EE/MM/PH 301 Energy Supplies, Semester I, 2013

The University of the South Pacific

Serving the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and
Vanuatu.

School of Engineering and Physics

EE/MM/PH 301: ENERGY SUPPLIES
FINAL EXAMINATION SEMESTER I, 2013
Time Allowed 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading
100 marks (50% of final grade)
INSTRUCTIONS

1. This exam has TWO sections.

a. Section A: 20 marks
b. Section B: 80 marks
2. Answer all questions in sections A and ANY 5 from section B. For
section B, begin each answer on a separate sheet.
3. You can use calculators that have not been programmed.
4. The symbols carry their usual meaning unless otherwise stated.
5. Use the following data where necessary
1.60 10-19 C
1.38 10-23 J K-1
8.85 10-12 F m-1
3.00 108 m s-1
1.025 103 kg m-3

Charge of the electron, e

Boltzmann constant, k
Permittivity of free space, 0
Speed of light in vacuum, c
Density of seawater
Total number of pages: 7

-1-

EE/MM/PH 301 Energy Supplies, Semester I, 2013

Section A: Answer ALL questions. Each question carries 2 marks.

A1.

Define the term Air mass as applied to solar radiation.

A2.

A silicon crystal is doped with 3 x 1019 m-3 Phosphorous atoms. Determine the type
of conductivity of this sample at 300 K. For silicon, the intrinsic carrier density is
1.5 x 1016 m-3 at this temperature.

A3.

The band gap of a CdSe sample is 1.7 eV. Calculate the wavelength of the photons
that will just be able to excite an electron from the top of the valence band to the
bottom of the conduction band.

A4.

Sketch labeled I-V characteristics of a photodiode both in the dark and under
illumination.

A5.

List at least three non-power related benefits of an open cycle OTEC system.

A6.

Define the term Power Factor of an AC electric power system.

A7.

Name the processes by which ethanol and biodiesel are produced, and the type of
vehicle engines they may be used in.

A8.

How is pyrolysis different from gasification? What are the final products of these
two processes?

A9.

Briefly describe a method for the determination of the volumetric flow rate Q of a
hydropower station.

A10.

Write an expression for the rated maximum power produced by a wind front of
speed u0 and density passing across a turbine intercepting cross section area A.

-2-

EE/MM/PH 301 Energy Supplies, Semester I, 2013

SECTION B: Answer ANY FIVE questions. Each question carries 16 marks.

B1.

(a)

Starting with the concept of global warming, explain how renewable energy
technologies and energy efficiency can help in climate change mitigation. Describe
at least one example of such an activity that you have come across.
[5 marks]

(b)

Determine the time of sunrise and sunset in Suva (latitude 18.10 South) on June 20th
2013.
[5 marks]

(c)

B2.

(a)

Briefly describe the following:

i)

Solar ponds

[2 marks]

ii)

Thermosyphon effect based hot water systems

[2 marks]

iii)

Selective absorbers

[2 marks]

The following data is given for intrinsic germanium at 300 K:

Intrinsic carrier concentration ni = 2.4 x 10 19 m-3, electron mobility = 0.39 m2 V-1
s-1, hole mobility = 0.19 m2 V-1 s-1
Determine the conductivity of this sample.
[3 marks]

(b)

Two silicon specimen doped with 1.5 x1020 m-3 phosphorus impurity and 2.0 x
1019m-3 boron impurity are used to form a p-n junction.

i)

Sketch labelled band diagrams for the specimen before and after the contact
was made.
[3 marks]

-3-

EE/MM/PH 301 Energy Supplies, Semester I, 2013

ii)

Sketch the band diagram when the junction is forward biased and explain
the effect of biasing.
[2 marks]

iii)

Calculate the barrier height when the junction is unbiased.

[3 marks]

iv)

What are the barrier heights under a forward bias of 0.7 V and a reverse
bias of 10.5 V?
[2 marks]

v)

Sketch and explain the I-V characteristics of this junction.

[3 marks]

B3.

