CH6601 ENERGY ENGINEERING

UNIT-I

1. Write the composition of natural gas?

Range
Component
(mole %)

Methane 87.0 - 97.0

Ethane 1.5 - 9.0

Propane 0.1 - 1.5

iso - Butane 0.01 - 0.3

normal - Butane 0.01 - 0.3

iso - Pentane trace - 0.04

Nitrogen 0.2 - 5.5

Carbon Dioxide 0.05 - 1.0

Oxygen trace - 0.1

Hydrogen trace - 0.02

2. Define Energy

Energy is the ability to do work and work is the transfer of energy from one
form to another.

3. List the various forms of energy

There are two types of energy - stored (potential) energy and working
(kinetic) energy.
POTENTIAL ENERGY KINETIC ENERGY
 Chemical Energy  RadiantEnergy(OR)ElectromagneticEnergy
 Nuclear Energy  ThermalEnergy
 Stored Mechanical  Motion
Energy  Sonic Energy
 Gravitational Energy  Electrical Energy
4. Define SWOT analysis?
A SWOT analysis of the power sector provides a breakdown of the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the industry, in
terms of internal and external components
5. Convert 1 Kcal into 1 KJ ?
1 calorie (cal) = 4.184 J

6. Differentiate renewable and non-renewable energy sources

 RENEWABLE RESOURCES NON-RENEWABLE
RESOURCES
Basic The Renewable resources are The Non-Renewable resources
present in the atmosphere of are typically found in the
the earth. underground layers of the earth.
Replaceable The Renewable resources are The Non-Renewable resources
replaced by nature itself in a cannot be replaced by nature
very short period during the time of human life
span.
Availability The Renewable energy The Non-Renewable resources
resources are plenty available are scarce resources and not
and abundant in nature. available in an abundant manner
in nature.
Cost The Renewable resources are The Non-Renewable resources
obtained free of cost or at very are very costly and not easily
less cost in nature. available.
Impact on The Renewable resources do The Non-Renewable resources
Environment not affect the environment of seriously affect the environment
the earth and don't cause any and cause climate changes in
climate changes in the the environment.
atmosphere
Pollution The Renewable resources do The Non-Renewable resources
not cause pollution in the pollute the earth by releasing
environment and do not release various types of pollutants into
any pollutants into the the air, water, soil, etc. when
environment. fossil fuels are burned.
Impact on The Renewable resources are The Non-Renewable resources
Atmosphere called as 'Clean and Green' release 'Green House' gasses
energy sources because they into the atmosphere which leads
don't produce harm to the to global warming.
environment
Impact on The Renewable resources do The Non-Renewable resources
Health not cause any health problems adversely affect the health of
to the living beings of the the living beings by releasing
earth. smoke, radiations, carcinogenic
or cancer causing elements into
the environment.
Impact on The use of Renewable The use of Non-Renewable
Nature resources promotes the balance resources disrupts the balance
in the nature and natural in nature which is due to digging
habitat of the earth. the earth to take out coal,
minerals, fuels, etc.

7. What is meant by acid rain and how is it caused?

Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form
of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid that
 fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms. This can
include rain, snow, fog, hail or even dust that is acidic.

The major sources of SO2 and NOX in the atmosphere are:

 Burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity. Two thirds of SO2 and one
fourth of NOX in the atmosphere come from electric power generators.

 Vehicles and heavy equipment.

 Manufacturing, oil refineries and other industries.

8. What are the various reasons for depletion of energy resources ?

CAUSES OF NATURAL RESOURCES DEPLETION

The major causes of resource depletion are listed below:

 Overpopulation – With increasing population, demands of the country

increase which further results in depletion of resources.
 Over-consumption and waste – As the standards of living of people
improves, they tend to consume more and waste even more.
 Deforestation and the destruction of ecosystems – Forests are cut
annually, to make space for multiplexes, residential complexes etc. This not only
destroys trees (and wood as a resource) but also destroys home of thousands of
species of animals.
 Mining – Mining of Minerals and Oil-Minerals and metals are in high
demand in today’s world. This is a very big problem as ores are being depleted
day by day.
 Technological and industrial development – Technology advances
and so the need of resources increases.
 Soil erosion – Because of deforestation, soil erosion takes place. Thus,
soil gets devoid of important minerals and resources.
 Pollution and contamination of resources – Water pollution, soil
pollution is increasing at an alarming rate today due to negligent attitude of
people towards the environment. Pollution has a direct effect on contamination
of resources available in nature.
9.What are the effects of natural resources depletion?
EFFECTS OF NATURAL RESOURCES DEPLETION
The depletion of natural resources has widespread consequences not only on the
human life but the environment too. Some of these are as listed below:

 Resource Scarcity: Resources like fossil fuels, timber, water and arable
land become scarce because of over-consumption and degradation, mostly in the
areas of tremendous population growth.
 Rising Prices: When natural resources become scarce, food, fuel and
energy prices rise. Even the price of renewable resources increases if they need
to be shipped to reach areas where these have been depleted.
 Water Shortages: When infrastructure development and population
growth increase, water shortages occur. As of today, almost 1 billion people lack
access to clean water.
10.List some of the fossil fuel sources
A fossil fuel is a fuel formed by natural processes, such as anaerobic
decomposition of buried dead organisms, containing energy originating in
ancient photosynthesis.
11.What are the units of energy?

Common Units of energy:

BTU, calorie (cal), electronvolt (eV), erg, foot-pound, gigajoule (GJ), joule (J),
kilocalorie (kcal), kilojoule (kJ), kilowatt hour (kWh), megajoule (MJ), nutrition
calorie (Cal), ton of TNT (tn), watt hour (Wh)

12.Write the hierarchy of Coal formation?

