
types of blade, the sickle-like blade was used. Lawn Mower for Grass Trimming”
The advantages of this blade are; it has a International Journal of Science and
greater cutting force and the cut are even, also Research, 3 (3), ISSN: 2319-7064.
from the simulated model it was observed that  Tanimola, O .A, Diabana, P. D. and
the sickle- like blade (concept 3) won’t yield Bankole, Y. O. (2014) “Design and
with time compared to the other two model Development of a Solar Powered Lawn
(Figure 4 and Figure 6). Mower” International Journal of Scientific
and Engineering Research, 5 (6), ISSN:
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