IX.
NON- CONVENTIONAL POWER PLANT
LEARNING PLAN:
1. Define and explain solar power plant and solar energy.
2. Identify and discuss the types of solar collectors.
3. Identify and explain the methods of converting solar energy into electrical
energy.
4. Evaluate and quantify the solar energy collected.
1. SOLAR POWER:
Solar Power Plant – is an electric power facility that converts the energy of the
sun’s radiation to useful work. Solar energy reaching the earth in tropical zones
at clear sky is about 1.353 kW/m2 giving approximately 5 to 10 kW-hr/m2 per
day. Since solar energy is widely dispersed, to use it gainfully it should be made
available in concentrated form. For this, two types of solar energy collectors
are used.
TYPES OF SOLAR COLLECTORS:
1. Flat Plate Collectors: It is a low temperature collector with no
concentration. Referring to the figure below, the absorber plate with
several parallel tubes is fabricated from copper tubes and sheets by soft
soldering. The plate is blackened so as to absorb maximum amount of
sunlight. It is enclosed in a box to insulate it in the sides and bottom. One or
more transparent glass or plastic sheets are placed on top of the blackened
sheet so as to avoid heat losses by re-radiation. The complete structure is
placed in a proper inclination to the sun to absorb solar radiation.
The flat plate collector gives a temperature of only about 60 OC above
ambient, i.e. less than 100OC, with a collection efficiency of 30% to 50%. So
it is mainly used for water heating, space heating and drying.
Flat Plate Collector
Auto-tilting Plate Collector
2. Focusing Collectors (Concentrators): A parabolic or Fresnel mirror is used.
Sun rays are focused on the focal point of the mirror by reflection from its
surface. A tube may be placed along the focal line of the mirror and a fluid
circulated through it to absorb the heat, as shown in the figure below. With
these collectors, temperatures of 200 OC to 300OC or even higher may be
obtained. Some mechanism should be provided to track the sun seasonally.
Arrangements of focusing collectors:
a) Cylindrical Parabolic Concentrator: This s a medium range temperature
concentrator. It can give temperature ranges from 100 OC to 200OC. It is
usually used for vapor engines and turbines, process heating,
refrigeration and cooking.
Parabolic Through Concentrator
b) Paraboloids, Mirror Arrays: This is a high temperature arrangement
(above 200OC). It can be used for steam engines and turbines, Stirling
engine and thermo-electric generator.
Paraboloidal Reflector
METHODS OF CONVERTING SOLAR ENERGY INTO ELECTRIC POWER:
1. Conventional boiler method: Use of power turbines that would operate
at temperatures considerably lower than those common in nuclear or
fossil fuel power plants.
Types of this are:
a) Small generating units – Small turbines are used with low boiling
temperature fluids are used such as monochlorobenzene, SO2, NH3,
etc. Collector areas required are 20 m2 per kW of generation.
b) Large central units – There are two approaches in large central units:
i) Solar furnace system
➢ Tower concept system - a boiler is mounted on top of tower
located near the center of field of large mirrors known as
heliostats. Sun rays after getting reflected from the heliostats
are focused on to the boiler. A high temperature steam is
produced in the boiler which is used to drive a steam turbine.
Tower Concept Solar Furnace
➢ Solar farm system – the sun’s heat is to be trapped in
extensive arrays of steel pipes spread out in panels. For
focusing the sun rays, cylindrical concave mirrors with
parabolic cross section are used. Nitrogen gas is pumped
though the tubes at about 4 m/sec to transfer the heat from
the collectors to a central storage unit. The heat would be
used to produce steam for a turbine as needed.
Solar Power Plant
2. Direct conversion method: The sunlight is directly converted to
electricity with the help of solar cells and without any intermediate
thermodynamic cycles. Such cells are predominant source of power for
space satellites and are called photovoltaic cells.
Two systems used: Solar Cell
a) Rooftop array system – An earth-based solar cell system mounted on
roofs.
