Principles of Energy

UNIT 1 PRINCIPLES OF ENERGY Conversion

CONVERSION

Structure

1.1 Introduction
Objectives
1.2 Forms of Energy
1.3 Energy Conversion in Machines
1.3.1 Energy Conversion in an Automobile
1.3.2 Energy Conversion in a Thermal Power Station
1.4 Examples of Energy Conversion
1.5 Modes of Energy Conversion
1.5.1 Direct Energy Conversion
1.5.2 Multistage Energy Conversion
1.6 Laws of Thermodynamics
1.7 Energy Conversion Efficiency
1.8 Let Us Sum Up
1.9 Key Words
1.10 Answers to SAQs

1.1 INTRODUCTION
You have learned that energy is the capacity to do work. You have also seen that
energy is conserved which means that it can neither be created nor destroyed.
Energy does many things. Energy exists in many forms and can be changed from
one form to another form.
What is equally important is the energy store which is usually termed as “Fuel”.
You have heard about the fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). The energy
stored in these fossil fuels can be converted in the energy form which is most
suitable to us. Each conversion process ends up with energy loss which is wasted
as heat into the environment. In this unit, you will learn about the energy
conversion processes.

Point to Remember :
Fuel may be defined as the store of energy.
Coal, oil and natural gas store a high level of energy. That is why these are treated
as most widely used fuels in the world.

Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to understand
· principles of energy conversion,
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Energy Conversion
Processes · modes of energy conversion,
· energy conversion efficiency, and
· laws of thermodynamics.

1.2 FORMS OF ENERGY

The main energy forms are :
Þ Electrical Energy
Þ Thermal Energy
Þ Chemical Energy
Þ Nuclear Energy
Þ Radiant Energy
Fuels store different amount of energy which is converted to other forms as per
our need. This is shown in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1 : Fuels, Energy and End Use
Primary Type of Energy End Use
Energy Energy
Source Stored
Coal Chemical Electricity, Light, Heat, Mechanical, etc.

Oil Chemical Electricity, Light, Heat, Mechanical, etc.

Natural Gas Chemical Electricity, Light, Heat, Mechanical, etc.

Sun Radiant/Solar Electricity, Light, Heat, Mechanical, etc.

Uranium Nuclear Electricity, Light, Heat, Mechanical, etc.

An example of solar energy conversion in a photovoltaic solar cell is shown in

Figure 1.1.
Solar Cell
Light Mechanical
Electrical Energy
Energy

Figure 1.1 : Conversion of Solar Energy into Other Forms of Energy

1.3 ENERGY CONVERSIONS IN MACHINES

Energy is always conserved which means that it can neither be created nor
destroyed. Energy may be transformed from one form to another. The concept of
energy and its transformations is extremely useful in explaining and predicting
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 Principles of Energy
most natural phenomena. We have already discussed various forms of energy. Conversion
You will learn how that energy can be converted into another form of energy.
You have already learned that energy is conserved; you should also remember
that by definition of energy the transfer of energy between the "system" and
adjacent regions is known as work. This can be mathematically expresed as
follows :
ΔE = W . . . (1.1)
Here, ΔE is the amount of energy transferred, and W represents the work done on
the system. In this equation, you can see that all energy transferred in converted in
to work which is not correct since there are energy losses, Q, involved whenever
there is a transfer of energy. Thus, Eq. (1.1) can be more correctly written as
follows :
ΔE = W + Q . . . (1.2)
where Q represents the heat flow into the system. You will learn later in the
course that minimising Q is the basis of energy conservation.
1.3.1 Energy Conversion in an Automobile
You can now think transformation of different types of energy into heat and
power. An example is shown in Figure 1.2. It involves a number of conversion
stages. Each of the conversion stage involves some losses. Lesser are the
conversion stages, more is the overall efficiency.

Potential energy in the fuel converted to kinetic energy of

expanding gas via combustion

Kinetic energy of expanding gas converted to linear piston

movement

Linear piston movement converted to rotary crankshaft

movement

Rotary movement passed out of transmission assembly and

through differential to drive wheels

Rotary movement of drive wheels converted to linear motion of

the vehicle.