(a)

With the help of its equivalent circuit and band diagram, explain the operation of a
p-n junction solar cell.
[6 marks]

(8)

A homeowner in Nadi would like to install a standalone solar PV system based on

the following data:
Load Data:
Appliance

AC/DC

Watts

4 Lights 28
W each
TV
Computer
2 Fans, 75
W each

DC

112

Duty
hour/day
6

AC
AC
AC

60
200
150

4
4
4

cycle

Location: Nadi , Peak sun hours : 4

Consecutive no-sun days: 2
Inverter efficiency = 90 %
Battery DoD = 60 %
Inverter input voltage = 24 V
Solar panel: 120 W, Vm =16.9 V and Im = 7.1 A
Battery rated capacity = 100 Ah, 12 V.
Determine the number of solar panels and batteries needed for this system and
sketch a diagram showing the arrangement.
[10 marks]

-4-

EE/MM/PH 301 Energy Supplies, Semester I, 2013

B4.

(a)

Show that for deep water waves, the average power carried forward in the wave per
unit width across the wave front is given by

g 2 a 2T
8

where the symbols carry their usual meaning and given that the wavenumber of a
deep water wave is

2
g
[7 marks]

(b)

Compare and contrast the operation of a PEM electrolyzer and a PEM fuel cell.
[5 marks]

(c)

With help of schematic diagrams, explain the operation of the following ocean
energy technologies:
i)

A tidal range power system

ii)

A Oscillating Water Column ( OWC) System

[4 marks]

B5.

(a)

i)

Under what conditions is the combustion of biomass incomplete? Name

two products that are formed that are not produced during complete
combustion.
[2 marks]

ii)

Describe the difference between a Condensing Power Plant and a Combined

Heat and Power (CHP) Plant.
[2 marks]

iii)

Starting from the First Law of Thermodynamics

show that the work Weng done by a heat engine during one complete cycle is
equal to the net heat Qnet.
[3 marks]

-5-

EE/MM/PH 301 Energy Supplies, Semester I, 2013

(b)

A small timber-milling community requires 100 kW for its electrical power needs.
It plans to generate this using a thermal power plant that will use the timbermilling residues produced.
i)

Show, with the help of a schematic diagram, how the energy conversion
processes will take place. Take the efficiencies of the furnace, steam
turbine and generator to be 80%, 35% and 85% respectively

[2 marks]
ii)

What is the Carnot efficiency of the heat engine if the boiler temperature is
350 oC and the condenser temperature is 30 oC? State why the actual
efficiency is lower than the Carnot efficiency.
[2 marks]

iii)

B6.

(a)

What is the total mass of timber-milling residues (with energy content 10

MJ kg-1) required to operate this power plant continuously for one week
(7 days)?
[5 marks]

Show that the power P that can be generated from water flowing down from a
height H is given by
P = gQ H
where is the density of water, and Q is the volumetric flow-rate.
[2 marks]

(b)

Describe the difference between the Francis, Propellor and the Pelton Wheel
turbines, and use the above expression for the input power at a hydropower station
to decide which turbine you will use for a high head, a low head and a very low
head.
[4 marks]

(c)

A 2-jet Pelton Wheel produces an output power of 8.5 MW from a head of 315 m.
The speed of rotation of the runner is 300 rpm. If the head loss (due to friction) is
15 m, and the turbine and generator efficiencies are 90% and 85% respectively.
Determine ;
i) the speed vj of the water in the jets

[2 marks]

ii) area A of each jet, and ,

[4 marks]

-6-

EE/MM/PH 301 Energy Supplies, Semester I, 2013

iii) the wheel diameter D?

B7.

a)

[4 marks]

A small scale (20 kW) wind turbine has a power coefficient of 0.3 at the
rated wind speed of 15 m s-1.Calculate the rotor diameter, assuming the air
density is 1.20 kg m-3.
[2 marks]

b)

The power coefficient CP, the fraction of power extracted from the wind, is given
by:

CP
i)

4 a 1 a

Show that the maximum value of CP occurs when a = 1/3

[3 marks]

ii)

Show that the axial thrust FA for a horizontal axis machine is

FA

Au 2
2

c)

4 a 1 a

[6 marks]

i)

Sketch with well labelled axes the wind turbine operating regions and power
performance (power curve) of a 20 kW wind turbine. The cut-in wind
speed of the turbine is 4.5 m s-1 and the rated wind speed is 16 m s1.The cut
out wind speed is 25 m s-1.
[2 marks]

ii)

Explain the effect of blade spacing and rotation on the optimum power
extraction efficiency.
[2 marks]

ii)

Explain why thermodynamically only about half the power in the wind can
possibly be extracted.
[1 mark]

THE END

-7-