Non-conventional Power

Generation

Presented By
Protik Chandra Biswas
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology
Need for search of non-conventional source of energy

i. Fossil fuels are depleting very fast

ii. They are widely available
iii. They are non-polluting
iv. They are well suited for decentralized use
 Non-conventional sources of energy

i. Solar energy
ii. Wind energy
iii. Bio-gas and bio-mass
iv. MHD generator (Magneto-Hydro Dynamic generator)
v. Geo thermal
vi. Tidal power
vii.Fuel cells
viii.Thermo-electric generation
ix. Thermionic converter
 Page: 597
Solar Energy G. R. Nagpal

 It is free, in exhaustible, non-polluting and devoid of political control

 Solar power would eliminate most of the serious environmental problems

associated with fossil fuel and nuclear power

 Solar radiations can be converted directly or indirectly in the form of

energy such as heat and electricity

 Solar radiation that has not been absorbed or scattered and reaches the
ground directly from the sun is called Direct Radiation. The radiations
received after scattering is called Diffuse Radiation. The total solar
radiation received at any point on the earth's surface is the sum of direct and
diffuse radiation

 Utilization of solar energy is of great importance to our country as it lies in

tropical climate region where sun light is abundant for a major part of the
year
 Photovoltaic (PV) cell or Solar Cell

These cell directly convert solar energy to DC power. These cells are made of
semiconductors that generate electricity when they absorb light.

Advantages of solar cells are as follows:

i. They need little maintenance

ii. They have longer life
iii. They do not create pollution problem
iv. Their energy source is unlimited
v. These are easy to fabricate
vi. They can be made from raw materials which are easily
available in larger quantities
 Photovoltaic (PV) cell or Solar Cell

Disadvantages of solar cells are as follows:

i. Compared with other sources of energy solar cells produce

electric power at very high cost

ii. Solar cell output is not constant and it varies with the time
of day and weather

iii. They can be used to generate small amount of electric

power
Working Principle of Solar Cell
 Working Principle of Solar Cell
 Consider a pn junction with a very narrow and more heavily doped n-region
 Illumination is through the thin n-side

 Depletion region (W) or the space charge layer (SCL) extends primarily into
the p-side
 There is a built-in field E0 in this depletion layer

 As the n-side is very narrow, most of the photons are absorbed within the
depletion region (W) and within the neutral p-side (lp), and generate electron-
hole pairs (EHP) in these regions

 The photo-generated EHPs in the depletion region are immediately separated

by the built-in field E0 which drifts them apart
 The electron drifts and reaches the neutral n-side whereupon it makes this
region negative by an amount of negative charge (–e)
 Similarly, the hole drifts and reaches the neutral p-side and thereby makes this
side positive
 Working Principle of Solar Cell
 Consequently, an open circuit voltage develops between the terminals of the
device with the p-side positive with respect to the n-side

 If an external load is connected, then the excess electron in the n -side can
travel around the external circuit, do work, and reach the p-side to recombine
with the excess hole there

 It is important to realize that without the internal field EO it is not possible to

drift apart the photo-generated EHPs and accumulate excess electrons on the
n-side and excess holes on the p-side

 The EHPs photogenerated by long-wavelength photons that are absorbed in

the neutral p-side diffuse around in this region as there is no electric field

 Those electrons within a distance Ln to the depletion region can readily

diffuse and reach this region whereupon they become drifted by Eo to the n-
side.
 Working Principle of Solar Cell
 Consequently, only those photogenerated EHPs within the minority carrier
diffusion length Ln to the depletion layer can contribute to the photovoltaic
effect
 Those photogenerated EHPs further away from the depletion region than Ln
are lost by recombination
 It is therefore important to have the minority carrier diffusion length Ln be as
long as possible
 The same ideas also apply to EHPs photogenerated by short wavelength
photons absorbed in the n-side. Those photogenerated holes within a diffusion
length Lp can reach the depletion layer and become swept across to the p-side
 The photogeneration of EHPs that contributes to the photovoltaic effect
therefore occurs in a region covering Lp +W + Ln
 If the terminals of the device are shorted then the excess electron in the n-side
can flow through the external circuit to neutralize the excess hole in the p-side
 This current due to the flow of the photogenerated carriers is called the
photocurrent
PN junction characteristics of PV cell
Effect of changing irradiance on solar cell
Fill factor and Maximum power point

