Engineering & Technology Examinations, December, 2014

Year: 4th Semester: 7th

Department: Mechanical Engineering

Paper Name: RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS

Paper Code: ME 703B

Prof. Samir Ghosh: Assistant Professor- Mechanical Engineering Dept.

DATE: SIGNATURE
 CS/B.TECH (ME (N))/SEM-7/ME 703B/14-15

RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS (ME 703B)

Time: 3 Hrs Full Marks: 70

GROUP-A
(Multiple Choice Type Questions)
1. Choose the Correct Alternatives for the following: 101=10
i). Air mass ratio is minimum
(a) When the sun is at zenith (b) at sunrise
(c) At sunset (d) at 06:00 GMT

ii). For 1 degree change in longitude, the change in solar time is

(a) 4 minutes (b) 4 seconds
(c) 1 minutes (d) 1 hour
iii).Maximum wind energy available is proportional to
(a) Square of the diameter of rotor (b) cube of the wind velocity
(c) Air density (d) all of these
iv). The minimum tidal range required for power generation is about
(a) 1m (b) 5m (c) 10m (d) 20m
v). The power in waves is
(a) Directly proportional to amplitude and period of wave
(b) Directly proportional to amplitude and inversely proportional to period of wave
(c) Directly proportional to the square of amplitude and to the period of wave
(d) Inversely proportional to amplitude and period of wave
vi). The energy content of biomass fuel depends upon
(a) Carbon content (b) moisture content
(c) Ash content (d) all of these

vii). Types of geothermal fluids used as input to power plants

(a) Hot brine (b) cold water

(c) sea water (d) vapour

viii). Fuel cell is a device in which
(a) Chemical energy is converted into electricity
(b) Heat energy is converted into electricity
(c) Heat energy is converted into chemical energy
(d) None of these
ix). Wave energy is basically harnessed in the form of
a) Thermal energy b) Chemical energy
c) Mechanical energy d) Electrical energy.
x). Photovoltaic energy is the conversion of sunlight into:
(a) Chemical energy
(b) Biogas
(c) Electricity
(d) Geothermal energy

Answer: 1. (a); 2. (a); 3. (b); 4. (b); 5. (a); 6. (a); 7. (d); 8. (a); 9. (c); 10. (c);

GROUP-B

(Short Answer Type Questions)

Answer any Three of the following 35=15

2. What are the advantages and limitations of non-conventional energy sources? [3+2]

3. What is a solar cell? Describe the construction and operation of a solar cell. [2+3]

4. Discuss in detail the various parameters to be considered in detail for the design of solar water
heating systems and its efficiency. [5]

5. A two-blade Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) is installed at a location with free wind
velocity of 20m/s. The rotor diameter is 30m. What rotational speed should be maintained to
produce maximum output? [5]

6. Explain the process of production of Bio-gas from bio-mass. What are the main advantages of
anaerobic digestion of biomass? [3+2]
 GROUP-C

(Long Answer Type Questions)

Answer any three of the following 315=45

1
gρa2
7. a) For wave energy generation, show that potential energy density per unit area is 4 ,
symbols have their usual meanings.
b) Explain the basic principle of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). Describe the
closed cycle OTEC system with the help of flow diagram. [7+8]

8. a) State the difference between

i) Biogas and producer gas
ii) Combustion and Pyrolysis
b) The following data are given for a family size biogas digester suitable for accommodating
cow dung of 10 cows, the retention time is 20 days, temperature of the slurry is 35 degree
Celsius, dry matter input to the digester is 2.5 kg/day, biogas yield is 0.25 m 3/kg, the
efficiency of burner is 60%, methane production in biogas is 0.7, Heat of combustion of
methane is 28 MJ/m3.

Calculate: a) Volume of the digester. b) The power available from the plant. [8+7]

9. a) With a neat sketch, describe the working principle of liquid dominated and vapour
dominated geothermal system.
b) A hot dry rock (HRD) resource has a geothermal temperature gradient at 39 0K km-1. The

minimum useful temperature is 120K above the surface temperature,

T o . Water at flow
rate of 0.5m3s-1km-2 is used for heat extraction. The density and specific heat capacity for
water may be assumed as 1000 kg/m3 and 4200 J kg-1 K-1 respectively. Calculate,

i) The heat content per square kilometer of HRD to a depth of 8 km, assuming ρr =2700

kg/m3 and Cr =820 J kg-1 K-1

ii) Useful average temperature, initially and after 25 years
Useful heat extraction rate per km2, initially and after 25 years [8+7]
10. a) For a simple single basin type tidal system; show that the average power generation:

Pavg =0 . 225 A ( R 2−r 2 ) watts. Where, A = area of the basin; R = range of the tide;
r = minimum operating head of the plant. [All the required data may be assumed in SI
units]
6
b) A tidal power plant of the simple single basin type has a basin area of 3×10 m2. The tide
has range of 12m. The turbine, however, stops operating when the head on it falls below 3m.
Calculate the energy generated in one filling (or emptying) process, in kilowatt hours if the
turbine generator efficiency is 0.73. [7+8]

11. a) The following data were measured for a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT)
Speed of wind = 20m/s at 1 atm and 27º C
Diameter of rotor = 80m
Speed of rotor = 40rpm
Calculate the torque produced at the shaft for maximum output of the turbine.
b) What is solar-still? With the help of schematic diagram, explain the solar desalination of
water. [7+8]
12. a) Define: Air Mass ratio, Altitude Angle, Declination.
b) Calculate the angle of incidence of beam radiation on a plane surface, tilted by 45º from
horizontal plane and pointing 30º west of south located at Mumbai at 1:30 PM (IST) on15 th
November. The longitude and latitude at Mumbai are 72º49´ E and 18º54´ N respectively.
The standard longitude for IST is 81º44´ E. [6+9]