Figure 1.2 : Energy Conversion in an Automobile

In any automobile, there are two types of energy conversion and hence two types
of efficiencies :
Thermal Efficiency : The chemical energy of fuel is converted into mechanical
energy, moving the piston which is useful work. This is engine efficiency or
thermal efficiency. The value of thermal efficiency is about 40%.
Mechanical Efficiency : The fraction of the useful work actually drives the
vehicle. This is the mechanical efficiency of the engine. The value of mechanical
efficiency is about 50%.
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Energy Conversion
Processes The overall efficiency of an automobile is therefore 20 % (0.50 ´ 0.4 = 0.2).
Some of the devices used in converting one form of energy into another are listed
in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1 : Energy Conversion Devices
Energy Type Mechanical Thermal Electrical Electromagnetic Chemical
energy energy energy Radiations energy

Mechanical Lever Brakes Dynamo Synchroton Matches

energy

Thermal energy Steam Heat Thermocouple Hot Objects Blasts Furnace

Turbine Exchanger

Electrical Electric Resister Transformer Light Emitting Electrolysis

energy Motors Diodes

Electromagnetic Solar Sail Solar Solar Cell Non-linear optics Photosynthesis

Radiations Collector

Chemical energy Muscle Fire Fuel cell Glowworms Chemical

Reactions

1.3.2 Energy Conversion in a Thermal Power Station

You are using grid connected electricity at your home. This electricity is
generated at thermal power stations where fossil fuels (coal, oil or natural gas) are
burnt to produce heat. The entire energy conversion process involves the
following transformations.
Step 1 : Chemical energy stored in the fossil fuels gets converted to thermal
energy in a boiler.
Step 2 : Thermal energy gets converted to kinetic energy in steam.
Step 3 : Kinetic energy gets converted to mechanical energy in the turbine.
Step 4 : Mechanical energy of the turbine gets converted to electrical
energy.

Point to Remember :

(1) Energy conversion is required to convert energy from one form to another form.
(2) Energy converter is a device used to convert energy from one form to another
form.

You can see the importance of electricity, how it is produced and is made available at
your finger tips.

1.4 EXAMPLES OF ENERGY CONVERSION

You may now think of other energy conversion processes given in Figures 1.3 to
1.10. We have given the conversion of one form of energy in to another form of
energy and the energy conversion device. For example, the heat energy can be
converted in to electricity by several energy devices like thermoelectric power,
geothermal power and ocean thermal power.

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 Principles of Energy
Thermo Conversion
electric
Power

Conversion of Electricity
Heat Geothermal
Power

Ocean
Thermal
Power

Energy Conversion Devices

Figure 1.3 : Conversion of Heat into Electricity

Conversion
of
Gravitational Electricity Hydroelectric
Potential Dams
Energy

Figure 1.4 : Conversion of Gravitational Potential Energy into

Electricity

Electricity Fuel Cell

Conversion
of
Chemical
Energy
Heat and Lamp
Light

Figure 1.5 : Conversion of Chemical Energy into Electricity

Conversion
of Electricity Electric
Kinetic Generator
Energy

Figure 1.6 : Conversion of Kinetic Energy into Electricity

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Energy Conversion
Processes

Conversion
of Electricity Nuclear
Nuclear Energy Plant
Energy

Figure 1.7 : Conversion of Nuclear Energy into Electricity

Conversion
of Electricity Wind
Wind Mills
Energy

Figure 1.8 : Conversion of Wind Energy into Electricity

Conversion
of Electricity Solar
Solar Cell
Energy

Figure 1.9 : Conversion of Solar Energy into Electricity

Point to Remember :
Heat is transferred to the environment during all energy conversion processes. This in turn
leads to a slight increase in the thermal energy of the environment. What does this mean?
This simply means that this thermal energy is lost to the environment and is not available for
doing any useful work.

Conversion
of Electricity Wave Power
Wave
Energy

Figure 1.10 : Conversion of Wave Energy into Electricity

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 Principles of Energy
1.5 MODES OF ENERGY CONVERSION Conversion

The conversion of energy can be classified based on the stages involved in the
energy conversion processes. This could be direct conversion, single stage
conversion and multistage conversion. You will learn these conversion processes.
1.5.1 Direct Energy Conversion
The three direct energy conversion processes are shown in Figure 1.11. A brief
description of these conversion processes is given below :

Direct Energy
Conversion

Photo-electric Thermo-electric Electro-

Energy Energy chemical

Figure 1.11 : Direct Energy Conversion

Photo-electric Energy Conversion
In photo-electric energy conversion, solar energy is directly converted into
electricity. Solar energy (light) can be thought of made of quanta of light called
photons. The energy conversion device is called solar cell or solar photo-voltaic
(PV) cell. A solar cell is made up of semiconductor material. When light strikes
the junction (p-n junction) of a semi-conductor material, the voltage appears
across the junction of the cell. The energy of the photons gets converted into
electrical energy. This is shown in Figure 1.12.

The direct energy conversion was of immense importance in spacecrafts where

solar PV cells were used to power the spacecrafts.

Now-a-days, solar PV power is being used not only in domestic applications but
also in agriculture and other industrial applications. The domestic applications
include, solar lantern, community light, solar street light, etc. while agriculture
applications include irrigation. In industrial environment, solar PV power could
be used as stand alone power unit or in hybrid mode with other renewable
technologies or may be integrated with an utility system. You will learn more
about solar PV technologies in course OEY 002, Block 2.

