ME8792 - POWER PLANT ENGINEERING

UNIT 4: POWER FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY

PART A
1) What are the limitations of tidal power plant? [N/D 2015]
 The tidal ranges are highly variable and therefore, turbines have to work on a wide range of head
variation.
 Construction in sea is found difficult.
 Cost is not favorable when compared to other sources of energy.
 The output is not uniform.
 More corrosion will occur due to corrosive sea water.
 Massive construction leads to more consumption to start the plant.
 The tidal power plant is costly.
 The power transmission cost is high because the tidal power plants are located away from load
centers.

2) Mention the various advantages of wind power. [N/D 2015], [N/D 2018]
Clean: Aside from manufacturing process, wind power emits absolutely no greenhouse gases.
Free: There are no fuel concerns as long as the wind blows, electricity will be generated. There are no
worries about sourcing the fuel from elsewhere to make it work.
Place-ability: Due to their nature, wind turbines can be placed in a variety of locations rather inhospitable
locations.
Decentralized: One wind power plant cannot generate huge amount of electricity.
Domestic: Wind power lends itself well to domestic applications as wind turbines can be virtually any size.

3) Define the functions of surge tank and forebay in hydro plants. [M/J 2016]
Surge tank is used to reduce the sudden rise of water in the penstock, stabilize the velocity and pressure
in penstock and reduce water hammer effect.
Forebay serves as a temporary regulating reservoir which is used to store water when the load on the
plant is reduced and it provides water for the initial increment of an increasing load while the water in the
canal is being accelerated.

4) Why is a tall tower essential for manufacturing a horizontal axis wind turbine? [M/J 2016]
Allowing the angle of attack to be remotely adjusted gives greater control, so the turbine collects the
maximum amount of wind energy for the time of day and season. The tall tower base allows access to
stronger wind in sites with wind shear.

5) What is biogas? Give the advantages. [N/D 2016]

Biogas is a gaseous fuel obtained from biomass by the process of anaerobic digestion(Fermentation).
Advantages:
 It is renewable source.
 The pollutant emissions from combustion of biomass are usually lower than fossil fuels.
 Commercial use of biomass may avoid or reduce the problems of waste disposal in other
industries.
 Use of biogas plant apart from supplying clean gas also leads to improved and stabilized
sanitation.
 The forestry and agricultural industries which supply feed stocks also provide substantial
economic development opportunities in rural areas.
 The energy storage is an in-built feature of it.
6) List the difference between Francis and Kaplan turbine. [N/D 2016]
S.No Francis Turbine Kaplan Turbine
Correct disposition of the guide and moving Correct disposition of the guide and moving vanes
1
vanes is obtained at full load only is obtained at any load.
System may have one or two servomotors Two servomotors respective of the size of the unit
2
depending on the size of the unit. always do governing.
Since the guide vanes are only controlled Both guide and runner vanes are controlled and
3
and high efficiency is obtained. high efficiency is obtained even at partial loads.
Servomotors are kept outside the turbine Both servomotors are kept inside the hollow shaft
4
shaft of the turbine runner.

7) What is fuel cell? State the advantages. [M/J 2017], [M/J 2018]
A fuel cell is a device which uses hydrogen and oxygen to create an electric current. OR A fuel cell is an
electrochemical device in which the chemical energy of a conventional fuel is converted directly and
efficiently into low voltage direct current electrical energy.
Advantages:
 Fuel cells have the potential to replace the internal combustion engine in vehicles and they provide
power for stationary and portable power applications.
 They can be used in transportation applications such as powering automobiles, buses, cycles and other
vehicles.
 Many portable devices can be powered by fuel cells such as laptop computers and cell phones.
 They can be used for stationary applications such as providing electricity to power homes and
businesses.

8) What is spillway? [M/J 2017]

Spillway are structures constructed to provide safe release of flood waters from a dam to downstream. It is
used to release surplus water from a reservoir to prevent overflow and to release pressure on a dam from
increasing quantities of water and it act as a safety valve for the dam.

9) Define Tidal Range(R). [N/D 2017]

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.
Tidal Range ® = Water elevation at high tide – water elevation at low tide

10) Name two types of Geothermal Energy Deposits. [N/D 2017]

 Volcanoes
 Geysers
 Hot springs

11) How are winds formed? [M/J 2018]

Wind is caused by differences in the atmospheric pressure. When a difference in atmospheric pressure
exists, air moves from the higher to the lower pressure area, resulting in winds of various speeds. On a
rotating planet, air will also be deflected by the Coriolis effect, except exactly on the equator. Wind is
produced by the uneven heating of the earth’s surface by energy from the sun.

12) List the methods of solar energy utilization. [N/D 2018]

The utilization of solar energy requires solar collectors. These collectors are classified into two types. They
are,
i) Non Concentrating or flat plate type solar collector
ii)Concentrating or focusing type solar collector.
13) What is solar photovoltaic cell and module? [N/D 2018-N]
Energy conversion devices which are used to convert sunlight into electricity by the use of the photovoltaic
effect called solar cells and combination of such cells are designed to increase the electric power output
called solar module.

14) List the different types of hydro plants according to the quantity of water available?[N/D2018-N]
i) Low Head Power Plant
Operating head of water is less than 10m. and Kaplan turbine is used as a prime mover in this
type of power plant.
ii) Medium Head Power Plant
Operating head of water ranges from 10m to 50m. and Francis turbine is used as a prime mover
in this type of power plant.
iii)High Head Power Plant
Operating head of water exceeds 50m. and Pelton turbine is used as a prime mover in this type
of power plant

15) Mention few turbines that are widely used in hydro-electric power stations. [A/M 2019]
i) Pelton turbine
ii) Francis Turbine
iii)Kaplan Turbine

16) State the function of ‘dyke’ and ‘sluice ways’ refers on tidal power plants. [A/M 2019]
Dyke or Barrage or Dam:
It makes use of the potential energy possessed by the difference in height between high tide and
low tide. The function of a dam is to form a barrier between the sea and the basin or between one basin to
the other basin in case of multiple basins. The most suitable word for tidal power plant is barrage. Barrages
have to resist waves whose shock can be severe and where pressure changes sides continuously.
Sluice ways:
The sluice ways are gate controlled devices. They are employed to fill the basin during the high
tide or empty the basin during low tide. In existing plants, vertical lift gates have been employed. Flap
gates are also used. The flap gates allow only in the direction of sea to basin. Therefore, the level of the
basin rises.