Renewable Energy

Engineering

Module – II
https://sites.google.com/site/rejeeshcrfisat
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 Course Outcomes
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to
Sl. PO
NO DESCRIPTION
MAPPING
Discuss and compare the layout and working principles of steam,
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hydro, nuclear, gas turbine and diesel power plants.
Describe the use of solar energy and the various components used
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in the energy production.
Appreciate the need of Wind Energy and the various components used
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in energy generation and know the classifications.
Acquire knowledge about the concept of power generation from
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biomass energy resources and their future prospects and economics.
Describe the principles and applications of power generation from
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various sources and Hydrogen energy conversion systems.
Understand energy scenario and the environmental effects of energy
6 conversion and become aware of different renewable energy sources PO1
and choose sustainable energy for future.
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 Solar Power
Solar energy utilisation

Direct method Indirect method

Thermal Photovoltaic Biomass Wind Wave energy OTEC Water power

Methods of solar energy utilisation
1. Direct method – The direct means include thermal (for direct
heating, cooking, drying and power generation, etc.) and
photovoltaic conversion (for direct electricity generation)

2. Indirect method – Indirect method means power generation

from biomass, wind, wave energy, OTEC and water power.
 Direct and Indirect Radiation
1. Direct radiation (beam radiation) is that part of terrestrial
solar radiation reaching the earth's surface without a
change in the direction as originated from sun. This
radiation travels in straight parallel lines and as such,
can be easily reflected or concentrated onto a small
target area.

2. Diffuse radiation is that part of the terrestrial solar

radiation reaching the earth's surface in all possible
directions due to scattering by gases and dust in the
earth's atmosphere. Because it comes from all
directions of the sky dome, diffuse solar radiation
cannot be efficiently reflected onto a target or
concentrated.
Passive & Active Solar Systems
1. Active solar systems – Active solar power setups rely on external
energy sources or backup systems, such as pumps, valves,
controllers to capture and circulate water or other heat- transfer
fluids through the collectors and then convert solar energy into
electricity.
a) The components in active solar systems such as fans,
pumps, photovoltaic panels need some electrical input or
conversion for the system to function.
b) Active systems are usually more expensive than passive
systems, they are generally more efficient.
2. Passive solar systems – Passive solar technologies are means of
using sunlight for useful energy without use of active
mechanical systems such as pumps to circulate water/fluid
between collector and storage medium. In passive thermo siphon
systems, as shown in the figure, the storage medium is mounted
above the collector. This set-up makes it possible to use gravity
for circulation.
 Terms and definitions involved
 Solar insolation (incident solar radiation) – Solar
radiation received on a flat horizontal surface on
earth at a particular instant of time.

 Concentration ratio – ratio of solar power per unit

area of the concentrator surface (KW/m2)to solar
power per unit area on point focus (KW/m2).
 Flat plate collector = 1 CR,
 parabolic trough collector = 100 CR,
 heliostats with 2 planes = 1000 CR can be achieved.
 Solar Collectors
 Solar collectors gather the sun's energy,
transform its radiation into heat, then
Aperture
transfer that heat to a fluid. This heat is Rceiver
extracted by flowing fluid (usually air,
water or oil) in the tube of the collector for further
utilization in different applications.
 Solar collectors are classified as
1. Non concentrating collectors Concentrating ratio of
collector
2. Concentrating (focusing) collectors

 The main reason for using concentrating collectors is that the

thermal energy is obtained at higher temperatures. This is done by
decreasing the area from which heat losses occur (called the receiver
area) with respect to the aperture area (i.e., the area facing or
intercepts the solar radiation).
 The ratio of the aperture to receiver area is called the
concentration ratio.
 Non concentrating collectors
 In non concentrating collectors, the aperture area to
intercept the solar radiation is equal to the absorber
plate and thus has the concentration ratio equal to 1.

