School of Electrical Engineering [SELECT]

Model Questions
Subject: Renewable Energy Sources EEE 305 Winter Semester 2011
Time: 3 Hrs Full Marks: 100
Answer Any Five Questions
1. (a) What do you mean by renewable energy sources? List out the major renewable [2+1+4]
energy sources from Indian perspective and state their merits and limitations.
(b) Determine the average value of solar radiation on a horizontal surface for June 22 at [6]
0
the latitude of 10 N, if constants a and b are given as equal to 0.30 and 0.51 respectively,
and the ratio of average daily hours of sunshine to maximum daily hours of sunshine for
a given period is 0.55.
(c) How a flat-plate solar collector varies from concentrating solar collectors? Draw the [2+2+3]
schematic cross-section of a flat-plate collector and explain its major parts.
2. (a) A solar cell (0.9 cm2) receives solar radiation with photons of 1.8 eV energy having [2+2]
2 2
an intensity of 0.9 mW/cm . Measurements show open-circuit voltage of 0.6 V/cm ,
short-circuit current of 10 mA/cm2 and the maximum current is 50% of the short-circuit
current. The efficiency of the cell is 25%. Calculate the maximum voltage that the cell
can give and find the fill factor.
(b) What are the steps to design a stand-alone solar PV system? Explain with a suitable [9]
example.
(c) Classify solar thermal power plants based on working temperature and explain the [1+3]
working principle of any one of them.
(d) Draw a typical characteristics curve showing relationship between voltage and [1+1+1]
current of solar PV modules. Also plot the variation of peak power of the solar modules
with changing insolation level and atmospheric temperature.
3. (a) What is the recommended optimum spacing between the wind turbines? Explain with [4]
suitable sketches.
(b) Derive an expression for power that can be extracted from wind. [7]
 (c) Wind at one standard atmospheric pressure and 150C has a speed of 10 m/s. A 10-m [5]
diameter wind turbine is operating at 5 rpm with maximum efficiency of 40%. Calculate
i) the total power density in wind stream
ii) the maximum power density
iii) the actual power density
iv) the power output of the turbine
v) the axial thrust on the turbine structure
(d) Explain the wind power generation curve with a neat sketch. [4]
4. (a) Define tidal range. Derive an expression for average theoretical power generated from [2+5]
a single basin single-effect tidal scheme during one filling.
(b) Explain the working principle of flashed steam geothermal power plant with a neat [7]
sketch.
(c) A simple single-basin type tidal power plant has a basin area of 22 km2. The tide has [6]
a range of 10 m. The turbine stops operation when the head on it falls below 3 m.
Calculate the average power generated during one filling/emptying process in MW if
turbine-generator efficiency is 74%. Take specific gravity of sea water as 1025 kg/m3.
5. (a) What do you mean by biomass gasification? Explain the working of biogas [2+5]
gasification with a typical downdraft gasifier.
(b) Explain the working of fixed dome type biogas plant with a neat sketch. [7]
(c) The following data are given for a family biogas digester suitable for the output of [6]
five cows: the retention time is 20 days, temperature is 300C, dry matter consumed per
day is 2 kg, and biogas yield is 0.24 m3/kg. The efficiency of burner is 60%, methane
proportion is 0.8. Heat of combustion of methane = 28 MJ/ m3.
Calculate: a) the volume of biogas digester,
and, b) the power available from the digester.
6. (a) What are different types of rotors used in wind turbines? Explain any two of them [2+3+3]
with neat sketches.
(b) How power is generated from landfill gas? Explain. [6]
(c) List out the advantages and limitations of tidal power projects. How can the tidal [4+2]
power supply be made continuous?