Maximum Power Point

Approximate equivalent circuit of solar cell
Standalone PV system
Grid connected PV system
 Concentrated PV system

 Concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) (also known as Concentration Photovoltaics) is

a photovoltaic technology that generates electricity from sunlight

 Contrary to conventional photovoltaic systems, it uses lenses and curved mirrors

to focus sunlight onto small, but highly efficient, multi-junction (MJ) solar
cells

 In addition, CPV systems often use solar trackers and sometimes a cooling
system to further increase their efficiency

 Ongoing research and development is rapidly improving their competitiveness in

the utility-scale segment and in areas of high insolation
 Conversion efficiency of solar cell
𝑃𝐿 (𝑚𝑊) 𝑃𝐿 (𝑚𝑊)
 Conversion efficiency, η = =
𝑃𝑖𝑛 (𝑚𝑊) 𝐼×𝐴 (𝑚𝑊)
Where 𝑃𝐿 = Power output from PV cell
= 𝐹𝐹 × 𝑉𝑜𝑐 × 𝐼𝑠𝑐
𝑃𝑖𝑛 = Input solar power
A = Area (𝑐𝑚2 )
I = Insolation or Irradiance (𝑚𝑊 𝑐𝑚2 )

𝑃𝐿 𝑉 ×𝐼
 Fill Factor, 𝐹𝐹 = = 𝑚 𝑚
𝑉𝑜𝑐 ×𝐼𝑠𝑐 𝑉𝑜𝑐 ×𝐼𝑠𝑐

 If 𝑉𝑜𝑐 = 0.611𝑉, 𝐼𝑠𝑐 = 3.5𝐴, 𝐹𝐹 = 0.7, 𝑃𝑖𝑛 =10W

𝑃𝐿
 Conversion efficiency, η =
𝑃𝑖𝑛

𝐹𝐹×𝑉𝑜𝑐 ×𝐼𝑠𝑐
= = 14.9695%
𝑃𝑖𝑛
 Wind energy

 Wind energy which is an indirect source of energy can be utilised to run

wind mill which in turn drives a generator to produce electricity

 Advantages of wind energy to be used

 non-polluting
 renewable source of energy
 Cheaper when produced on small scale
 avoid fuel provision and transport

 Disadvantages of wind energy to be used

 fluctuating in nature
 because of its irregularity it needs storage devices
 sufficient noise produced by wind energy power generation
 Aero generator

 An electric generator is coupled to the turbine to produce electric power.

The combination of the wind turbine and generator is sometime called as
an Aero Generator
 Power coefficient
 The fraction of free wind power than can be extracted by a rotor is called
the power coefficient

𝑃1
Power coefficient, 𝐾 =
𝑃2
Where 𝑃1 = Power of wind rotor
𝑃2 = Power available in the wind
Q = Amount of air passing in unit time
=𝐴×𝑉
Where 𝐴=Area through which air passes
𝑉=Velocity of air

M = Mass of air traversing through area 𝐴 swept by the rotating blades

of wind mill type generator
M= 𝜌. 𝐴. 𝑉
Where ρ= Density of air
 Power coefficient

𝐾. 𝐸. = Kinetic energy of moving air

1
= 𝑀𝑉 2
2
1
= 𝜌𝐴𝑉 𝑉 2
2
1
= 2 𝜌𝐴𝑉 3

𝑃2 = Available wind power

= Kinetic energy
1
= 𝜌𝐴𝑉 3
2
 Various parts of a wind-electric generating
power plant

 Wind turbine or rotor

 Wind mill head
 Generator
 Supporting structure
 Basic Components of a Wind Energy Conversion
System (WECS)
Wind
direction control