Solar Home Lighting System
b) Satellite system – A space power station in synchronous orbit around
the earth. The electricity produced is used to produce microwave
beam. This microwave power will be transmitted to antennae on
earth and converted back into electric power.
Proposed Satellite Solar Power Station Designed to Produce 107 kW of Electricity
EVALUATION OF SOLAR ENERGY
Solar energy received on the earth’s surface:
Es = Qs (1 – i) A
Where:
Qs - Solar energy without atmospheric interference
i - atmospheric interference
A - Surface area of the Solar collector
Qs = Qw + PE + Ql
Qw = heat absorbed by water = mcpwΔtw
PE = Potential energy between entrance and exit of water.
Ql = Heat loss at the collector tubes.
Example:
A solar collecting panel 20 m 2 in area receives solar energy at the rate of 750
W/m2. It is Estimated that 35% of the incident energy is lost to surrounding;
Water enters the panel at steady flow rate of 0.05 kg/sec at 15 OC. Calculate
the temperature of Water leaving the collecting panel. Change of elevation of
water is 2 meters.
Given:
Solar panel area = 20 m2
Solar energy rate = 750 W/m2
Energy loss = 35%
Mass rate of water = 0.05 m/sec
Inlet water temperature = 15 OC
Change in elevation of water = 2 meters
Sun Transparent glass
Plate Type Collector
Hot water out 2m
Cold water inlet
mw = 0.05 kg/sec
t = 15OC
Solution:
Qs = Qw + PE + Ql
Qs = (750 W/m2) (20 m2)
Qs = 15,000 Watts
Ql = (0.35) (15,000)
Ql = 5250 Watts
(0.05 kg/sec) (9.81 m/sec2) (2 m)
PE = mgh/k =
1 kg – m/N – sec2
PE = 0.981 Watts
Qw = mcpwΔtw = (0.05 m/sec) (4,186.8 J/kg OC) (to – 15)OC
Qw = 209.34(to – 15)
15,000 = 209.34(to – 15) + 0.981 + 5,250
to = 61.57OC
II. WIND POWER:
LEARNING PLAN
1. Explain wind power or wind energy.
2. Explain wind power generation.
3. Compare and contrast between windmills and wind turbine.
4. Identify and explain the types of wind turbine.
5. Evaluate and quantify the wind power harnessed.
Wind power or wind energy is the use of wind to provide mechanical
power through wind turbines to turn electric generators and traditionally to
do other work, like milling or pumping.
Wind power generation means getting the electrical energy by converting
wind energy into rotating energy of the blades and converting that rotating
energy into electrical energy by the generator. Wind energy increases with
the cube of the wind speed, therefore Wind Tower Generators should be
installed in the higher wind speed area.
Windmills vs. Wind Turbines – Sometimes people use the terms “windmill”
and “wind turbine” interchangeably, but there are important differences.
People have been using windmills for centuries to grind grain, pump water,
and do other work. Windmills generate mechanical energy, but they do not
generate electricity. In contrast, modern wind turbines are highly evolved
machines with more than 8,000 parts that harness wind's kinetic energy and
convert it into electricity.
Multi-bladed horizontal axis windmill
1. Head mechanism, 2. Rotor, 3. Tail vane, 4. Mast pipe, 5. Bottom guide for mast
pipe, 6. Propelling shaft, 7. Bushing brass, 8. Cover for pump, 9. Pump outer casing,
10. Impeller, 11. Delivery line, 12. Water inlet with strainer.
Wind turbine
When the wind blows past a wind turbine, its blades capture the wind’s kinetic
energy and rotate, turning it into mechanical energy. This rotation turns an
internal shaft connected to a gearbox, which increases the speed of rotation by
a factor of 100. That spins a generator that produces electricity.