Sun
Solar
Radiation
s
Load

+
_-
Solar PV Cell

Figure 1.12 : Photo-electric Energy Conversion

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Energy Conversion
Processes
Thermo-electric Energy Conversion
You must have heard the name of a device called thermocouple. Thermocouple
devices are used to convert thermal energy directly into electricity as shown in
Figure 1.13. The principle of thermocouple is very simple. When a junction made
of two different metals (e.g. copper and iron) is heated, a voltage appears across
the output terminals of the junction due to differential heating of the two different
metals.

+
O
Junction Electrical
O Energy
O
-

Figure 1.13 : Thermo-electric Energy Conversion

The efficiency of a thermo-electric converter may be written as follows :

(Th - Tc )
h= H . . . (1.1)
Th
where the parameter H is defined as follows :
M -1
H=
T
M+ c
Th
Z 1
M = [1 + (T c+Th )] 2 . . . (1.2)
2
Th is the temperature of hot reservoir, ºK and Tc is the temperature of sink, ºK.
The parameter Z is called figure of merit of the thermocouple.
Example 1.1
A thermo-electric energy converter operates at hot reservoir temperature at
500 ºK and sink temperature at 200 ºK. What will be the efficiency of
thermoelectric converter for Z value equal to 2 ´ 10-3ºK-1.
Solution
We have been given the following data :
Th = 500 ºK
Tc = 200 ºK
Using Eq. (1.2), we obtain M = 1.3
Finally making use of Eq. (1.1), we obtain η = 0.105 or 10.5%.
Electro-chemical Energy Converter
The chemical energy can be directly converted into electricity. The device used is
known as Fuel Cell as shown in Figure 1.14.

Chemical Fuel Electrical

Energy Cell Energy

Figure 1.14 : Electro-chemical Energy Converter

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 Principles of Energy
1.5.2 Multistage Energy Conversion Conversion
We have discussed in the beginning of this unit two examples of multi stage
energy conversion (Thermal Power Station and an Automobile). We will now
take few more examples. The important category is electro-mechanical energy
conversion which is described below.
Electro-mechanical Energy Conversion
As the name implies, in electro-mechanical energy conversion, the electrical
energy is converted into mechanical energy and vice-versa. The energy
conversion device is called electric machine which is able to convert electric
energy into mechanical energy and vice-versa. Electrical machines are of two
types and are called generator and motor.
Generator : The device which is used to convert mechanical energy into
electrical energy is called generator.
Motor : The device which is used to convert electrical energy into mechanical
energy is called motor.
Some of the important energy conversion processes are :
· Conversion of heat into electricity : Thermoelectric Power.
· Conversion of heat into electricity : Geothermal Power.
· Conversion of heat into electricity : Ocean Thermal Power.
· Conversion of gravitational potential energy into electricity :
Hydroelectric Dams.
· Conversion of kinetic energy into electricity : Electric Generator.
· Conversion of chemical energy into electricity : Fuel Cell.
· Conversion of chemical energy into heat and light : Lamp.
· Conversion of nuclear energy into electricity : Nuclear Power Plant.
· Conversion of wind energy into electricity : Wind Mills.
· Conversion of solar energy into electricity : Solar Cell or PV Cell.
· Conversion of wave energy into electricity : Wave Power.

SAQ 1
Name the device for the following energy conversion processes.
1. Chemical energy is converted into thermal energy
(a) Furnace (b) Diesel engine (c) Fuel cell
2. Chemical energy is converted into mechanical energy
(a) Furnace (b) Diesel engine (c) Fuel cell
3. Chemical energy is converted into electrical energy
(a) Furnace (b) Diesel engine (c) Fuel cell
4. Thermal energy is converted into thermal energy
(a) Heat exchanger (b) Steam turbine (c) Thermocouple
5. Thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy
(a) Heat exchanger (b) Steam turbine (c) Thermocouple
6. Thermal energy is converted into electrical energy
(a) Heat exchanger (b) Steam turbine (c) Thermocouple

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Energy Conversion
Processes 1.6 LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS
The laws of thermodynamics are important in dealing with energy conversion.
You will now learn briefly about them :
The Zeroth Law
· The systems are in equilibrium at the same temperature.
· The system is in its lowest energy state.
· It is not possible to extract energy from such a system.
· All systems having different temperatures will tend to come in
equilibrium when they are not thermally isolated.
The First Law
· Energy is conserved in a closed system.
· The net flow of energy across some system is equal to the change in
energy of that system.
· There are usually two kinds of energy, work and heat.
The Second Law
· It is not possible to extract heat-energy from a reservoir and perform
work without creating waste heat which in turn can not produce
similar amount of work.
· The amount of disorder increases
· Things tend to move towards a state of randomness
· You can’t go from a disordered system to an ordered system without
inputting more energy
Let us consider the following example :
It is possible for us to convert 100% of electrical energy into heat by passing
a current through a resistive element.
What has happened to the electrical energy? It is converted into heat energy.
Now suppose that you want to reverse this process, i.e. you wish to convert heat
so generated into electricity, Will it be possible for you to do this. The answer is
no.
In the course of doing the original work, you have increased the disorder to the
system by heating it. In no way can you recover work of this disordered system
without putting energy into the system.