There are four stages in coal formation: peat, lignite, bituminous

and anthracite. The stage depends upon the conditions to which the plant
remains are subjected after they were buried – the greater the pressure
and heat, the higher the rank of coal. Higher-ranking coal is denser and
contains less moisture and gases and has a higher heat value than lower-
ranking coal.

13.Name the energy sources available.

The energy sources available can be divided into three categories.
Theyare
• Primary energy sources
• Secondary fuels
•Supplementary sources
14.What is meant by primary and secondary Energy source?
Give example.
Primary energy source: Primary energy source can be defined assource
which provides a net supply of energy. The energy that are either found
orstored in nature.E.g. coal, oil, natural gas and biomass.Secondary
energy source: The form of energy which is finally suppliedto, a consumer
for utilization is known as secondary or usable energy.E.g. Electrical
energy, thermal energy (in the form of steam or hot water),chemical
energy (in the form of hydrogen or fossil fuels),etc.,
15.What is meant by renewable energy source?
Resource which are renewed by nature again and again and theirsupply is
not affected by the arte of their consumption are called renewable.E.g.,
solar, wind, biomass, ocean, geothermal, hydro, etc.
16.What are the advantages of Renewable Energy source?
•Non conventional sources are available in nature free of cost.
•They produce no or little pollution. Thus by and large, they are
environment friendly.
•They are inexhaustible.
•They have a low gestation period.
17.What are the limitations of Renewable Energy source?
 •The energy available in dilute form from these sources.
•Though available freely in nature, the cost of harnessing energy from
•a non conventional source is generally high.
•Availability is uncertain; the energy flow depends on various natural
•phenomena beyond human control.
•Difficulty in transporting such forms of energy.
18.What is meant by commercial energy?
The energy sources that are available in the market for a definite priceare
known as commercial energy. The secondary usable energy forms such
aselectricity, petrol, diesel, gas etc., are essential for commercial activities
andare categorized as commercial energy resources. The economy of the
countrydepends on its ability to convert natural raw energy into
commercial energy.

19.What is meant by non –commercial energy?

The energy derived from nature and used directly without passingthrough
a commercial outlet is called anon-commercial sources.E.g., wood, animal
dung cake, crop residue, etc.,
20.What is meant by non-renewable energy source?
Non-Renewable energy resource which are finite and do not
getreplenished after their consumption are called non-renewable.E.g.,
fossil fuels, uranium, etc.
21.What is meant by supplementary sources?
Supplementary sources are defined as those whose net energy yield iszero
and those requiring highest investment in terms of energy
insulation(thermal) is an example for this source.
22.How the energy resources are classified?
Based on usability of energy
•Primary resources
•Intermediate resources
•Secondary resources
Based on traditional use
•Conventional energy
•Non-conventional energy
Based on long term availability
•Non-renewable
•Renewable
Based on commercial application
•Commercial energy source
•Non-commercial energy source
Based on origin
•Fossil fuels Energy
•Nuclear Energy
•Hydro Energy
•Solar Energy
•Wind Energy
•Biomass Energy
•Geothermal Energy
 •Tidal Energy
•Ocean thermal Energy
•Ocean wave Energy

23. What are the limitations of conventional (OR) Non-renewable

energy sources?
1. Resources are limited some are seasonal
2. Most of them emit harmful gases contributing to global
warming
3. Situated in remote areas and higher T and D losses
4. requires large areas
24. What are the advantages of conventional (OR) Non-renewable
energy sources?
1. Non-renewable sources are cheap and easy to use. You can easily fill up your
car tank and power your motor vehicle.

2. You can use small amount of nuclear energy to produce large amount of
power.

3. They are considered as cheap when converting from one type of energy to
another.

25. Define energy yield ratio.

The energy yields ratio of an energy extraction process is defined as follows:
Energy yield ratio =Energy received from raw energy source /Energy spent to
obtain raw energy source

UNIT-II

1.What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power plant?

Advantages:-
1. Power generation is more economic when compared with thermal plant.
2. Fuel transportation, handling and storage charges are absent.
3. No ash disposal problems.
4. Power production is not affected by weather conditions.
5. Space requirement is less.
6. Capital loss is low for bigger unit sizes.
7. Water quantity required is very less.
Disadvantages:-
1. Disaster is the major safety problem faced by nuclear power plants due to
nuclear explosions.
2. Radioactive wastes may affect the health of workers and other surrounding
people.
3. High initial cost and maintenance cost.
4. Nuclear waste disposal is a major problem.
5. Nuclear plants require well trained personals for its operation..
2.Define Load factor
Load factor is the ratio of average demand to the maximum demand
during a certain period of time and is applicable to both generating equipment
and receiving equipment.
Load factor = Average Demand /Maximum Demand

3.Write down the location of nuclear power plants in India

1.Kaiga(3*22MWPHWR), Karnataka

2.Kakrapar (2*22MWPHWR), Gujarat

3.Kudankulam (2*100MWPWR), Tamilnadu

4.Madras (2*17MWPHWR), Tamilnadu

4.Write Carnot and Rankine efficiency for thermal power plant

Thermal Efficiency of Rankine Cycle:

The thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle is the ratio between

the work produced by the steam turbine that has been reduced by the
pump work, with the incoming heat energy from the boiler.

Rankine cycle efficiency formula:

Thermal Efficiency = [(Work Output – Work input)/Heat entered into the
system]

The formula for carnot efficiency is Efficiency =Work/Heat Energy Hot

where TC is the absolute temperature of the cold reservoir, TH is

the absolute temperature of the hot reservoir, and the efficiency is the
ratio of the work done by the engine to the heat drawn out of the hot
reservoir.