 Flat plate collectors (FPC) and evacuated tube collectors

(ETC) are non-concentrating type collectors.
 Flat Plate Collector
Advantages of flat plate collectors
1. Since flat-plate collectors absorb energy coming from all
directions above the absorber, tracking is not required and
hence it is simple in design and requires less maintenance.
2. It utilizes the both the beam as well as diffuse radiation for
heating.
Disadvantages of flat plate collectors
3. As low temperature is achieved, flat plate collectors are not used
for power generation.
4. Large heat losses by conduction and radiation because of large
area.
Applications of flat plate collector
5. Solar water heating systems for residence, hotels, industry.
6. Solar cookers for domestic cooking.
7. Drying applications.
8. Residence heating.
 Flat Plate Collector
Transparent covers
Diffuse solar radiation
Direct solar radiation

Air space

Insulation
Fluid
Absorber plate
Flat plate solar collector tube

3. Tubes – The absorber plate is attached to a series of parallel tubes

through which water or other liquid passes. The tubes are
usually made of copper, aluminum or steel.
4. Insulation beneath the absorber plate – It minimises and protects the
absorbing surface from heat losses.
5. Box structure – It contains the above components and keeps them
in position.
 Absorber plate-

•absorb solar radiation

•Copper-aluminium-steel
•Coated with absorbant materials
•Heat transport fluid is allowed to pass
under or through the plate
 Direct flow evacuated tube collector
 This type consist of a Cold water in Solar radiation
group of evacuated Evacuated tube
Seal
glass tubes inside Aluminum fin
each of which is a
flat or curved
thermal conducting
plate (aluminium fin)
attached to a metal
(usually copper) or
Direct flow evacuated tube solar collector
glass pipe.
Hot water out
 The inner surface of the evacuated glass tube has a selective
coating that absorbs solar radiation and prevents radiative loss.
The heat transfer fluid is water and circulates through the pipes,
one for inlet fluid and the other for outlet fluid.
 Since the heat transfer fluid flows into and out of each tube, direct
flow evacuated tube collectors are not as flexible as the heat pipe
types.
 Heat pipe evacuated tube collector
Solar radiation
Manifold
 In this type, a Condenser Vapour rises Copper plate
Evacuated tube
copper coated
absorber plate is
bonded to a sealed Alcoho
copper heat pipe. l
Condensed liquid returns to the bottom liquid
Fluid flow Heat pipe
Heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector

 The heat pipe contains a working fluid (alcohol) at low pressure.

When the heat pipe is heated, the liquid turns into a vapour, rises
within the pipe to a condenser that is in contact with the heat
transfer fluid in the manifold.
 At the condenser the vapour condenses back into a liquid,
releasing the latent heat.
 The liquid then returns back down the heat pipe where it is
heated, evaporates and once more repeats the cycle.
Comparing flat plate collector (FPC) &
Evacuated tube collector (ETC)
Sl.
No.
Flat plate collector (FPC) Evacuated Tube Collector (ETC)
In flat plate collector an absorber plate
Evacuated tube collector a glass tube with
with a sheet of copper, painted or coated
1. vacuum inside it is surrounding an absorber
black is bonded to pipes of transfer
plate or area.
fluid.
2. FPC has low cost. ETC has higher cost.
Flat plate collector is more efficient than
ETC is more efficient than FPC at lower
3. evacuated tube collector at ambient
working temperatures (conditions).
temperature.

The design of ETC is difficult because of

4. The design of FPC is easy.
vacuum inside the tube.

FPCs are sensitive to sun angle and ETCs are less sensitive to sun angle and
5.
orientation. orientation.

