MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Lecture 01
Study of sources of energy: conventional and renewable,
environmental pollution

Lecture delivered by:

Md. Nur Alam Mondal
Lecturer
Mechanical Engineering Department
Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Eight
Forms
of
Energy

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

History of Energy Usage

Pre-Industrial Revolution:
use of wood for heating and
cooking
Muscle power from animals
Wind & water usage
Industrial Revolution:

Steam engines powered by coal

o Coal: 286-362 million years ago from
plant materials under heat/pressure.
is easier to ship, store & burn
o Fossil fuels: Buried combustible geologic deposits of organic materials, formed from decayed plants
and animals that have been converted to crude oil, coal, natural gas, or heavy oils by exposure to
heat and pressure in the earth's crust over hundreds of millions of years.
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

History of Energy Usage

At Present:

Hydro energy
Nuclear energy
Solar energy
Wind energy
Geothermal energy
thers renewable energy

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

History of Energy Usage

At Present:

Hydro energy
Nuclear energy
Solar energy
Wind energy
Geothermal energy
thers renewable energy
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

History of Energy Usage

At Present:

Hydro energy
Nuclear energy
Solar energy
Wind energy
Geothermal energy
thers renewable energy

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

What is Energy??

In physics, the law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of an
isolated system remains constant it is said to be conserved over time. Energy can
neither be created nor destroyed; rather, it may exist in many interconvertible forms
(such as light, heat, sound, mass, moving objects, gravity, fuel, chemicals, and
electricity).
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Energy Units
The Joule (J)
The SI unit of energy
Energy or work is a force times a distance. Since force is a mass times an acceleration, the energy
unit joule, J = kg m2 / s2 (where kg = kilograms, m = meters, and s = seconds).

The Calorie (cal)

the amount of energy required to raise 1 g of water 1 C.
1 cal = 4.184 J.
The nutritional Calorie (note C not c) is really a kilocalorie (kcal) or 1 C = 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ

The British Thermal Unit (Btu)

the amount of energy required to raise 1 lb of water by 1 F
1 Btu = 1055 J.
The Btu is still used extensively in engineering. Appliances like air conditioners are rated using
these units

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Energy Units and Conversion Factors

Energy units General

1 calorie (thermochemical) = 4.184 J 1 short ton (ton) = 2000 lb

1 Btu = 251.9958 calories 1 metric ton (tonne) = 1000 kg
1 Btu (thermochemical) = 1054.35 J 1 ton = 0.907185 tonne
1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3.6 x 106 J 1 barrel = 42 U.S. gallons = 159.0 liters
1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3412 Btu 1 barrel of crude oil ~ 0.136 tonne
1 therm = 100,000 Btu 1 square mile = 640 acres = 2.590 km2
1 electron-volt = 1.6022 x 10-19 J 1 hectare = 10-2 km2 = 2.471 acres

Units of power
Large-scale units
1 watt (W) = 1 J/sec
1 quad = 109 MBtu = 1015 Btu
1 horsepower = 746 W
1 exajoule (EJ) = 1018 J
106 bbl of crude oil/day ~ 2.12 quad/yr
1 terawatt-year (TWyr) = 8.76 x 1012 kWh
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Heat content of fuels

Nominal equivalents: 1 bbl petroleum products:
MBtua GJa MBtua GJa
1 barrel of crude oil 5.80 6.12 Propane 3.836 4.047
1 tonne of crude oil 39.68 41.87 aviation gasoline 5.048 5.326
1 short ton of coal 25.18 26.57 motor gasoline 5.253 5.542
1000 ft3 of natural gas 1.000 1.055 distillate fuel oil 5.825 6.146
residual fuel oil 6.287 6.633
Average for U.S.
Other:
1 bbl petroleum prod 5.358 5.653 1 cord dry woodb 21.5 22.7
1 ton coal 20.852 22.000 1 tonne 235Uc 8 x 107 8 x 107
1000 ft3of natural gas 1.028 1.085

a. 1 MBtu = 106 Btu (IT); 1 GJ = 109 J

b. 1 cord of dry wood = 1.25 ton
c. Ignoring n-capture in 235U and 238U.