Point to Remember :
Iron ore is originally concentrated in mountains and has a low disorder. When it
is mined, then it ends up disturbed in the nations landfills resulting into increase
in disorder.
The fossil fuel deposits are stored in a state of low order. When we use them the
individual atoms become randomly distributed, we increase the disorder.

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 Principles of Energy
1.7 ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENCY Conversion

Any energy use device (e.g. an engine) extracts energy from some energy source
and convert this energy into useful work at a certain efficiency η. This is defined
as follows :
Work done
h= . . . (1.3)
Energy used
This is demonstrated in Figure 1.15. An amount of energy E flows into an energy
conversion device. An amount equal to η E is converted into useful work while an
amount equivalent to (1 - η) E is wasted as heat. In case of lighting devices, the
equivalent term is efficacy and is defined as
Amount of light produced (lumens )
Efficacy = . . . (1.4)
Power consumed (W )

ηE Useful Work
E
Energy Energy
Source Device

(1-η) E Energy
Wastage

Figure 1.15 : Energy Conversion

Example 1.2
The energy conversion device is having 50% efficiency. Determine the % of
energy converted into useful work.
Solution
Let the energy supplied to the device is E. The energy converted into useful work is
= η E = 0.5 E.

1.8 LET US SUM UP

Energy is the capacity to do work. Energy is conserved which means that it can
neither be created nor destroyed. Energy does many things. Energy exists in many
forms and can be changed from one form to another form.
The energy stored in fossil fuels can be converted in the energy form which is
most suitable to us. Each conversion process ends up with energy loss which is
wasted as heat into the environment.
The main energy forms are electrical, thermal, chemical, nuclear, radiant etc. The
chemical energy stored in the coal gets converted to thermal energy in a boiler,
thermal energy gets converted to kinetic energy in steam, kinetic energy gets
converted to mechanical energy in the turbine and mechanical energy of the
turbine gets converted to electrical energy.

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Energy Conversion
Processes
Some of the important energy conversion processes are :
· Conversion of heat into electricity : Thermoelectric Power,
Geothermal Power, Ocean Thermal Power.
· Conversion of gravitational potential energy into electricity :
Hydroelectric Dams.
· Conversion of kinetic energy into electricity : Electric Generator.
· Conversion of chemical energy into electricity : Fuel Cell.
· Conversion of chemical energy into heat and light : Lamp.
· Conversion of nuclear energy into electricity : Nuclear Power Plant.
· Conversion of wind energy into electricity : Wind Mills.
· Conversion of solar energy into electricity : Solar Cell or PV Cells.
· Conversion of wave energy into electricity : Wave Power.
In photo-electric energy conversion, solar energy is directly converted into
electricity. The energy conversion device is called solar cell or solar photo-voltaic
(PV) cell. The energy of the photons gets converted into electrical energy.
Thermocouples are used to convert thermal energy directly into electricity.
In electro-mechanical energy conversion, the electrical energy is converted into
mechanical energy and vice-versa. The energy conversion device is called electric
machine which is able to convert electric energy into mechanical energy and
vice-versa. Electrical machines are of two types and are called generator and
motor.

1.9 KEY WORDS

Chemical Energy
The energy released when a fossil fuel (coal, oil and gas) are put to
combustion.
Fuel Cell
An electrochemical device with no moving parts that converts the chemical
energy of a fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as oxygen, directly
into electricity.
Geothermal Energy
Energy from hot water or steam available deep inside the earth's crust.
Heat Capacity
The quantity of heat that a given volume of a material can hold for each unit
increase in temperature.
Heat Exchanger
A device used to transfer heat from one medium to another for example,
from water to air or water to water and is made of coils of pipe.
Heat Loss
The rate at which a building or a collector lose heat.
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 Principles of Energy
Heat Pump Conversion
A device that removes low temperature heat from a source and delivers the
heat to a sink; source can be indoors and the sink outdoors, or vice versa.
Renewable Energy
Energy resources that constantly renew themselves or that are regarded as
practically inexhaustible; include solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and wood.
Renewable Resources
Renewable energy resources are virtually inexhaustible in duration; include
biomass, hydro, geothermal, solar, wind, ocean thermal, wave, and tidal.
Tidal Power
Energy obtained by using the motion of the tides to run water turbines that
drive electric generators.

1.10 ANSWERS TO SAQs

SAQ 1
1. (a)
2. (b)
3. (c)
4. (a)
5. (b)
6. (c)

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