Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Department

Clim Jobert L. Regio MEEN 40053: Solar Energy and Wind Energy Utilization

BSME 4 – 3 Engr. Armingol Morales

Quiz # 1
I. DEFINE / EXPLAIN
a) Wind Power
Wind power is the generation of electricity from wind. Wind power harvests
the primary energy flow of the atmosphere generated from the uneven heating of the
Earth’s surface by the Sun. Therefore, wind power is an indirect way to harness solar
energy. Wind power is converted to electrical energy by wind turbines.
b) Windmills
A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy
using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is
also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications. The term wind
engine is sometimes used to describe such devices.
It was found that three blades worked the best and that’s how every windmill
has three blades. The energy source for windmill is wind. When the blades come in
contact with the wind, the blades move such that the shaft starts to spin, resulting in
the production of electricity. The generator converts the mechanical energy into
electrical energy.
c) Horizontal Axis
A horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) is a wind turbine in which the axis of
the rotor's rotation is parallel to the wind stream and the ground. All grid-connected
commercial wind turbines today are built with a propeller-type rotor on a horizontal
axis (i.e. a horizontal main shaft). Most horizontal axis turbines built today are two-
or three-bladed, although some have fewer or more blades. The purpose of the rotor is
to convert the linear motion of the wind into rotational energy that can be used to
drive a generator.
d) Vertical Axis
A vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) is a type of wind turbine where the
main rotor shaft is set transverse to the wind while the main components are located
at the base of the turbine. This arrangement allows the generator and gearbox to be
located close to the ground, facilitating service and repair. VAWTs do not need to be
pointed into the wind, which removes the need for wind-sensing and orientation
mechanisms.
e) Tower
The tower in most modern turbines is round tubular steel of a diameter of 3–4
m (10–13 ft), with a height of 75–110 m (250–370 ft), depending on the size of the
turbine and its location. The rule of thumb for a turbine tower is that it has the same
height as the diameter of the circle its blades make when rotating. Normally, the taller
a turbine is, it is subject to more of the wind with higher speed. This is because the
farther we are from the ground, the faster the wind (wind does not have the same
speed at various distances from the ground).
f) Rotor
The rotor is the rotating part of a turbine; it consists of (mostly) three blades
and the central part that the blades are attached to, the hub. A turbine does not
necessarily have to have three blades; it can have two, four, or another number of
blades. But the three-blade rotor has the best efficiency and other advantages.
g) Hub
The hub is the part of a wind turbine that connects the blades to the main
shaft. The hub is subject to high mechanical loads, as it needs to transfer to the main
shaft the torque produced from each blade as well as the trust force.
The function of the hub is to hold the blades and make it possible for them to
rotate with respect to the rest of the turbine body.
h) Solar Energy
Solar energy uses the sun’s light and heat to generate renewable or ‘green’
power. The most common form of solar energy is harnessed by solar panels, or
photovoltaic cells. In photovoltaic power stations, they’re arranged almost edge-to-
edge to capture sunlight in large fields. The cells are created from semiconductor
 materials. When the sun’s rays hit the cells, it loosens electrons from their atoms.
This allows the electrons to flow through the cell and generate electricity.
i) Photovoltaic Cells
A photovoltaic (PV) cell is an energy harvesting technology, that converts
solar energy into useful electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect.
There are several different types of PV cells which all use semiconductors to interact
with incoming photons from the Sun in order to generate an electric current.
j) Direct Current to Alternating Current
Alternating current (AC) power is the standard electricity that comes out of
power outlets and is defined as a flow of charge that exhibits a periodic change in
direction. AC's current flow changes between positive and negative because of
electrons—electrical currents come from the flow of these electrons, which can move
in either a positive (upward) or negative (downward) direction. This is known as the
sinusoidal AC wave, and this wave is caused when alternators at power plants create
AC power.
Direct current (DC) power, as you may suss from the name, is a linear
electrical current—it moves in a straight line. Direct current can come from multiple
sources, including batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, and some modified alternators. DC
power can also be "made" from AC power by using a rectifier that converts AC to
DC. DC power is far more consistent in terms of voltage delivery, meaning that most
electronics rely on it and use DC power sources such as batteries.
II. Discuss /Explain the operational process and show the flow diagram including major
equipment of:
1) Wind Power Plant
 Wind turbines work on a simple principle: instead of using electricity to make
wind—like a fan—wind turbines use wind to make electricity. Wind turns the
propeller-like blades of a turbine around a rotor, which spins a generator, which
creates electricity.
A wind turbine turns wind energy into electricity using the aerodynamic force
from the rotor blades, which work like an airplane wing or helicopter rotor blade.
When wind flows across the blade, the air pressure on one side of the blade decreases.
The difference in air pressure across the two sides of the blade creates both lift and
drag. The force of the lift is stronger than the drag and this causes the rotor to spin.
The rotor connects to the generator, either directly (if it’s a direct drive turbine) or
through a shaft and a series of gears (a gearbox) that speed up the rotation and allow
for a physically smaller generator. This translation of aerodynamic force to rotation of
a generator creates electricity.
2) Solar Power Plant
 Electrical energy can be harvested from solar power by means of either
photovoltaics or concentrated solar power systems.
Photovoltaics directly convert solar energy into electricity. They work on the
principle of the photovoltaic effect. When certain materials are exposed to light, they
absorb photons and release free electrons. This phenomenon is called as the
photoelectric effect. Photovoltaic effect is a method of producing direct current
electricity based on the principle of the photoelectric effect.
Based on the principle of photovoltaic effect, solar cells or photovoltaic cells
are made. They convert sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. But, a single
photovoltaic cell does not produce enough amount of electricity. Therefore, a number
of photovoltaic cells are mounted on a supporting frame and are electrically
connected to each other to form a photovoltaic module or solar panel.
3) Hydroelectric Power Plant
 The working principle of the hydroelectric power plant is that it converts the
potential energy (due to the elevation of water from the channel) and the kinetic
energy (due to fast-flowing water) of the water into mechanical energy with the help
of turbines. The water that is stored in the reservoir or forebay behind the dam falls
through the penstock, and it strikes the blades of the turbine with high pressure, and
the turbine runner starts rotating. The runner is attached to the central shaft that is
connected to the generator, which eventually generates electricity, i.e., the turbine’s
mechanical energy is converted into electricity through electric generators.
The electrical energy obtained is then supplied for domestic or industrial uses
through the transmission lines after the voltage regulation by the transformers. The
electrical energy obtained through the hydroelectric plants is proportional to the rate
of flow of water and the elevation drop.

4) Biogas Power Plant

 . The working of a biogas plant is, the biomass is mixed with water and then is
decomposed by the anaerobic bacteria into the products like gasses (methane,
hydrogen, carbon dioxide) and the other side products (manure, fertilizers).
The principle of a biogas plant is to produce the gasses like methane and other
side products like carbon dioxide, etc by decomposing (breaking down the complex
substances into the simple/basic substances) the biomass (the organic matter - the
natural substances obtained from the plants and animals, such as the cow dung, the
vegetable waste) in the absence of air (the anaerobic fermentation) and presence of
the water.