Wind To load
Electrical or
Aeroturbine Gearing Coupling
Generator To grid

Speed Control
Pitch and Speed Control Generator
Wind signal
control Torque signal temperature
Speed

Controller
Output
power
 Basic Components of a Wind Energy Conversion
System (WECS)
 Aeroturbines convert the Wind energy to rotary mechanical energy

 A mechanical interface consisting of a step up gear and a coupling

transmits the rotary mechanical energy to an electrical generator at the
suitable rated speed of the generator

 The output of generator is connected either to load or power grid

 The purpose of controller is to sense wind speed, wind direction, shafts

speeds and torques, output power and generator temperature

 The controller sends appropriate signals for control of speed and direction
of aeroturbine and matches electrical output to wind energy input
 Site selection for wind mill units

 Where winds are strong and persisten

 Install WECS at higher altitudes because the winds tend to have higher
velocities at higher altitudes

 The ground conditions at the site should be such that the foundations for
WECS are secured

 The land cost should be low

 Icing problem, salt spray or blowing dust should not be present at the site
as they affect aeroturbine blades

 The site selected should he near to the users

 The site should be near to the road or railway facilities

 Performance of wind machines

 The overall efficiency of an aero-generator is

η0 = η𝐴 . η𝑔 . η𝑐 . η𝑔𝑒𝑛

Where η0 = Overall conversion efficiency of aero-generator

η𝐴 = Efficiency of aeroturbine
η𝑔 = Efficiency of gearing
η𝑐 = Efficiency of coupling
η𝑔𝑒𝑛 = Efficiency of generator

𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑠𝑕𝑎𝑓𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡

Coefficient of performance, 𝐶𝑃 =
𝑊𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡
 Biomass

 Biomass is produced in nature through photosynthesis achieved by solar

energy conversion

Solar energy Photosynthesis Biomass Energy generation

 Energy from Biomass is obtained in following three ways:

 Biomass in its traditional solid mass (wood and agricultural residue).

This biomass is burnt-directly to obtain the energy.

 Biomass in non-tradition form (converted into liquid fuel). In this

case the biomass is converted into ethanol and methanol to be used as
liquid fuels in engines.

 To ferment the biomass anaerobically to obtain a gaseous fuel called

bio-gas.
 Biomass

 Biomass resources are as follows:

 Concentrated wastes like
(a) industrial wastes
(b) municipal solid
(c) manure at large lots

 Dispersed waste residue like crop residue, disposed manure

 Harvested bio-mass, standing bio-mass

 Biomass as a source of energy has several advantages over dwindling fossil

resources:
 It is renewable
 It is environmentally clean
 It is easily adaptable
 Tidal Power

 Tide is periodic rise and fall of water level of the sea. In about 24 hours
there are two high tides and two low tides.

 Tides occur due to the attraction of sea water by the moon. These tides can
be used to produce electrical power which is called tidal power.

 World's first tidal power plant was commissioned at Rance in France of

240 MW capacity.
 Selection of location of tidal power plant
 The tidal range at the desired location should be adequate throughout the
year

 The site selected for tidal power plant should be free from the wave attack
of sea

 No appreciable change in tidal pattern at the proposed site

 The site at which tidal power plant is to be located should not have
excessive sediment load
 Tidal Power Plants
 The three main components of a tidal power plant are follows:

i. The dyke to form basic or basin

ii. Sluice ways from the basin to the sea and vice versa
iii. The power house (Turbine, electric generators and other
auxiliary equipment are the main equipment of power house)

 Tidal power plants are classified as follows:

 Single basin system

(a) One way system
(b) Two way system
(c) Two way with pump storage

 Double basin system

(a) Simple double basin system
(b) Double basin with pumping
 Single basin one way tidal power plant

Fig: Single
basin one way
tidal power
plant

 In this plant a basin is allowed to get filled during the flood tide

 During the ebb tide, the water flowing from the basin to the sea through the
turbine and generates power