5.Define-Nuclear fission?

Nuclear fission is defined as the process of splitting up of heavy unstable

nucleus into two equal fragments of the equal mass and two to three
neutrons accompanied by the release of large amount of heat.

6.Define- Nuclear fusion?

 Nuclear fusion is defined as forming of heavier nuclei by colliding two
or more nuclei so that they fuse together into heavier nuclei accompanied
with the large amount of energy release.

7.Name the three moderators commonly used in nuclear power reactor.

 Heavy water (D2O), Water (H2O), Beryllium (Be), Graphite(C) and Helium
(He) gas are commonly used moderators.

8.What are the desirable properties of good moderators?

The desirable properties of good moderators High thermal conductivity
1. High slowing down power
2. Low parasite captures
3. Lighter
4. High resistance to corrosion
5. Stability under heat and radiation

9.Define super heater. or What is the function of super heater in a

thermal plant?
A Super heater is a device used to convert saturated steam into a dry
steam used for power generation or processes steam which has been
super heated is known as superheated steam.

10.Write about fluidised bed boilers?

When the high velocity gas is passed through a packed bed of finely
divided solid particles, the particles become suspended in the gas stream and
the packed bed becomes a fluidized bed. When the gas velocity is very high, the
fluidized bed become turbulent and rapid mixing of particles occurs. Ultimately,
the, behavior of mixture solid particles and gas become a fluid. Burning of a fuel
in such a state is known as Fluidized Bed Combustion. The boiler plant using this
fluidized bed combustion is known as fluidized bed boilers.

11. State some advantages of fluidised bed boilers/combustion?

• Any type of fuel solid, liquid (or) gaseous fuel (or) domestic and industrial
waste can be used in FBC system. Any type of combustible matter can be burned
by adjusting the factors as size, air velocity and rate of feed.

• High heat transfer rate is possible to the surfaces immersed in the bed,
because solid mixing is extremely possible.

• High combustion efficiency.

• The solid fuel need not be pulverised in fluidised bed boilers.

12.Define Air–fuel ratio ?

(AFR) is the mass ratio of air to a solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel present in
a combustion process. The combustion may take place in a controlled manner
such as in an internal combustion engine or industrial furnace, or may result in
an explosion (e.g., a dust explosion, gas or vapour explosion or in a thermobaric
weapon).

13.List the advantages and disadvantages of thermal power plant ?

Advantages of thermal power plant are:

o Thermal power station has less initial cost as compared to hydro-electric

generating station.
o It requires less space as compared to the hydro-electric power station.
o The fuel cost is less as compared to gas.
o Hung amount of power can be generated by TPS.
o The cost of generation is less as compared to diesel power station.
Disadvantages of thermal power plant are:

o The running cost of thermal power station is more as compared to hydro

power station.
o It pollutes the atmosphere due to production of large amount of smoke
and fumes.
o Maintenance cost is more.
o Skilled persons are required for erecting and maintaining the power
station.
o Land requirement is more for storage of coal and ash.

14.List the types of nuclear reactor?

1.Pressurized water reactor(PWR)

2.Boling water reactor(BWR)

3. Pressurized Heavy water reactor(PHWR)

4. Liquid metal fast Breeder Reactors(LMFBR)

5. High temperature Gas cooled reactors(HTGCR)

15.List the thermal power plants in TamilNadu.

• Alathiur(2*18MW), Tamilnadu, Madras cements

• Ennore(2*60MW,3*110MW) Tamilnadu Electricity Board

• Neyveli (6*50MW, 2*100MW) Tamilnadu Neyveli lignite corp Ltd.

16.Define load curve?

Load curve is a graphical representation between load in kW and time in
hours. It shows variation of load at the power station. The area under the load
curve -represents the energy generated in a particular period.

17.What is meant by power plant?

Power can be defined as the rate of flow of energy and state that a
power plant is a Unit built for production and delivery of a flow of
mechanical work and electrical energy. A machine or assembling of
equipment that produces and delivers a flow of mechanical and
electrical energy is a power plant.

18.List the factors of power plant performance.

The performance of a power plant can be expressed through

some common Performance factors as

1. Heat rate

2. Capacity factor

3. Economic efficiency

4. Load factor
 5. Operational efficiency

19.What are the major power limitations of conventional energy

sources?

1.Resources for power generation i.e, coal, gas etc., are

limited

2.The hydro power is seasonal and varies depending upon the

rainfall in the catchment areas

3.Submersion of land area due to raise in water level

4.Centralized power generation and distribution of the same to

long distances will result in high losses.

5.The energy conversion process from thermal power projects

results in emission of green house gases

20.List out the various conventional and non conventional power plant

Types of conventional power plant:

1. Hydro power plant

2. Steam power plant

3. Nuclear power plant

4. Gas turbine power plant

Types of non-conventional power plant:

1. Tidal power plant

2. Wind power plant

3. Geothermal power plant

4. Solar power plant

5. Wave power plant

6. MHD Generation
21.What is the function of economizer?

Feed water from the feed tank is supplied to the economizer by feed pump.
The economizer is used to preheat the water before it goes the boiler. There
is a heat exchanger from the hot gases to the feed water
 22.List any four advantages of hydro power:
1.Water source is perennially available

2.Running cost is very low

3.Non-polluting

4.Power generation can be switched on and off in a very short period

23.List any four pumped storage hydro power plants in India:

1.Bihar, Maharashtra, 150 MW

2.Kadamparai, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, 400MW

3.Nagarjuna Sagar PH, Andhra Pradesh,810MW

4.Purulia pumped storage project, Avodhva hills, West Bengal,

900MW

5.Srisailam Left Bank PH, Andhra Pradesh,900 MW

6.Tehri Dam, Uttranchal, 1000 MW

24.Name the different components of nuclear reactor?

