Non-conventional Sources of Energy: An Analysis

Non-conventional Sources of Energy An depth psychologyCONSERVATION OF ENERGYEnergy is a primary stimulant drug in any industrial operation. Energy is also a major input in sectors much(prenominal) as commerce, transport, telecommunication, etc besides the wide range of function required in the ho intentionhold industrial sectors. (A)What Do We Mean by Alternative Energy?The alternative- dexterity segment of the aught industry covers a spacious range of witnesss. These addresss range from well established technologies, such as thermo thermonuclear null and hydroelectric supply, done heights-growth segments such as jumper cable and solar spring. They also admit little tried and well-tried alternatives, such as enthalpy- creatored, burn down- mobile phone technology for role in electrical nothing generation (7)Renewable sources of muscularityIt is that energy which is renewed again again. These include wood obtained from forests, petro installs , plant bio partic leic reactor untaught wastes, roll energy, body of weewee energy, geo caloric energy, these apprize reproduce themselves in nature potty be harvested continusiously through a sustained proper planning management(B)Non renewable sources of energyThese atomic number 18 go throughable in limited amount flummox over a long period of time. They ar exhausted atomic number 53 day.these include scorch, crude,petroleum, the common source of energy world extreme in their origin also called dodo render.( B)Conventional source of energyIn close of the provide wood was consumed for domestic purposes brinyly in artless aras, actually little of it was available to industrial sector. Coal already in implement in industries become a amplyly priced source. It was therefore supplemented by mineral anele. Likewise the apply of hydro-electrical energy become deargonr the aras where ravel water need technology was readily available.After 2nd world war nuclear proponent was developed. All these sources of energy. All these sources of energy ar cognize as conventional sources of energy. Coal free occupies a central position. (B)Non conventional sources of energyNon renewable of energy could exhaust one day. Most non renewable sources author environmental pollution We must conserve non renewable sources by replacement with renewable sources. (B)CONSERVATION OF ENERGYRenewable sources of energyNon renewable sources of energyConventional source of energyNon conventional sources of energySources of enerSources of energy main(a)Secondry1 primary sources are those which we get from environment.Eg. fossil sack, nuclear render, hydro energy, solar energy, turn on energy.2 secondry sources are those which are derived from primary energy resource. Eg. Petrol, galvanic energy, coal burning . (A)Conventional sources of energyCoal The heat mental object can be win overed into the electrical energy mess up , cover. therefore some(prenominal) ther mal super thermal forcefulnessstation are fit(p) on the coal fields to produce electric forcefulness to feeds regional grids.(A)Oil it was organise more than 300 million year ago. Tiny diatoms are the source of oil. Diatoms are the sea creature in the size of pin head. Diatoms are dead they fell into the sea floor. They buried under the rocks. The rock coquet the diatoms the energy in the bodies could not escape. The ascorbic acid eventually turned into oil under great pressure heat. Oil natural mess up are found under ground amidst rocks in areas where rocks are porous.(C) graphic gun for hire It is lighter than air . It is made up of methane (made up of railroad carbon hydrogen atoms ch-4). It is found near the petroleum under the earth. It has no odour.it is normally mix with a gas that has strong odour like foetid eggs.(C)NUCLEAR FUSIONIf light nuclei are forced together, they go forth intermingle with a yield of energy because the mass of the combination will be less than the sum of the masses of the individual(a) nuclei. If the combined nuclear mass is less than that of iron at the peak of the binding energy curve, thence nuclear particles will be more tightly bound than they were in the lighter nuclei, and that decrease in mass comes off in the fashion of the energy according to the Einstein relationship. For elements heavier than iron, nuclear fission will yield energy.For say-so nuclear energy sources for the Earth, the deuterium-tritium fusion reaction contained by some tolerant of magnetic confinement seems the roughly likely path. However, for the fireling of the stars, other fusion reactions will dominate. (c)NUCLEAR FISSIONThe nucleus captures the neutron, it splits into ii lighter atoms and throws off ii or three new neutrons. The two new atoms then respire gamma ray as they settle into their new states. there are three things ab place this induced fission-the probability of a U-235 atom capturing a neutron as it p asses by is fairly high.-the bring of capturing the neutron and splitting happens very quickly, in the order of picoseconds-An incredible amount of energy is released in the variety show of heat and gamma radiation, when a single atom splits. The two atoms that consequent from the fission later release beta radiation and gamma radiation of their own as well. The energy released by a single fission Comes from the fact that the fission products and the neutrons, together, weigh less than the original U-235 atom. The difference in weight is converted right off to energy at a enumerate governed by the equation e=mc2 (C)NUCLEAR REACTOR(1)Light water reactor-We use ordinary water for colling and moderisation these are basic 2 typecastsboiling water reactorpressurised water reactor on that point are also high temperature gas called reactors which basically of l.w.r type (2)heavy water reactor the nearly popular one has been Canadian deuterium uranium reactor. The design is grueling from that of lwr type. The fuel is arranged horizontally rather than the vertically as in l.w.r. (3) crystalline admixture fast breeder reactor here we use liquid sodium as the coolent. There are 300 atomic business leader plant ,operating in world. Max in use (83), Ussr (40), up (35), France(34),Japan 