 The power is available for a short duration during ebb tide

 In single basin two way tidal power plant, the power is generated both
during flood tide as well as ebb tide. The direction of flow through the
turbines during the ebb and flood tides alternates but machine acts as a
turbine for either direction of flow.
 Double basin one way tidal power plant

 In this plant one basin is intermittently filled by flood tide and other is
intermittently drained by ebb tide
 Advantages of tidal power plant

 It is free from pollution

 It is inexhaustible and does not depend on rain

 Tidal power plants do not require large area of valuable land because they
are located on sea shore

 Tidal power has a unique capacity to meet peak power demand effectively
when it works in combination with hydropower plant or thermal power
plant
 Disadvantages of tidal power plant

 The output varies because of variation in tidal range

 The power transmission cost is high because the tidal power plants are
located away from load centers

 Sedimentation and silteration of basins are the problems associated with

tidal power plants

 Because of variable tidal range the turbines have to work on a wide range
of variable head

 Capital cost of the plant is high

 Thermionic generation

 This method of power generation utilizes the thermionic emission effect

which means emission of electrons from heated metal surface

 The energy required to extract an electron from the metal is called work
function of the metal and depends on the nature of metal and its surface
condition
 Thermionic converter

 The thermionic converter utilizes thermionic emission effect

 It consists of two metal (or electrodes) with different work functions sealed
into an evacuated vessel on heating one electrode, the electrons are emitted
which travel to opposite colder electrode called collector or anode

 The hot electrode (emitter or cathode) emits electrons and acquires a

positive charge whereas colder electrode collects electrons and becomes
negatively changed

 A voltage (or electromotive force) thus develops between the electrodes

and a direct current starts flowing in the load connected

 The electrode with the large work function is maintained at higher

temperature than one with the smaller work function
 Thermionic converter

 By thermionic converter the currents that can be produced are extremely

small except in special case of metals at high temperatures

 To achieve a substantial electron emission rate and hence a significant

current out put as well as a high efficiency the emitter temperature in a
thermionic converter containing cesium should be at least 1000oC

 The efficiency is then about 10 percent

 Thermo-electric power
 This method of producing electrical energy uses see-beck effect according to
which an EMF is produced when in a loop of two dissimilar metals junctions
arc kept at different temperatures

 The efficiency of thermo-electric generator depends upon the temperatures of

hot and cold junctions

 If temperature difference is
maintained between the hot and
cold junctions an electric
current will flow round the loop

 The magnitude of the current produced depends on the following factors:

(i) Materials used
(ii) Temperature difference of the junctions
 Thermo-electric power
 If the circuit is broken, an open circuit voltage (V) appears across the
terminals of the break as shown

 Thermo e.m.f V produced by the device is given by

𝑉 = 𝛼𝑠 × ∆𝑇
Where 𝛼𝑠 = See-beck coefficient
∆𝑇 = Temperature difference = 𝑇2 − 𝑇1
𝑇1 = Temperature of cold junction
𝑇2 = Temperature of hot junction
 Thermo-electric power generator
 In the thermo-couple arrangement, materials
A and B are joined at the hot end

 An electric voltage (or electromotive force)

is then generated between the cold ends

 For a given thermo couple the voltage and electric power output are
increased by increasing the temperature difference between the hot and cold
ends
 To increase voltage and power, several thermo-couples are connected in
series in a thermoelectric power generator as shown in Fig.
 Magneto-Hydro Dynamic (MHD) generator
 The principle of a magneto hydro dynamic (MHD) generator is based on
Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction which states that a changing
magnetic field induced an electric field in any conductor located in it

 In case of conventional electric generator conductor crosses the line of the

magnetic field and a voltage is induced

 Similarly in a magneto-hydrodynamic generator when an ionised gas flows

across the lines of magnetic field, a voltage is induced

 The ionised gas acts like an electrical conductor. The gas used may have a
temperature between 2000°-3000°K

