Utilizing Torque Multipliers in Waterwheels to Produce More Electricity Off of Waterfalls

A few weeks ago, I went to the Hoover Dam and learned about how water from the Colorado River produces a steady supply of electricity. The water from the Colorado River makes turbines spin at a very fast rate, allowing for production of approximately 2080 megawatts of electricity. That made me think, "How much more electricity could we produce if we connected these turbines to torque multipliers, and constructed the power plant under a waterfall?" Waterfalls are known for their intense speed, and as the water falls on the waterwheel, the energy flows through the torque multipliers, producing a substantial amount of energy. My demonstration of this concept was made using pieces from LEGO Spike Prime Kit 45678 and a dynamo kit that powers an LED.

For this demonstration, I used:

1. Pieces from LEGO Spike Prime Kit 45678
2. 1 EUDAX DIY Dynamo Kit
3. 1 large bottle cap
4. 6 small bottle caps
5. 3 craft sticks
6. 1 glue gun

I used the pieces from the Dynamo Kit and assembled them as shown above. This connects to the torque multiplier gearbox through the large yellow rotating piece. Since the yellow piece does not connect to the gearbox, I used a glue gun to fuse the two together.

Next, I assembled the torque multipliers as shown above. This system connects 36-tooth gears to 12-tooth gears such that if the 36-tooth gear moves at a normal rate, the 12-tooth gear will rotate three times as fast, and this system is repeated because the 12-tooth gear is on the same rod as a 36-tooth gear, thereby multiplying the rotation speed by nine.

I took each of the popsicle sticks, and then cut them in half using a scissor. From there, I glued a small bottle cap on each of the six half-sticks(on the curved end), and I glued the straight ends to the large bottle cap. Next, I attached a large gear to the large bottle cap, so that the waterwheel would connect to a rod in the torque multiplier and start the energy multiplication process.

After that, I made a table-like structure upon which the entire mechanism would rest upon. The holes on the top of the table are what the torque multipliers would rest on and be attached to.

Finally, I combined all the modules with glue and LEGO connectors. Below the torque multiplier gearbox's supports, I inserted connectors to attach to the table. I then used the glue gun to attach the medium yellowish gear of the torque multipliers to the large yellow rotating piece of the dynamo. From there, I attached the waterwheel's gear to the long yellow rod of the torque multiplier gearbox.

Throughout the entire time I worked on this project, I faced a few challenges. First of all, the washers on the rods of the torque multiplier caused excessive friction, thereby making it very hard for the waterwheel to spin. I solved this by loosening the washers on the rods holding the gears.

Next, the dynamo kit's model did not connect to the LEGO setup, so I had to use a glue gun to connect the two, allowing for production of energy.

In the future, I plan to expand on this project by installing a water pump in order to make a convenient way to generate home energy.