6. FPCs have longer life. ETCs have less life than FPCs.
Concentrating (focussing) collectors
R eflector
A bsorber

Focal line

Parabolic trough collector Parabolic dish

collector

 Concentrating collectors intercept direct radiation over a large area

and focus it onto a small absorber area.
 The collector in concentrating type consists of a concentrator and a
receiver.
 Receiver is a device that is able to convert the solar radiation into a
different kind of energy. This can be either a heat absorber (to harvest
thermal energy) or a photovoltaic cell (to convert solar radiation to
electric energy).
 Parabolic trough collector
 The parabolic trough collector is of Reflector Absorber
line focussing type solar collector.
 It is having the shape of a Focal line

cylindrical parabola.
 It focuses the sunlight onto its axis
where it is absorbed on the surface
of the absorber tube and
transferred to the fluid flowing
through it. Parabolic trough collector

 Cylindrical parabolic collector usually offer temperatures

between 150°C and 400°C with concentration ratio between
10 and 80, and are generally used for generating steam for
electricity generation.
 Parabolic dish collector
 The paraboloic dish collector is of
point focussing type solar collector.
For point focussing type, the
receiver is placed at the focus point
of the concentrator.

 In this case, the tracking system is

provided to track the sun
automatically for all times.
 These collectors can have concentration ratio ranging from 100
to a few thousand.

 Around 2000°C temperature can be achieved by this

collector and are used for generating steam for electricity
generation.
Solar Water Heater
Solar thermal electric systems
Solar direct thermal applications involve the direct use of heat
for various applications like,
 Solar water heater
 Solar Cooker
 Solar Crop dryer
 Solar Distillation or Solar still
 Solar Pumping
 Solar Space heating
 Solar Space cooling
 Solar furnace
Solar Distillation or Solar still
Solar Space heating
Solar thermal power generation
 Solar thermal electric power plants generally use
concentrated sunlight obtained through various mirror
configurations to focus the sun‟s energy to produce high
temperature heat.
 The heat energy is then transferred to a fluid or gas, which
is used in a typical power plant cycle to convert the heat energy
to mechanical energy and then electricity.
 Solar thermal power cycles can be broadly classified as low,
medium and high temperature cycles.
 Most of the solar thermal power generation works based on
Rankine cycle.
 The Rankine cycle system consists of a pump, boiler,
turbine, and condenser.
Solar furnace
 Low temperature thermoelectric power
generation
Vapour generator
Turbine
Reflector
Storage tank

r
l ec cto
ref lle Condenser
s
tor
th e co
wi plat
t
Fla

Working fluid

Pump Pump
Low temperature solar power generation

 The hot water at about 100°C is stored in a well-insulated thermal

storage tank. It then flows through a vapour generator/evaporator
where the organic working fluid is vapourized at about 90°C.
 The vapour then flows under pressure to the turbine where it expands
and work thus obtained runs an electric generator producing electricity.
 Medium temperature thermoelectric power
generation
 Temperatures around 150°C to Reflector
300°C can be attained by using Absorber
array of parabolic trough collectors
(line focusing). Focal line

 Parabolic trough collectors

concentrate sunlight onto a
receiver tube, placed along the
focal line.
Parabolic trough collector

 The fluid flowing through the absorber tube absorbs the heat and
is then drawn through a heat-exchanger in which it transfers
heat to high pressure water which is converted to steam which
executes a Rankine cycle.
 Solar photovoltaic systems
 Photovoltaic energy conversion (PV) is a direct conversion
technology that produces electricity without the use of
a thermodynamic cycle or a working fluid.

 The basic unit of a photovoltaic system is the photovoltaic

cell, also called solar cell that directly converts solar
radiation into electricity. It is based on the photoelectric
(or photovoltaic) effect.