 M.H.D. generator is a highly efficient heat engine which directly converts

thermal energy into electricity

 It is the latest technique of advanced method of power generation where

efficiency as high as 60% can be achieved as compared to about 35%
efficiency of conventional thermal power stations
Magneto-Hydro Dynamic (MHD) generator
 Magneto-Hydro Dynamic (MHD) generator
 The hot ionized gas passes between the
poles of an electro-magnet and induces a
potential difference between a pair of
electrodes which are at right angles of
magnetic field and a current starts
flowing in the resistive load connected
between electrodes
 The ionised gas has high temperature and pressure and after passing through
MHD generator, it is passed through a generator where energy is added to it
and it is then recirculated in the MHD generator

 This system is simpler and has large power and temperature handling capacity

 Having no moving parts it has high-reliability

 MHD power plants tan operate as base load, peaking or semi peaking units
and along with a large load variations without significant loss in efficiency
 Magneto-Hydro Dynamic (MHD) generator

 MHD generator are of two types:

(i) Open cycle generators
(ii) Closed cycle generators

 In open cycle the working fluid after generating electrical energy is

discharged to the atmosphere through a stack

 In closed cycle the working fluid is continuously recirculated

Open cycle MHD generator
 Open cycle MHD generator
 In this generator the fuel (oil, coal, natural gas) is burnt in the combustion
chamber
 Preheated air is supplied to the combustion chamber to burn the fuel
 The hot gases from the combustion chamber is then seeded with a small
amount of an ionized alkali metal (cesium or potassium) to increase the
electrical conductivity of the gas
 The seed material which is generally potassium carbonate is injected into the
combustion chamber, the ionization of potassium taking place by hot
combustion gas at temperature of about 2300-2700C
 The hot pressurized working fluid leaves the combustion chamber and passes
through a convergent divergent nozzle
 The gases coming out of nozzle at high velocity then enter the MHD
generator
 The hot gases expand in the generator surrounded by powerful magnets
 The MHD generator produces direct current (DC) which can be converted
into alternating current (AC) with the help of an inverter.
 Advantages of MHD Generator

 The size of the plant is considerably smaller than conventional fossil fuel
plants

 It can be started and put on line within few seconds

 It has high thermal efficiency (50-55%)

 It proves instantaneous stand by power. It can be used most economically as

peak load plant.

 Closed cycle produces power free from pollution

 Disadvantages of MHD Generator

 Development of super conductor magnet

 Materials to withstand high temperatures

 Efficient conversion of DC to AC erosion less electrodes

 Heavy losses in the power electrodes.

 MHD power-plant can also be operated in combination with

(i) gas turbine power plant
(ii) nuclear power plant
 Fuel Cell
 It is an electrochemical device which converts chemical energy directly in
electrical energy

 Hydrogen oxygen fuel cell uses hydrogen (or hydro-carbon) as a fuel and
oxygen (or air) as an oxidiser

 There are two chambers. In one chamber

hydrogen is introduced and in other chamber
oxygen is introduced. The gases are at high
pressure

 The chambers are separated by an

electrolyte, which may be solid or liquid
(such Potassium hydroxide)

 When the temperature is high the electrolyte

material acts as sieve and the hydrogen ions
can migrate through the material.
 Fuel Cell
 Hydrogen ions are produced by the dissociation of hydrogen molecules at the
anode electrolyte interface. The reaction being as follows:

2𝐻2 = 4𝐻 + + 4𝑒 −

 The electrons so formed return to fuel cell at cathode leaving a positive

charge at anode

 The hydrogen ions diffuse through electrolyte and when they reach cathode
they combine with electrons and oxygen molecules and form water. The
reaction being as follows:

4𝐻+ + 4𝑒 − + 𝑂2 = 2𝐻2 𝑂
 Advantages and disadvantages of fuel cell

 Advantages:
 It is simple
 It has high power to weight ratio
 Theoretical efficiency as high as 90% can be expected but it is
possible only at light loads

 Disadvantages:
 Its cost is high
 It has relatively short life particularly at high temperatures
 It is very essential to select proper materials for components so that
the reaction cannot attack them
Thanks to all