NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WARANGAL

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ME 440 – ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY

(3-0-0 = 3 Credits)

PART 1 – INTRODUCTION

Final Year, 1st Sem, B.Tech . (OPEN ELECTIVE)

Dr. CHANDRAMOHAN V.P.

Assistant Professor
Dept. of Mechanical Engg., NIT Warangal
 Course Outcomes: At the end of the course, the student shall be able to:

CO1 Identify renewable energy sources and their utilization.

CO2 Understand basic concepts of solar radiation and analyze solar
thermal systems for its utilization.
CO3 Understand working of solar cells and its modern manufacturing
technologies.
CO4 Understand concepts of fuel cells and their applications
CO5 Identify methods of energy storage.
CO6 Compare energy utilization from wind energy, geothermal energy,
biomass, biogas and hydrogen.

Prerequisites: None
Syllabus:
Introduction: Overview of the course; Examination and Evaluation patterns;
Global warming; Introduction to Renewable Energy Technologies
Energy Storage: Introduction; Necessity of Energy Storage; Energy Storage
Methods
Solar Energy: Fundamentals; Solar Radiation; Estimation of solar radiation on
horizontal and inclined surfaces; Measurement of solar radiation data

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

Solar Thermal systems: Introduction; Basics of thermodynamics and heat
transfer; Flat plate collector; Evacuated Tubular Collector; Solar air collector;
Solar concentrator; Solar distillation; Solar cooker; Solar refrigeration and air
conditioning; Thermal energy storage systems
Solar Photovoltaic systems: Introduction; Solar cell Fundamentals;
Characteristics and classification; Solar cell: Module, panel and Array
construction; Photovoltaic thermal systems.
Wind Energy: Introduction; Origin and nature of winds; Wind turbine siting;
Basics of fluid mechanics; Wind turbine aerodynamics; wind turbine types and
their construction; Wind energy conversion systems
Fuel cells: Overview; Classification of fuel cells; operating principles; Fuel cell
thermodynamics
Biomass Energy: Introduction; Photosynthesis Process; Biofuels; Biomass
Resources; Biomass conversion technologies; Urban waste to energy
conversion; Biomass gasification.
Other forms of Energy: Introduction: Nuclear, ocean and geothermal energy
applications; Origin and their types; Working principles

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

 Textbooks and References

 Sukhatme S.P. and J.K.Nayak, Solar Energy - Principles of Thermal

Collection and Storage, Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi, 2008.

 Khan B.H., Non-Conventional Energy Resources,Tata McGraw Hill, New

Delhi, 2006.

 J.A. Duffie and W.A. Beckman, Solar Engineering of Thermal Processing,

Wiley, New Jersey.

Scheme of evaluation:
Exam Weightage (%)
Minor – 1 10
Mid Semester 30
Minor – 2/Assignmnt 10
End Semester 50
Total 100
Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal
 GLOBAL WARMING
 The phenomenon of increasing
average air temperatures near the
surface of earth over the past one to
two centuries.
 Over the past 50 years, the average
global temperature has increased at
the fastest rate in recorded history.
 World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) reported (2013) that the
interval between 1880 and 2012 saw
an increase in global average
surface temperature of
approximately 0.9 °C (1.5 °F).
 most of the warming observed over
the second half of the 20th century
could be attributed to human
activities.
 It predicted that by the end of the
21st century the global mean surface
temperature would increase by 0.3 to
4.8 °C (0.5 to 8.6 °F) relative to the
Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal
 The WMO reported that
the global average sea
level rose by some 19–21
cm between 1901 and
2010 and that sea levels
rose faster in the second
half of the 20th century
than in the first half.

 Human influence has

been the dominant factor.

 The largest human

influence has been the
emission of green house
gases such as CO2, CH4
and Nitrous oxide.

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

 EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

 Rising sea levels

 Expansion of deserts in the subtropics

 Heat waves

 Drought – decreasing crop yielding

 Heavy rain fall with floods

 Heavy snow fall

 Water / ocean acidification

 Environmental migrant – people forced to leave their land because of sea rise

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

 Energy scenario
Energy can be classified into several types based on the following criteria:
1. Primary and Secondary energy
2. Commercial and Non commercial energy
3. Renewable and Non-Renewable energy

1. Primary and Secondary energy

Primary Energy

 Found or stored in nature.

 Common primary energy sources are coal, oil, natural gas and biomass (such as
wood)

 Other sources are nuclear energy from radioactive substances, thermal energy
stored in earth’s interior and potential energy due to earth’s gravity.

 Some energy sources have non-energy uses, for example coal or natural gas can
be used as a feedstock in fertilizer plants to increase the land’s fertility.
Secondary Energy
Primary energy sources are mostly converted in industrial utilities into secondary
energy sources; for example coal, oil or gas converted into steam and electricity.
Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal
Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal
2. Commercial Energy and Non Commercial Energy

Commercial Energy

 The energy sources that are available in the market for a definite price
are known as commercial energy.

 The most important forms of commercial energy are electricity, coal

and refined petroleum products.

 Commercial energy forms the basis of industrial, agricultural, transport

and commercial development in the modern world.

 In the industrialized countries, commercialized fuels are predominant

source not only for economic production, but also for many household
tasks of general population.

 Examples: Electricity, lignite, coal, oil, natural gas etc.

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

Non-Commercial Energy
 The energy sources that are not available in the commercial
market for a price are classified as non-commercial energy.
 It includes fuels such as firewood, cattle dung and agricultural
wastes, which are traditionally gathered, and not bought at a
price used especially in rural households.
 These are also called traditional fuels.
 Example:
 Firewood,
 Agro waste in rural areas - wastes from farms, poultry houses
and slaughterhouses; harvest waste
 Solar energy for water heating, electricity generation, for drying
grain, fish and fruits;
 Animal power for transport, threshing (separating grain from
field), lifting water for irrigation, crushing sugarcane;
 Wind energy for lifting water and electricity generation.

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

3. Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy obtained from sources that are
essentially inexhaustible.
Examples: wind power, solar power, geothermal energy, tidal power
and hydroelectric power.
The most important feature of renewable energy is that it can be
harnessed without the release of harmful pollutants.
Non-renewable energy is the conventional fossil fuels such as coal,
oil and gas, which are likely to deplete with time.

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

 Global Primary Energy Reserves
Coal
Oil
 The proven global coal reserve was
 The global proven oil reserve
estimated to be 9,84,453 million tonnes
was estimated to be 1147 billion
by end of 2003.
barrels (1 barrel = 160 litres) by
 The USA had the largest share of the
the end of 2003.
global reserve (25.4%) followed by
 Saudi Arabia had the largest
Russia (15.9%), China (11.6%).
share of the reserve with almost
 India was 4th in the list with 8.6%.
23%.

Gas
 The global proven gas reserve was  World oil reserves are
estimated to be 176 trillion cubic meters estimated at just 45 years
by the end of 2003. - 2003 report and 52.5
 The Russian Federation had the largest years 2014 report
share of the reserve with almost 27%.  World gas reserves 65
years
 Coal is likely to last a little
over 200 years

Source: BP Statistical Review of World Energy, (June 2004)

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal
Global Oil Reserves

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal

Global Natural Gas Reserves

Chandramohan V.P./Asst Prof./MED/NIT Warangal