1.Nuclear fuel 2. Moderator 3. Control rods 4. Reflectors

5.Reactor vessel 6. Biological shielding 7. Coolant

25.What is the purpose of reprocessing of nuclear waste?

The used fuel contains 96% uranium,1% plutonium and 3% radioactive

wastes. Reprocessing is used to separate the waste from the uranium and
plutonium which can be recycled into new fuel. The reprocessing effectively
reduces the volume of waste and limits the need to mine new supplies of
uranium, so that extending the time of resources

UNIT –III

1. Define tidal range?

Tidal range is the height difference between high tide and
low tide. Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by gravitational forces
exerted by the Moon and Sun and the rotation of Earth. Tidal range is not
constant but changes depending on the locations of the Moon and Sun.
2. List the types of wind rotors?
 The different types of rotor for HAWT are:Cup type rotor,Savonious
rotor,Darrieus rotor,Musgrove rotor,Evans rotor
3. What are the characteristics of good wind power site?
A site should have a high annual wind speed .There should not be
any obstructions for a radius of 3Km.An open plain or an open line may
be a good location
6.List the components of wind energy systems
 A rotor
 A gear box
 An enclosure
 A tail vane
8. Explain the principles of wind energy conversion
There are two primary physical principles by which energy can be
extracted from the wind; these are through the creation of either lift or
drag force (or combination of two).

9.Differentiate between wave and tidal energy?

Tidal energy uses the gravitational pull of the Earth and moon to
generate energy.The tides at shorelines of oceans will rise and fall about
twice a day. ... Wave energy uses the kinetic force of waves to
produce energy.

10.Define Solar collector and solar constant?

A solar collector is a device for collecting solar radiation and

transfers theenergy to a fluid passing in contact with it. There are two
types of collectors:
 Non- concentrating or flat plate type solar collector.
 Concentrating (focusing) type solar collector

Solar constant is defined as the amount of energy received in unit

timeon a unit area perpendicular to the sun’s direction at the mean
distance ofthe earth from the sun.
11.Difference between spring and neap tides?

Spring tide

1. Tide with greatest difference between low and high tide.

2. Gravity of sun and moon pull in same direction.

3. Occur at new moon and full moon.

Neap tide

1. Tide with least difference between low and high tide.

2. Moon is at right angle to sun.

3. Occurs at first and last quarter.

12.Define OTEC?

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a process that can

produce electricity by using the temperature difference between deep cold
ocean water and warm tropical surface waters. OTEC plants pump large
quantities of deep cold seawater and surface seawater to run a power
cycle and produce electricity.

13.Compare horizontal axis wind mills with vertical axis wind

mills?

14.Write the working principle of solar flat plate collector?

Sunlight passes through the glazing and strikes the absorber plate,
which heats up, changing solar energy into heat energy.
Absorber plates are commonly painted with "selective coatings," which
absorb and retain heat better than ordinary black paint.

The flat plat collectors is basically a heat exchanger which transfer

the radiant energy of the incident sunlight to the sensible heat of a
working fluid-liquid or air.

15.What is geothermal energy? How is it extracted?

Geothermal energy refers to heat energy stored under the ground

for millions of years through the earth formation. It utilizes a rich storage
of unutilized thermal energy that exists under the earth’s crust.

Geothermal energy is site specific but can be very cheap

especially when used for direct heating. It is a challenge to estimate
power from this source since it occurs underground at extremely high
temperatures.
The principle is to use heat energy through heating of water to
steam. Geothermal energy utilizes high temperatures below the earth’s
crust. The hot steam or water heats a fluid that in turn expands to turn
turbines that generate electricity.

16.What are the different wave conversion devices?

 There are three fundamental but very different wave energy
devices used in converting wave power into electric power, and these are:

 1. Wave Profile Devices These are wave energy

devices which turn the oscillating height of the oceans
surface into mechanical energy.

 2. Oscillating Water Columns These are wave energy

devices which convert the energy of the waves into air
pressure.

 3. Wave Capture Devices These are wave energy

devices which convert the energy of the waves into potential
energy.

17.What is tide?
TIDE is a periodical rise and fall of the water level of sea which are
carried by the action of the sun and moon on the water of the earth. The
main feature of the tidal cycle is the difference in water surface elevations
at the high tide end, the tidal energy can be converted into electrical
energy by means of a generator.

18.What is meant by Solar Energy and solar time?

The energy received in the form of radiation, can be converted
directly or indirectly into other forms of energy, such as heat and
electricity, which can be utilized by man.
Solar time (Local Apparent Time) is measured with reference to
solar noon, which is the time when the sun is crossing the observer’s
meridian.

19.What are the environmental concerns of geo thermal energy?

 Gases containing H2S are oxidized to SO 2 and H2SO4 and drops down as
acidrain.
 Chemicals like sulphates, Chlorides and Carbonates of lead, boron
andarsenic pollute soil and water
 Discharge of waste hot water infects rivers and affect drinking water,
farmingand fisheries
 Noise pollution caused by exhausts is a health hazard and is controlled by
using silencers

20. What are the adverse effects produced by geo thermal energy
source?
•Ammonia is used as working fluid in closed cycle OTEC system. Its
leakage may cause great damage to the ocean eco system.
•An OTEC plant displaces 4 cumec water/ MW generation. Massive
flowdisturbs thermal balance, changes salinity gradient and turbidity. It
createsadverse impact on marine environment.
•Mining of warm & cold water near the surface develops convection of
sinkingcold water. It creates a temporary variation at 40
C forcing mortality among coral and fines.
21.What is meant by solar pond?
 A natural or artificial body of water for collecting and absorbing
solarradiation energy and storing it as heat. Thus a solar pond
combines solarenergy collection and sensible heat storage.