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Fossil fuels Coal

Coal is a fossil fuel that is made by carbonized vegetable material. It is a black-brown sedimentary rock. Coal is
composed primarily of carbon along with variable quantities of other elements, chiefly hydrogen (H), sulfur(S),
oxygen(O), and nitrogen(N).

Coal forms when dead plant matter is converted into peat, which in turn is converted into lignite, then anthracite.
This involves biological and geological processes that take place over a long period of time.
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Fossil fuels Coal

Coal Produces 62% of electricity. Most abundant fossil fuel and could easily last at least 200 years.

Many industries like the car industry, steel industry and transportation industry contribute to the depletion of
coal because they use large amounts to power their machines. Individual citizens also contribute to the
depletion of coal. The use of electricity, driving engines and heating your home all eat up coal.

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Fossil fuels Petroleum

Petroleum is a fossil fuel and is an oil that is found underground. Sometimes we call it oil. Oil can be as thick and
black as tar or as thin as water. Petroleum has a lot of energy. We can turn it into different fuels : like gasoline,
kerosene, and heating oil. Most plastics are made from petroleum, too. Petroleum is buried underground in tiny
pockets in rocks. We drill wells into the rocks to pump out the oil.
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Fossil fuels Petroleum

Petroleum is Increased efficiencies in the use of better and higher concentrations of energy in petroleum allows
humans to participate in takedown, which is the consumption of energy at a greater rate than it is being replaced. It is
believed that decreasing oil production portends a drastic impact on human culture and modern technological society,
which is currently heavily dependent on oil as a fuel and chemical feedstock.

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Fossil fuels Natural Gas

Natural gas is a fuel used to heat buildings, cook food, dry clothes, heat water, and even to help produce
electricity. sometimes called for short. In fact, natural gas is really a mixture of gases that formed from the
fossil remains of ancient plants and animals buried deep in the earth. The main ingredient in natural gas is methane.
Natural gas gives off a lot of heat and light when it burns, but produce smoke.
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Fossil fuels Natural Gas

This is seen as depletion because gas is burned much more quickly than it is formed. There are limited natural gas
reserves. The gas equivalent of almost 60 billion tonnes of oil is used up. The territories that use most of the gas are
the United States, the Russian Federation, Qatar, and Canada. Until about 1965 natural gas from oilfields was often
considered useless, so was disposed of by flaring. It has since been used extensively, as a fuel.

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Effect of fossil fuels??

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Effect of fossil fuels??

Advantage Disadvantage
Fossil fuels can be found in lots of places in the world Burning these fuels releases greenhouse gases into the air.
This may add to global warming. If Inhaled, injurious to health
Can be transported easily by using pipes, locomotives,
tankers or ships. Burning coal produces polluting gases like sulphur dioxide
which make acid rain.
Natural gas is more environmentally friendly than coal or oil.
It is composed of methane, which has just one carbon, producing Working on an oil rig or coal mining can be dangerous due to
very low carbon emissions. Natural gas emits an estimated 70% the risk of explosions and bad weather.
less carbon dioxide that other fuels. Natural gas burns cleaner than
heating oil, and does not leave product, like ash, behind. gas is combustible and easily explosive if handled improperly.
With a leak, the gas builds up within a room or structure. When
Natural gas is very popular, and the major source of energy for that gas is ignited it causes an explosion. The severity of the
most consumers. It is conveniently pumped to homes across the explosion depends upon the amount of the leak.
country through a network of underground pipeline. It is provided
through a local providers and utility companies. Fossil Fuels are not renewable, so once the supplies are used, it
will run out.

