TECHNOLOGIES FOR CLEAN AND RENEWABLE

ENERGY PRODUCTION
TUTORIAL 6

DR. PRASENJIT MONDAL

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

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 Problem 1
Estimate the temperature rise of water in a 100 litre thermosyphon solar water heating
system during a typical day of operation. Assume system has 1 flat plate collector
having absorber plate area of 2 m2 and 5 kWh/m2 solar radiations fall on collector
during a typical day. Collector efficiency is 50%. Also calculate the electricity saved
due to use of solar water heater and corresponding reduction in monthly electricity
bill. Assume electrical geyser has efficiency of 95% and cost of electricity is Rs. 3.5
per unit.
Solution:
By heat balance we get
Energy adsorbed in the collector during a day = enthalpy change of water
The enthalpy change of water
= mass of water to be heated per day * specific heat of water * temperature rise
= 100 kg*4.2 kJ/kg/oc*ΔT oc = 420*ΔT kJ
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• Energy adsorbed in the collector during a day = Solar radiations incident on
collector per day *collector area *collector efficiency = 5*2*0.5 = 5 kWh
= 5*kJ/s*3600s =5*3600 kJ

Thus, we get 5*3600= 420*ΔT

ΔT = 42.9 oC
Electrical geyser has efficiency of 95%
Electricity saved everyday = 5*2*0.5/0.95 = 5.26 kWh
Cost of electricity = Rs. 3.5 per unit
Money saved per day =Rs. 5.26*3.5 = Rs. 18.42
Reduction in monthly electricity bill = Rs. 18.42*30 = Rs. 553

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 Problem 2
Calculate the efficiency of flat plate collector having absorptivity as 0.96.
Temperature of fluid inside the tubes is 31 oC and ambient temperature is 23.2 oC.
Transmissivity of glass cover is 0.92. Assume collector efficiency factor is 0.88 and
about 936.8 kW/m2 solar radiations incident on the collector with heat transfer
coefficient as 43.67 kW/m o C.

Solution:

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FR = 0.88, τ = 0.92, α = 0.96
U = 43.67 kW/m o C
Temperature of fluid inside tubes, Tfo = 31oC
Ambient temperature, To = 23.2 oC
η = [0.88*0.92*0.96 – 0.88*43.67*(31-23.2)/936.8]
= 0.4572 = 45.72%

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 Problem 3
A home requires 60 kWh of heat on a winter day to maintain a constant indoor
temperature of 25 °C. (a) How much collector surface area does it need for an all-solar
heating system that has a 30% efficiency? (b) How large does the storage tank have to be
to provide this much energy? (Assume that the average solar radiation in winter is about
6.5 kWh/(m2 day) and water of hot fluid in secondary loop is 60 °C). The heat capacity of
water is 1 kcal/kg/°C and heat transfer loss in water can be ignored.

Solution

Since the average solar radiation in winter is about 6.5 kWh/(m2 day) and the
efficiency of the system is 30 %. The daily quantity of thermal energy obtained using
collectors will be:
Thermal energy = 6.5*0.30 = 1.95 kWh/(m2 day)

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Therefore, the required collector surface area is as follows:
Collector surface area = 60/1.95 = 30.769 m2
(b)
As there is no heat transfer loss,
The heat generated by the solar system = Heat taken up by the water
Now, heat generated by the solar system = 60*860.421 kcal (1 kWh= 860.421 kcal)
Further, Heat taken up by the water = mass of water*heat capacity*temperature
difference = Mass of water*1kcal/kg/oc*(60-25)oC = Mass of water*35 kcal (mass is in
kg unit)
Thus, 60*860.421 kcal = Mass of water in kg*35 kcal
Mass of water in kg = 60*860.421/35 = 1475 kg
= 1475 kg = 1475 L (because the density of water is 1 kg/L)

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 Problem 4
Calculate the power in the wind if the wind speed is 20 m/s and blade length is 60 m.
Assume the density of air as 1.23 kg/m3 .

Solution:
Given: Wind speed, v = 20 m/s, blade length, l = 60 m, air density, ρ = 1.23 kg/m3.
The area is given by, A = π l2
A = π× 602
A = 11309.7 m2
The wind power formula is given by,
P = ½ ρAV3
P = ½ *1.23 kg/m3 *11309.7 m2* (20 m/s)3
P = 55.64 MW

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 Problem 5
Calculate the power that can be extracted from the wind if wind speed is 15 m/s.
Assume mechanical efficiency, electrical efficiency and transmission efficiencies as
70%, 60% and 65% respectively.

Solution:

The wind power density P* is related to the wind speed by the empirical formula.

P* = 0.37 ηm• ηE • ηT (v/10)3

Mechanical efficiency, ηm = 0.7; Electrical efficiency, ηE = 0.6; Transmission

efficiency, ηT = 0.65

Therefore, power extracted from wind = 0.37*0.7*0.6*0.65(15/10)3 = 0.3409 kW/m2

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 Problem 6
Calculate the rotational speed of wind turbine in rpm having blades of 1m. Assume
wind speed to be 11 m/s and tip to speed ratio (TSR) be 7.
Solution:
Formula which relates the wind speed, the rotor diameter and its operating RPM with
the TSR, or speed ratio (SR) at any fixed radius between the centre of rotation and the
tip is given as:
TSR = 7, v = 11 m/s, r = 1 m

Therefore, N = [60v(TSR)]\(2πr)

= [60*11*7]/[2*3.14*1]

= 735.66 RPM

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 Problem 7
The rated output power for a wind turbine model at wind speed of 15 m/s is 3 MW.
The rotor diameter is 90 m. The rotor rotates at a constant frequency of 0.198 Hz.
Calculate the tip to speed ratio and power conversion coefficient of this model.
Assume density of air as 1.225𝑘𝑔/𝑚3
Solution:

The linear velocity of the tip: 𝑣𝑡 =𝜔∗𝑅

= 2𝜋𝑓 ∗ 𝐷/ 2
= 2𝜋 ∗ 0.198𝐻𝑧 ∗ 90𝑚/2
= 56𝑚/𝑠

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The tip to speed ratio: 𝑟 = 𝑣𝑡 /𝑈
= 56𝑚/𝑠 / 15𝑚/𝑠 = 3.7
The wind power at the wind speed of 15 m/s: 𝑃 = 1/ 2 𝜌𝐴𝑈3
= 1 2 ∗ 1.225𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 ∗ 𝜋 ∗ (45𝑚)2 ∗ ( 15𝑚/𝑠 )3
= 13𝑀𝑊
The power conversion coefficient: 𝜀 = 3𝑀𝑊/ 13𝑀𝑊 = 23%

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Thanks

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