 This effect is exhibited by materials called

semiconductors (such as silicon).
Basic structure of a SOLAR CELL
 Photovoltaic conversion

Missing electron
Extra
or hole
electron

Phosphorus Boron

Silicon doped with phosphorus Silicon doped with boron

 If the silicon is doped (doping-introduction of impurities into the

semiconductor crystal to change its conductivity) with a small quantity of
an element that has five valence electrons in an atom and it can fit into
the silicon crystal structure (such as phosphorus/arsenic), some extra
electrons are created (as the fifth valence electron does not create a
covalent bond). Such a doped material is called an n-type semiconductor,
because the extra electrons carry a negative charge.
 Alternatively, if the semiconductor is doped with an element that has only
three valence electrons (such as boron/gallium) absence of an electron in
a covalent bond or holes, are created. This is a p-type semiconductor.
 Photovoltaic conversion
 But for the production of electricity, the actual solar cell
device must be made from two different types of so-called
„doped‟ semiconductors.
 In a normal silicon crystal, there are four valence electrons in
every atom. They are held in place by the positive charge
from the nuclei of the silicon atoms. Each silicon atom
shares each of its four valence electrons with another
nearest silicon atom hence creating covalent bonds between
them.
 When a pentavalent impurity like phosphorus is added to
silicon, the 4 valence electrons of each phosphorous atom is
shared through covalent bonds with 4 neighboring silicon
atoms, and 5th valence electron does not get any chance to
create a covalent bond. This 5th electron is then relatively
loosely bounded with its parent atom.
 Photovoltaic conversion
Deplet ion l ayer

n- t ype p- t ype

F i x e d i m pur i t y charges
p - n j unct ion

 An electric field is thus created with ions, across the junction.

Normally, however, there is equal flow of carriers(electrons from n
region to p region and holes from p region to n region) in both
directions across the junction and no electricity can be produced.
 This process continues until the electrical charge created at the
junction by the ions repel or prevent any more carriers from
crossing the junction. Eventually a state of equilibrium (electrically
neutral situation) will occur producing a ‘potential barrier’ zone
around the area of the junction as the positive ions repel the holes
and the negative ions repel the electrons.
 Photovoltaic conversion
Depletion layer

n-type p-type

Fixed impurity charges

p-n junction
 Since no free charge carriers can rest in a position where there is a
potential barrier it is therefore „depleted‟ of any free mobile carriers,
and this area around the junction is now called the Depletion
Layer. This region which is “stripped” of carriers is called the
depletion region
 When solar radiation strikes the solar cell, excess electrons flow
from the n-type material to the p-type material and excess holes
„flow‟ in the opposite direction. This, together with the existence of
the electric field across the junction, makes possible the flow of
electrons away from the junction and through an external circuit.
This flow of carriers causes electric current flow. Thus, solar
energy is converted into electricity.
 Polycrystalline solar cells
 Polycrystalline solar cells are
made by pouring molten silicon
into square molds, where it cools
and solidifies for use in a solar
panel.
 Because there are many crystals
in each cell, there is less freedom
Polycrystalline panel
for the electrons to move.

 As a result, polycrystalline solar panels have lower

efficiency ratings than mono-crystalline panels.

 Polycrystalline solar cells have blue colour with square

shape.
 Mono-crystalline cells
 Mono-crystalline cells are made by
slicing a single higher grade silicon
rod into wafers.
 Cells are then made to fit into one
solar panel. Because the cell is
composed of a single crystal, the
electrons that generate a flow of Mono-crystalline panel
electricity have more room to move.

 As a result, mono-crystalline panels are more efficient than their

polycrystalline counterparts.
 Mono-crystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates
(around 20%) since they are made out of the highest-grade
silicon.
 They are distinguished by uniform dark colour with rounded
edges.
 Comparing mono-crystalline,
polycrystalline & thin film solar panels
Aspect Mono-crystalline Polycrystalline Thin film

Efficiency More efficient. Less efficient. Less efficient.

Space Less space More space More space

requirement needed needed needed

Cost Costly Cheaper Cheaper

Efficiency in Better Low efficiency Better.

warm low light

Life Longer life. Shorter life Shorter life

Dark surface with

Colour Black. Blue.
brown/black colour
Economics of Solar Power
Economics of Solar Power
Economics of Solar Power
Sustainability Attributes