THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

EXAMINATION

CCST9016: ENERGY: ITS EVOLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

December 23, 2020 Time: 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Attempt any FOUR questions, TWO from each section. Each question carries equal marks.

Electronic Calculators:

Only approved calculators as announced by the Examinations Secretary can be used in this
examination. It is candidates' responsibility to ensure that their calculator operates
satisfactorily, and candidates must record the name and type of the calculator used on the front
page of the examination script.

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CCST9016: Energy: Its Evolution and Environmental Impacts

SECTION A

Al. Key issues and challenge on world energy.

(a) Describe three approaches for carbon dioxide emission reduction. (6 marks)

(b) Describe four types of the demand side in energy consumption. (8 marks)

(c) (i) Sketch the average residential customer electricity load profiles and average
industrial customer load profiles in summer and winter time, respectively.
(4 marks)

(ii) Describe the different between the load profiles in summer and winter time, in
both residential and industrial load profiles, respectively. (4 marks)

(iii) Compare the different between the residential customer and industrial customer
load profiles. (3 marks)

A2. Energy technologies: Raw forms of energy are not necessary and have to be converted into
useful forms.

(a) In 2019, a country produced 45 percent of its electricity in the amount of 2.8 x 10 12
kWh from coalfired power plants. Taking the average thermal efficiency to be 33
percent, determine the amount of thermal energy rejected by the coal-fired power
plants in 2019. (8 marks)

(b) Explain why natural gas is an attractive "transition" fuel and the air-fuel ratio in the
combustion reaction. (5 marks)

(c) State and describe the problem of nuclear energy and suggest one possible way to the
Hong Kong government to promote nuclear energy in Hong Kong. (12 marks)

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CCST9016: Energy: Its Evolution and Environmental Impacts

A3. All energy sources affect the environment. There is no such thing as a completely "clean"
energy source. Non-renewable energy sources have a greater global impact (global
warming) than others.

(a) Describe carbon cycle. (4 marks)

(b) State the source and describe the impact of the following greenhouse gases to the
environment.

(i) Carbon Monoxide (3 marks)

(c) State and describe the major human activity that caused both regional and global
environmental pollution, and suggest one possible way to the Hong Kong government
to promote nuclear energy in Hong Kong. (12 marks)

SECTION B
B 1. Solar energy: photovoltaics and solar thermal power generation

(a) Sketch the I-V curves of a solar cell under dark and under light. (6 marks)

(b) With the help of the band diagram, explain what will happen if the semiconductor is
illuminated by,

(i) Photons with higher energy than the bandgap of the semiconductor; (5 marks)
(ii) Photons with less energy than the bandgap of the semiconductor. (6 marks)

(c) Comparing with the solar thermal power plant, what are the advantages and
disadvantages of photovoltaics? (8 marks)

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CCST9016: Energy: Its Evolution and Environmental Impacts

B2. Wind power: working principles and key challenges

(a) Explain how would the (i) blade area, and (ii) wind speed affect the output of the wind
turbine. (6 marks)

(b) Indicate the drag force (D) and lift force (L) on the following cross-sectional diagram
of wind turbine blade. (5 marks)
·a---------
.......
lncident,.;nd
�-------
�

(c) Sketch the correlation between the drag force and lift force as a function of attack of
attack. (5 marks)

(d) Name the 4 major components in wind turbine. (4 marks)

(e) What are the advantages and disadvantages of vertical axis wind turbine? (5 marks)

B3. Challenge on conventional fossil fuel

(a) Name the three most commonly used fossil fuels and the corresponding green house
gas. (5 marks)

(b) Name the four major components for the operation of a conventional fossil fuel.
(5 marks)

(c) Based on your understanding, discuss which renewable energy you think is most
suitable for HK. Comments on their feasibility, challenges and possible approach to
overcome them. (15 marks)

- END OF PAPER -

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