Typically standing at least 80 meters (262 feet) tall, tubular steel towers
support a hub with three attached blades and a “nacelle,” which houses the
shaft, gearbox, generator, and controls. Wind measurements are collected,
which direct the turbine to rotate and face the strongest wind, and the angle or
"pitch" of its blades is optimized to capture energy.
A typical modern turbine will start to generate electricity when wind speeds
reach six to nine miles per hour (mph), known as the cut-in speed. Turbines will
shut down if the wind is blowing too hard (roughly 55 miles an hour) to prevent
equipment damage.
Oftentimes a large number of wind turbines are built close together, which is
referred to as a wind project or wind farm. A wind farm functions as a single
power plant and sends electricity to the grid.
Types of wind turbines:
1. Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) - Horizontal-axis turbines have blades
like airplane propellers, and they commonly have three blades. The largest
horizontal-axis turbines are as tall as 20-story buildings and have blades
more than 100 feet long. Taller turbines with longer blades generate more
electricity. Nearly all of the wind turbines currently in use are horizontal-
axis turbines.
2. Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) - Horizontal-axis turbines have blades
like airplane propellers, and they commonly have three blades. The largest
horizontal-axis turbines are as tall as 20-story buildings and have blades
more than 100 feet long. Taller turbines with longer blades generate more
electricity. Nearly all of the wind turbines currently in use are horizontal-
axis turbines.
WIND POWER:
The range of wind speed generally suitable for power generation is 13 to 40
kph. Kinetic energy available in the wind is proportional to the mass of air
passing through the blades of the wind mill multiplied by the square of the
wind speed.
1 x m x V2 Watts
K. E. = a
2
1 x ρ x AV x V2 Watts
K. E. =
2
Where: V = incoming velocity of wind in m/sec
ρ = air density in kg/m3
A = cross section area of air stream in m2
1
Therefore, the Total Power, Pt = x ρ x AV3 Watts
2
The ideal maximum efficiency using Froud momentum theory is equal to 59%.
But an overall efficiency of 30% to 40% could be obtained considering
aerodynamic and other mechanical losses. Therefore the Actual Power or Shaft
Power,
1 x ρ x AV3 Watts
Ps = η
2
Where η is overall efficiency, (30% to 40%).
The density of standard air, ρ is taken as 1.2 kg/m3 or it may be obtained using
ideal gas equation,
Ra T a
ρ=
Pa
Where Ra is the gas constant for air (0.287 kJ/kg·K), Ta is the absolute
temperature of standard atmospheric air in Kelvin and Pa is the standard
atmospheric pressure in kPa.
Example:
An American type windmill with an aerodynamic efficiency of 10% is wanted to
pump 38 liters per minute from well to tank located 18.3 m above the water
surface of the well as the wind has a velocity of 30 kph. Consider that frictional
losses of the system divert 30% of the energy received by the wheel. What
wheel diameter is needed?
Given:
Aerodynamic efficiency = 10%
Volume of water pumped, Q = 38 l/min
Head lift, H = 18.3 m
Wind velocity, V = 30 kph
Friction loss = 30%
Required:
Wheel diameter, D
Analysis:
V = 30 kph
= 8.33 m/sec
18.3 m
1. Water Power, P :
P= γQH
Where:
γ - specific weight of water
γ - 9.81 kN/m3
Q - volume flow rate of water, m3/sec
H - net head, m
ep - pump efficiency
(9.81 Kn/m3) (0.038 m3/min) (18.3 m)
P=
60 sec/min
P = 0.114 kW = 114 Watts
1 x m x V2 Watts
K. E. = a
2
P
Aerodynamic efficiency = 10% =
K. E. (1 – Friction loss)
2 (114)
0.10 =
(ma) (8.33)2(1 – 0.3)
ma = 46.94 kg/sec
Volume of Air, Qa = ma/ρa
Qa = 46.94/1.2
Qa = 39.12 m3/sec = A x Va = (πD2/4)(8.33)
D = 2.45 m