22.What is meant by solar photo voltaic?

The direct conversion of solar energy into electrical energy by
means of the photovoltaic effect, that is, the conversion of light (or
other electromagnetic radiation) into electricity. The photovoltaic effect
is defined as the generation of an electromotive force as a result of the
absorption of ionizing radiation.
23.List the application of solar PV system.
Water pumping sets for micro irrigation and drinking water supply
Radio beacons for ship navigation at ports Community radio and
television sets Cathodic protection of oil pipe lines Weather monitoring
Railway signaling equipment Battery charging Street lighting
24. What are the advantages & disadvantages of PV solar energy conver
sionsystem?
Advantages
Direct room temperature conversion of light to electricity through a
simple solid state device. Absence of moving parts Maintenance cost is
low s they are easy to operate Do not create pollution Long effective
life Highly reliable
Disadvantages
High cost In many applications energy storage is required because of
no insolation at night.
25. What are the advantages & disadvantages of concentrating
collectors overflat plate type collectors?

Advantages:
Reflecting surfaces required less material and are structurally simpler
than flat plate collectors. For a concentrator system the cost per unit area
of solar collecting surface is therefore potentially less than that for flat
plate collectors
 The absorber area of a concentrator system is smaller than that of
a flat plate system for same solar energy collection and therefore
the insulation intensity is greater.
 Little or no anti-freeze is required to protect the absorber in a
concentrator system whereas the entire solar energy collection
surface requires anti-freeze protection in a flat plate collector.
Disadvantages:
 Out of the beam and diffuse solar radiation components, only
beam component is collected in case of focusing collectors because
diffuse component can not be reflected and is thus lost.
 Additional requirements of maintenance particular to retain the
quality of reflecting surface against dirt, weather, oxidation etc.,
 Non-uniform flux on the absorber whereas flux in flat plate
collectors is uniform
 Additional optical losses such as reflectance loss and the intercept
loss,so they introduce additional factors in energy balances
 High initial cost
26.Name the types of concentrating collectors.
The main types of concentrating collectors are:Parabolic trough
collector,Mirror strip reflector ,Fresnel lens collector,Flat plate collector
with adjustable mirrors, compound parabolic concentrator(CPC)
27.What are the zones in solar pond?
  Surface convective zone or upper convective zone (0.3-0.5m)
 Non-convective zone (1-1.5m) salinity increases with depth.
 Storage zone or lower convective zone (1.5-2m) salinity =20%

28. List the different modes of solar cooling

 Evaporative cooling
 Absorption cooling and
 Passive desiccant cooling
29. What are the advantages of solar cells?
 They need little maintenance
 They have longer life
 They do not create pollution problem
 Their energy source is unlimited
 Easy to fabricate
 They can be made from raw materials which are easily available in
larger quantities
30. What are the disadvantages of solar cell?

 Compares with other sources of energy solar cells produce

electricpower at very high cost
 Solar cell output is not constant and it varies with the time of day
and weather
 They can be used to generate small amount of electric power.
31. What is Green house effect?
The energy we receive from sun in the form of light is a shortwave radiation(not
visible to human eye). When this radiation strikes a solid or liquid it is absorbed
and transformed in to heat, the material becomes heat and conducts it
tosurrounding materials (air, water or liquids) or reradiates in to other materials
oflow temperature as long wave radiation.
32. What is concentration ratio?
Concentration ratio is the ratio between the aperture area and receiver
/absorber area of the collector

33.List the various types of solar energy collectors.

1.Stationary collectors (or) Non- concentrating
(a) Flate plate collectors

(b) Compound parabolic collectors

(c) Evaculated tube collectors

2.Sun tracking concentrating collector

(a) single axis tracking

(b) Two-axis tracking

34.List any four applications of solar collectors.

1.Solar water heating

2.Solar space heating systems

3.Solar refrigeration
 4.Industrial process heat systems

35.List the four important solar systems.

1.Low temperature cycles using flat plat collector or solar pond

2.Power tower or central receiver system

3.Distributed collector system

4.Concentrating collectors for medium and high temperature cycle

36.List the advantages of solar Energy.

1.Solar energy is free from pollution

2.They collect solar energy optically and transfer it to a single receiver,

thus minimizing thermal-energy transport requirements

3.They typically achieve concentration ratios of 300 to 1500 and so are

highly Efficient both in collecting energy and converting it to electricity.

4.The plant requires little maintenance or help after setup

5.It is economical
37.List any four disadvantages of solar energy.

1.Avilable in day time only

2.Need storage facilities

3.It needs a backup power plant

4.Keeping back up plants hot includes an energy cost which includes

38.List the classification of OTEC based on cycle.

1.Open cycle

2.Closed cycle

3.Hybrid cycle

39.List any four disadvantages of OTEC.

a. Degradation of heat exchanger performance as dissolved gases.

b. Degradation of heat exchanger performance by microbial fouling

c. Improper sealing
 d. Parasitic power consumption by exhaust compressor

40.List any four benefits of OTEC.

1.Airconditioning

2.Chilled soil agriculture

3.Aquaculture

4.Desalination

41.List any four advantages of wind turbine.

1.Inexhaustible fuel source

2.No pollution

3.Excellent supplement to other renewable source

4.Its free

42.List the disadvantages of wind power generation.

