TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF KENYA

EEMI 4262    ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

Attempt all questions      30-10-2019
Q1 (a) State any two advantages and disadvantages of wind energy as a source of power
(b)Define the following characteristic parameters for wind machine:-
(i) Rated power of the machine (ii) Cut-in –speed (iii) Rated speed (iv) Furling speed
(c) Describe any four factors which should be considered while selecting a site for wind mill or
wind energy conservation system
Q2 (a) Menengai Geothermal Company intends to drill power holes to generate power from the
underground steam from dry rock granite at Menengai farm. As an engineer in charge, determine the
useful heat content per square kilometer of dry rock granite to a depth of 7 km. Take the geothermal
temperature gradient at 40 oC per kilometer, the minimum useful temperature as 140 K above the surface
temperature, the rock density as 820J/KgK and the rock thermal capacity as 820J/KgK
(b) A submarine engine is driven by atomic power at an efficiency of 40% and develops an average
power of 1600 kW during 8 hr run from one state to another. Determine how much U235 would be
consumed on the run if each atom on fission releases 200 MeW

Q3 (a) Describe in detail five stages of charcoal formation

(b) An automobile engineer wants to convert a petrol/diesel engine to a producer gas or dual-fuel
operation but it was found out that the power output of the producer gas or dual-fuel engine was reduced.
(i) Discuss any three reasons for this to occur.
(ii) Explain how the power output in producer gas operation can be maximised.
Q4 (a) Describe briefly any two types of solar collectors commonly in use
(b)With the help of sketches define the following terms used in thermal solar technology which
affect the quality of radiation received in solar collector or panels.
(i) Zenith angle (ii) Azimuth angle (iii) Hour Angle ω (iv) Angle of declination
(c) (i) Explain the purpose of cover plant in solar collectors and state two advantages and two
disadvantages of Plastics when used as cover plates in solar collectors.
(ii) State two ways of increasing the efficiency of the cover plate.
Q5 (a) Define the term solar efficiency and state any two factors a solar collector must have in order to be
efficient
(b) A solar Engineer has been contracted to design a flat plate solar collectors to be used in an
institution as one of the way to save of high electricity consumption. Discuss design factors to be
incorporated.
Q6 (a) Explain any three Problems associated with agricultural residues as source of energy
(b) State any three factors which are expected to determine the increase in demand of energy in
Kenya in future
Q7 (a) Explain the term biogas and state any five raw material of used in production of biogas.
(b) State any four factors affecting bio-digestion or generation of a gas
Q8 (a) State any four environmental impact caused by using biomass as a fuel
(b) A farmer has 10 heads of cattle and wishes to make use of biomass from the cows to generate
energy for domestic use. Advise him on the size of digester to invest in and the power available from the
digester if the retention time is 20 days at a temperature of 30oC, dry matter produced is 2kg/day per
cow, the biogas yield is 0.24m3/kg, burner efficiency is 0.6, methane proportion is 0.8, the calorific value
of the gas is 28MJ/m3 and the density of dry matter in fluid is 50 kg/m3.
Q9 (a) Define the term alternative energy
(c) Explain the three classes of geothermal region
(d) Outline four factors that can increase energy consumption in Kenya and explain any two possible
energy options.
Q10 (a) Wind is an indirect solar energy source; state any three of its characteristics
(b) A wind turbine generator has a rotor diameter of 60 m and operates in a 40 km/hr wind speed.
The conversion efficiency is 0.75, the combined mechanical and electrical efficiency is 0.90, the air
density is 1.185 kg/m3, Maximum theoretical coefficient = 0.593 and annual load factor is 0.45.
Determine the following:- (i) The power output of the generator (ii) The power coefficient
(iii) The energy output in kWh /year for an annual plant factor of 0.45
Q11 (a) Describe the following parts of a nuclear reactor and a nuclear power plant
(i) Moderator (ii) Control rods
(b) Explain in detail the four characteristics of energy demand and consumption history in the world
Q12 An insulation located 800 N is used to harness solar energy for water heating so as to save on
expenditure on electricity bills. Data available in metrological department indicate that some 700 watts
were measured at 11 a.m solar time on 17 Th April this year. If the engineer is planning to use a south
facing collector plate at angle 60 0 slope and the clearness index is 75% when the reflectactance of
background is 0.2, determine,
(i) The angle of incidence (ii) The Zenith angle (iii) The direct radiation (iii) The diffuse radiations
(iv) The reflected radiation (iv) The total radiation
END