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Nuclear

Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide
about 6% of the world's energy and 13 14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together
accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity. In 2007, the IAEA reported there were 439 nuclear power
reactors in operation in the world operating in 31 countries. Also, more than 150 naval vessels using nuclear
propulsion have been built.
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Bioenergy

Low-efficiency traditional biomass such as wood, straws and dung are used for cooking, lighting and space
heating, generally by the poorer populations in developing countries.
This biomass is mostly combusted, creating serious negative
impacts on health and living conditions.

In 2008, biomass provided about 10% (50.3 EJ/yr) of the global

primary energy supply

High-efficiency modern bioenergy uses more convenient solids

(chips/pellets), liquids and gases (biogas) as secondary energy
carriers to generate heat, electricity and combined heat and power.
Liquid biofuels include ethanol and biodiesel for global road
transport and some industrial uses.

The expert assessment suggests

potential deployment levels by
2050 in the range of 100 to 300
EJ/yr

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Solar

Direct solar energy technologies are diverse in nature.

Four major types:

(1) Solar Thermal Collector, which includes both active and passive
heating of buildings, domestic and commercial solar water heating,
swimming pool heating and process heat for industry;

(2) Photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation via direct conversion of

sunlight to electricity by photovoltaic cells;

(3) Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) electricity generation by optical

concentration of solar energy to obtain high-temperature fluids or materials
to drive heat engines and electrical generators; and

(4) Solar Fuels production methods, which use solar energy to produce
useful fuels
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Solar

Solar Thermal Collector: The heart of a solar collector is the absorber, which is
usually composed of several narrow metal strips. The carrier fluid for heat transfer
flows through a heat-carrying pipe, which is connected to the absorber strip.
Absorbers are typically made of copper or aluminum. The usual coatings provide a
degree of absorption of over 90%

Photovoltaic (PV): A thin sheet of semiconductor material such as silicon is placed

in the Sun. The sheet, known as a cell, consists of two distinct layers formed by
introducing impurities into the silicon resulting in an n-type layer and a p-type layer
that form a junction at the interface. Solar photons striking the cell generate electron-
hole pairs that are separated spatially. This creates negative charges on one side of the
interface and positive charges are on the other side. This resulting charge separation
creates a voltage

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Solar

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP): Long rectangular, U-
shaped mirrors. The mirrors are tilted toward the sun,
focusing sunlight on steel tubes (have special coating to
maximize energy absorption) through which a fluid flows.

Solar Tower Systems, flat, sun-tracking mirrors (computer

assisted) known as heliostats
MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Solar

The theoretical solar energy potential, which indicates the amount of irradiance at the surface (land and
ocean) that is theoretically available for energy purposes, has been estimated at 3.9 x106 EJ/yr.

Estimates for solar technical potential range from 1,575 to 49,837 EJ/yr., that is, roughly 3 to 100 times
the primary energy consumption in 2008.

Solar panels are rapidly becoming competitive with conventional electric generating technologies like natural gas
and coal.

In some applications, PV systems are already competitive with other local alternatives (for electricity supply in
certain rural areas in developing countries).

Although the cost of solar energy varies widely by technology, application, location and other factors, costs have
been reduced significantly during the past 30 years.

The price for PV modules dropped from USD(2005) 22/W in 1980 to less than USD(2005) 1.50/W in 2010.

MEE 161: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

Renewable Energy Solar

The theoretical solar energy potential, which indicates the amount of irradiance at the surface (land and
ocean) that is theoretically available for energy purposes, has been estimated at 3.9 x106 EJ/yr.

Estimates for solar technical potential range from 1,575 to 49,837 EJ/yr., that is, roughly 3 to 100 times
the primary energy consumption in 2008.

Solar panels are rapidly becoming competitive with conventional electric generating technologies like natural gas
and coal.

In some applications, PV systems are already competitive with other local alternatives (for electricity supply in
certain rural areas in developing countries).

Although the cost of solar energy varies widely by technology, application, location and other factors, costs have
been reduced significantly during the past 30 years.

The price for PV modules dropped from USD(2005) 22/W in 1980 to less than USD(2005) 1.50/W in 2010.