1.Low energy production

2.Expensive maintenance

43.What are the components of tidal power station?

1.Barrage

2.Turbines

3.Sluices

4.Embankments

44.List any four advantages of tidal power generation.

1.Renewable and sustainable energy

2.No liquid or Solid pollution

3.Little visual impact

4.Reduces dependence upon fossil fuels

45.List the limitations of tidal energy.

1.Orientation problem
 2.Requires storage devices

3.Available at a lower rating and time

4.High capital cost

46.What are the main parts of geothermal power plant?

1.Production well

2.Vaporizer

3.Circulating pump

4.Expansion turbine

5.Generator

6.Condenser

7.Transformer

47.What are the classifications of geothermal energy conversion

system? 1.Single cycle geothermal power plant

2.Binary cycle power plant

48.What are the advantages of geothermal energy?

1.Cheaper

2.Versatile in its use

3.Delivers greater amount of energy

49.What are the disadvantages of geothermal energy?

1.Drilling operation is noisy

2.It needs large areas of exploitation of geothermal energy

3.Low overall power production efficiency.

50.What are the applications of geothermal energy?
1.Generation of electric power

2.Space heating for building

3.Industrial process heat

UNIT-IV

1.What is meant by biomass?

 Organic matters derived from biological organisms are called Biomass.
The energy obtained from biomass is called biomass energy. The raw organic
matter obtained from nature for extracting secondary energy is called biomass
energy resource.

2.What are the different sources of biomass?

Biomass resources are broadly classified into two categories:
 Biomass from cultivated fields, crop, forest and harvested
periodically.
 Biomass derived from waste e.g., municipal waste, animal
excreta/dung, forest waste, agricultural waste, bioprocess waste,
but charry waste, fishery waste/processing waste etc.,
3. What do you mean by fossil fuels?
Fossil fuels (coal, petroleum oil and natural gases) are produced from
dead, buried biomass under pressure and in absence of air during several
millions of years. However; they are considered separately as fossils and are not
included in the category of biomass.

4. What are the categories of scope of biomass energy?

The scope of biomass energy is of three categories. They are Rural
application of biomass energy Urban and industrial applications of biomass
energy Biomass as a primary source for large scale electrical power generation.

5.List the secondary energy forms of biomass.

The biomass can be converted to useful secondary energy forms such as
Heat Gaseous fuels Solid fuels Organic chemical Liquid fuels

6.Point out the cultivated biomass.

The cultivated biomass (biomass from energy farms) includes:
 Sugar cane crops, sweet sorghum crops, sugar beets.
 Herbaceous crops which are non-woody plants which can be converted
into biogas or biochemical fuels.
 Cereals, potatoes and other carbohydrate fruit crops, etc.grown for
producing in feeds to the fermentation plants.
 Forests crops of fast growing energy intensive trees specially grown as
source of energy.
 Aquatic crops grown in fresh water, sea water, muddy water etc., and
these crops include submerged plants, surface plants and include
seaweeds, marine algae, water hyacinth, floating kelp etc. algae is
considered to be a promising aquatic biomass.
7.List out the biomass energy resources from waste.
The waste to energy processes convert organic wastes to intermediate or
secondary energy forms such as heat, biogas, alcohol, fuels, chemicals, etc.The
waste is classified as Urban (municipal) waste Industrial organic waste, process
waste Agricultural farm waste Rural animal waste Forest waste
Fishery,poultry,but charry waste Animal and human excreta

8.What is meant by biogas plant?

The plant which converts biomass to biogas (methane plus carbondioxide) by the
process of anaerobic digestion is generally called a biogas plant.

9.Mention advantages of biomass energy

It is a renewable source.The energy storage is an in-built feature of it.It is
an indigenous source requiring little or no foreign exchange.The forestry and
agricultural industries that supply feed stocks also provide substantial economic
development opportunities in rural areas.The pollutant emissions from
combustion of biomass are usually lower than those from fossil fuels.

10.Mention disadvantages of biomass energy

It is a dispersed and land intensive source.It is often of low energy
density.It is also labour intensive and the cost of collecting large quantities for
commercial application is significant. Most current commercial large quantities
for commercial application are significant. Most current commercial applications
of biomass energy, use material that has been collected for other reasons, such
as timber and food processing residues and urban waste.Capacity is determines
by availability of biomass and not suitable for varying loads.Not feasible to set
up at all locations.

11.What is meant by biomass gasification?

The word gasification (or thermal gasification) implies converting solid fuel
into a gaseous fuel by thermo chemical method without leaving any solid
carbonaceous residue.
12.Classify the biogas plant.
The biogas plant are classified into Continuous and batch types
13.List the factors affecting biodigestion or generation of gas.
The factors affecting biodigestion or generation of gas are:pH or the
hydrogen-ion concentration,Temperature,Total solid content of the feed
material,Loading rate,Seeding,Uniform feeding,Nutrients,Type of feed
stocks,Toxicity due end product,Pressure,Acid accumulation inside the digester

14.Why the biogases are mainly utilized?

Biogases are mainly utilized.The biogas can be utilized effectively
forHousehold cooking,Lighting,Operating small engines,Utilizing power for
pumping water,Chaffing fodder and Grinding flour.

15.List the Feature of continuous plant

It will produce gas continuously.It requires small digestion chambers.It
needs lesser period for digestion.It has less problems compared to batch type
and it is easier inoperation.

16.List the Features of batch plant.

