Design and fabrication of a pedal powered washing machine

Washing clothes is one of the essential parts of life. We all wash our clothes either by hands or by machine. A washing machine is a device designed to wash laundry such as clothes and sheets. In these days there exists a wide variety of washing machines in the market and there is stiff competition among the manufacturers. These washing machines cost between $350 to $750 depending upon functions and features. All of these washing machines are powered by electricity and the basic principle of operation is by creating a turbulent flow of the detergent around the dirty clothes. Almost 60 percent of our population lives in rural areas where it is impossible to use electric powered washing machines, mainly due to the unavailability of electricity or the absence of the machine itself due to high costs of purchasing a new washing machine. Washing clothes by hand is laborious, strenuous, takes a lot of time and leaves one breathless. This paper intends to directly address the problems faced by people in the rural areas when washing clothes by designing and fabrication a pedal powered washing machine. The machine can also be used in urban areas to save electricity and also to exercise. The machine does not require electricity or an engine but uses human power. The transfer of human energy through the use of a foot pedal and crank mechanism is what is known as Pedal power. This is the mechanism that has been used to propel bicycles. The paper designs and fabricates the pedal powered washing machine. Experiments are conducted in order to determine the optimum operating conditions.