 The gas production in it is intermittent, depending upon the clearingof the
digester.
 It needs several digesters or chambers for continuous gas
production,these are fed alternatively.
 Batch plants are good for long fibrous materials
 This plant needs addition of fementated slurry to start the
digestionprocess.
 This plant is expensive and has problems comparatively; thecontinuous
plant will have less problems and will be easy foroperation.

17. Write the advantages of floating drum plant.

It has scum troubles because solids are constantly submerged.In it, the
danger of mixing oxygen with the gas to form an explosive mixture is minimized
No problem of gas leakage Constant gas pressure

18.Write the disadvantages of floating drum plant.

 It has higher cost, as cost is dependent on steel and cement. Heat is lost
through the metal gas holder, hence it troubles in colder regions and periods Gas
holder requires painting once or twice a year, depending on the humidity of the
location.Flexible pipe joining the gas holder to the main gas pipe requires
maintenance, as it is damaged by ultraviolet rays in the sun. It may be twisted
also, with the rotation of the drum for mixing or scum removal.

19.Mention some advantages of fixed dome type plant

It has low cost compare to floating drum type, as it uses only cement and
no steel.It has no corrosion trouble.Heat insulation is better as construction is
beneath the ground.Temperature will be constant.Cattle and human excreta and
long fibrous stalks can be fed.No maintenance.

20.Mention some disadvantages of fixed dome type plant

This type of plant needs the service of skilled masons, who are rather
scarce in rural areas.Gas production per cum of the digester volume is also
less.Scum formation is a problem as no stirring arrangement.It has variable gas
pressure.

21.What are the techniques or methods of maintaining biogas

production?
The methods for maintaining biogas production are Insulating the gas
plant Composting Hot water circulation Use of chemicals Solar energy systems

22.What is meant by cogeneration?

A procedure for generating electric power and useful heat in a single
installation is known as cogeneration. Heat may be supplied in the form of
steam, hot water or hot air. The net result is overall increase in the efficiency of
fuel utilization.

23. What is meant by incineration?

Organic matter can be burnt in presence of oxygen/air to produce heat
and byproducts. This is the well known process called combustion. Complete
combustion to ashes is called incineration.
24. What are the types of Gasifiers?
In down draft gasifier fuel and air move in a co current manner
In update gasifier fuel and air move in a counter current manner. But the basic
reaction zones remain the same.
25.What are the types of biomass resources?
 Forests
 Agricultural crops residues
 Energy crops
 Vegetable oil crops
 Aquatic crop
 Animal waste
 Urban waste
 Industrial waste
26. What is Trans esterification?
Process where the raw vegetable oils are treated with alcohol(Methanol or
ethanol with a catalyst) to form methyl or ethyl esters.
27. What are the advantages of bio-diesel as engine fuel?
 Biodegradable produces 80% less and co2 100% less So2 emissions
 Renewable
 Higher octane number
 Can be used as neat fuel or mixed in any ratio with petro diesel
  Has a higher flash point making it safe to transport
28.Write the composition of biogas?
The chemical composition of biogas is as follows: 50–85% CH4
(methane); 20–35% CO2; H2-5%, N2 ,O2 and H2S form the rest
29.Define solvolysis?
Solvolysis is a type of nucleophilic substitution (SN1) /( SN2) or
elimination, where the nucleophile is a solvent molecule. Characteristic of S N1
reactions,solvolysis of a chiral reactant affords the racemate.
30.Define hydrogenation?
Hydrogenation – meaning, to treat with hydrogen – is a chemical
reaction between molecular hydrogen (H 2) and another compound or element,
usually in the presence of a catalyst such as nickel, palladium or platinum. The
process is commonly employed to reduce or saturate organic compounds.
Hydrogenation typically constitutes the addition of pairs of hydrogen atoms to a
molecule, often an alkene. Catalysts are required for the reaction to be usable;
non-catalytic hydrogenation takes place only at very high temperatures.
Hydrogenation reduces double and triple bonds in hydrocarbons
31.What is meant by gasifier ?
Gasifier is a container where gasification process sis carried out.
32.What is meant by gasification?
Gasification is a process that converts organic- or fossil fuel-
based carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon
dioxide. This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperatures
(>700 °C), without combustion, with a controlled amount
of oxygen and/or steam. The resulting gas mixture is called syngas (from
synthesis gas) or producer gas and is itself a fuel. The power derived from
gasification and combustion of the resultant gas is considered to be a source
of renewable energy if the gasified compounds were obtained from biomass
33.What is meant by dehydration?
Dehydration reaction is a conversion that involves the loss
of water from the reacting molecule or ion. Dehydration reactions are common
processes, the reverse of a hydration reaction. Common dehydrating agents
used in organic synthesis include sulfuric acid and alumina. Often dehydration
reactions are effected with heating.
34. What is meant by Pyrolysis and combustion?
Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of materials at elevated
temperatures in an inert atmosphere. It involves a change of chemical
composition and is irreversible.
Combustion, or burning, is a high-
temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant)
and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often
gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke
35.What is meant by pyrolysis oil?
Pyrolysis oil, sometimes also known as biocrude or bio-oil, is
a synthetic fuel under investigation as substitute for petroleum. It is obtained by
heating dried biomasswithout oxygen in a reactor at a temperature of about
500 °C with subsequent cooling. Pyrolytic oil (or bio-oil) is a kind of tar and
normally contains levels of oxygen too high to be considered a hydrocarbon. This
high oxygen content results in non-volatility, corrosiveness, immiscibity with
fossil fuels, thermal instability, and a tendency to polymerize when exposed to
air.
36.What are the stages involved in anaerobic digestion?
The four key stages of anaerobic digestion involve hydrolysis,
acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. The overall process can be
described by the chemical reaction, where organic material such as glucose is
biochemically digested into carbon dioxide (CO 2) and methane (CH4) by the
anaerobic microorganisms.

37.Write the calorific value of biogas?

Only combustible portionin biogas is CH4. Pure CH4 has a Gross Calorific
Value of 39.8 MJ/m3. ... Remember that due to carbon dioxide being somewhat
heavier, a “medium composition biogas” (55–65% methane and CO2) has a
slightly higher density of 1.15 kg/m3 than pure methane (0.75 kg/m3).
38.Write the chemical reaction involved in the biological conversion?
(refer notes)

39. List the desirable properties of biodiesel? (refer notes)

• Biodiesel can be made from a wide range of feedstocks. It is not

clear if these varying sources have significant impacts on fuel
properties or performance.
• Neat biodiesel (B100) has a high cetane, no sulfur, and a high
oxygen content.
• B100 has a high cloud point which causes cold start probs.
• Biodiesel is a good solvent, which leads to maintenance
concerns.Special components and maintenance are recommended for
both vehicles and the distribution system

Biodiesel is biodegradable, safer to handle than petroleum,

and less toxic.Toxicity of emissions may be an issue.

UNIT-V

1.What is energy conservation?

Conservation means saving or using less energy. When we turn off a light,
we're conserving energy.

Energy Conservation means reduction in energy consumption but without

making any sacrifice in the quality or quantity of production. In other words, it
means increasing the production from a given amount of energy input by
reducing losses/wastage and maximizing the efficiency.

2.State three incentives in Energy Conservation.

The three major incentives in energy conservation are:
 Decreasing the energy requirement
 Conserving the limited conventional assets of energy
 Saving the environment

3.List the general principles of Energy Conservation
The general principles of Energy Conservation are:
•Recycling of waste
•Modernization of technology
 •Waste heat utilization
•Proper house keeping
• Judicial use of proper types of energy
• Judicial use of proper type of fuel
•Training of manpower
•Adopting daylight saving time
•Proper operation and maintenance
•Cogeneration

4.List the necessity of energy storage.

• The effective utilization of intermittent and variable energy source such as
sunlight, wind, etc., often requires energy storage
•Storing the energy and transporting it economically to a load center.
•The vehicle must carry its energy supply, the storage system must be
readily transportable
•Energy storage is also required for load leveling in an electric utility to
reduce the overall cost of generating electrical power.

5.Define Energy Utility Factor.

The relation between useful thermal energy and the available
chemicalenergy in the fuel is expressed by means of the energy utility
factor.Energy Utility Factor= Useful Thermal Energy/ Available Energy in Fuel

6. What are the needs of energy conservation?

•Energy conservation is necessary to reduce the wastage of energy.
•It helps to keep the domestic change payment constant even when the
production cost of electricity increase.
•It helps to maintain the profit in industries uniform even if the electricity
change increases.

7.What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency also means using less energy - but this term means
using products that don't waste energy. For example, the ordinary light bulbs
you might use at home waste almost all of the energy they use - most of the
electricity turns into heat.

8.Which appliances use the most electricity?

Of all the big appliances in your house, the refrigerator uses the most
electricity. Other big energy users are water heaters, clothes dryers,
dishwashers and ovens.

9.What are the types of energy audit?

 Walk-through (or) preliminary audit

 Detailed audit

10.Define energy audit?

An energy audit is an inspection survey and an analysis of energy flows
for energy conservation in a building. It may include a process or system to
reduce the amount of energy input into the system without negatively affecting
the output. In commercial and industrial real estate, an energy audit is the first
step in identifying opportunities to reduce energy expense and carbon footprint.

11.What are the steps involved in the energy conservation?

  Replace your light bulbs
 Use smart power strips
 Install a programmable or smart thermostat
 Purchase energy efficient appliances

 Reduce your water heating expenses

12.Define Benchmarking or Benchmalcing?

Benchmarking mainly consists in comparing the measured consumption
with reference consumption of other similar buildings or generated by simulation
tools to identify excessive or unacceptable running costs. As mentioned before,
benchmarking is also necessary to identify buildings presenting interesting
energy saving potential. An important issue in benchmarking is the use of
performance indexes to characterize the building.

13.Define Energy management ?

Energy management is the means to controlling and reducing a

building's energy consumption, which enables: Reduce costs .

14.Write the steps involved in energy management?

3 steps of EM: Energy Audit, Energy Conservation Measures (ECMS) &

Waste Recycling

15.What is the need of depreciation cost?

Depreciation cost is the amount to be set aside per year from the income
of the plant to meet the depreciation caused by the age of service, wear and
tear of the machinery and equipments.

16.Define fixed cost & operating cost?

The fixed costs are those cost which remains same for a given capacity. It
does not vary with output. It includes i. Capital cost of power plant ii. Capital
cost of primary distribution iii. Other capital cost.
Operating costs varies with respect to the output of the plant. This
includes cost of the fuel, operating labour, maintenance cost, material for
regular maintenance, water cost, lubricating cost, water treatment chemicals,
etc.,

18.What are the methods used to reduce thermal pollution.

i. Constructing a separate lake
ii. Cooling Pond
iii. Cooling towers

19. What is meant by payback period?

Payback period is the time required to recover the initial cost of an investment.
It is the number of years it would take to get back the initial investment made
for a project.
 Total outflows Initial investment
Pay back period = (or)
Inflow every year Net annual cash inflows

20.Define Energy Policy?

Energy policy involves interventions in the sectors of coal, electricity, oil
and gas,
as well as nuclear and renewable energy, and the activities aimed at improving
energy efficiency in supply and consumption