25, Ger many a(prenominal) 15, Canada 13 India is rich in atomic mineral. Uranium mines are located in singbum in bihar parts of bihar Most abudent source is monazite sands on the shores of kerala. Thorium is derived from these sands. Nuclear business office corporation is engaged with the establishment of nucleus. part plants 6 nuclear power plants in operation generating 1230 mwe(single individual plant is 210-235mwe). (b)AdvantagesNuclear energy has a number of positive(p)s going for it. First, it does not concur off carbon emissions, earning it supporters in the environmental community among those concerned round global warming. second, once reactors are built, it is very cost effective to continue them running at high capacity and for utilities to address demand fluctuations by cutting back end on usage of fossil fuels. Third, nuclear plants carry to last a long time and many existing plants control become more effectual over time, reducing their demand for uranium.and signify reliable sources of supplyDisadvantagesThere are a number of disadvantages to the nuclear-power option. These include not alone the safety principals but also some sparing and supply-related questions that are soon being debated by those for and opposed to renewal of superannuated power plants or an expansion of the sector.In legal injury of safety, two issues are on a regular basis debated. First, the issue of nuclear waste and, second, concerns over voltage terrorist attacks on nuclear power plants. The first objection whitethorn be track through the introduction of new types of power plants, such as the pebble-bed modular reactor. This type of reactor uses g raphite balls flecked with tiny amounts of uranium, rather than conventional fuel rods. With the fuel encased in graphite and impermeable silicon carbide, the supposition is that the waste should be relatively easy to dispose of. The terrorism fears are less easily addressed and may ultimately stall the anatomical structure of new plants in countries such as the U.S., where these worries are greatest. Among economic concerns is the question of construction costs. Although the cost of energy produced by existing nuclear plants is competitive, the direct capital costs of constructing new plants are exceedingly high, calculated at $1,300-$1,500 per kilowatt- hour, or twice the amount it costs to construct a gas-fired power station(F)Non Conventional energy sourceSOLAR ENERGYTwo weeks of solar energy is roughly equivalent to the energy fundd in all k at presentn reserves of coal.oil and natural gas on the earth. Solar energy may be now utilise either by active solar system or pas sive solar system. Another potentially big aspect 0f direct solar energy involves solar cadres or photovoltaic that convert sunlight directly into electricity. Two other type of solar energy are the solar power tower and solar ponds.(b) There are two main ways to harness the power of the sun to buckle under electricity photovoltaic (PV), where sunlight is directly converted into electricity via solar cells, and solarthermal power. PV is a proven technology that is most appropriate for meek applications to provide heat and power to individual houses and businesses. Sunlight falls on a layer of semiconductors, which jostles electrons. This, in turn, creates an electrical current that can be employ as a source for heat. Solar PV cells are already cost effective for powering houses and businesses in some regions. As with wind power, scientific developments energize reduced costs considerably over the last few years. Unlike wind power, however, largescale electricity yield usin g solar energy costs about 22 cents per kilowatt-hour, significantly more expensive than its fossil fuel competitors and nuclear energy. Hopes to reduce these costs lie with newer technologies. Solar-thermal generated energy is scarcely just emerging from the experimental stage to full-scale electricity production. Solar-thermal power concentrates the sun to heat up fuel such as gas or oil. The heat trapped within is then utilise to convert water into steam, which powers a conventional steam turbine to generate electricity. Fossil fuels are sometimes used as a back-up to heat the water in the boiler if the sun is not shining. There are three divers(prenominal) methods for concentrating the suns raysParabolic Trough This method uses long, parallel rows of glass mirrors in the normal of a trough to concentrate the suns rays toward the absorber tube usually filled with oil to maximum effect.Power Tower Similar in principle to parabolic-trough technology, the mirrors are placed in a circular pattern. At the center of the go around is a tower, at the top of which is a receiver filled with water, air, liquid alloy or molten salt that moves to a power deflect and is used to power a steam turbine.Parabolic Disk arranging In this system, dishes rather than troughs are used to concentrate the power of the sun. An practice of this type of solar project is the 500-megawatt Solar Energy Systems plant being constructed in the Mojave Desert in California. By the end of 2006, the company expects to find supplying electricity to Southern California Edison (SCE), but will not be fully operational until 2011, when it may account for as often as a 20 pct increase in SCEs electricity generation from renewables(F)AdvantagesIn spite of its cost versus other sources of energy, solar power is attracting interest due to the followingSolar energy makes use of a renewable natural resource that is readily available in many parts of the world.The process used to generate so lar energy is emission-free. technological advances have reduced costs to a point that it can grapple with fossil fuel alternatives in specific circumstances.The technology is scalable in that it can be used fordomestic heating purposes or on a larger scale for commercial electricity generation, as solar water heaters are an established technology, widely available and undecomposable to install and go forDisadvantagesThe biggest barriers to increasing solar power generation are the cost, the amount of add required for large-scale electricity production, and the intermittent nature of the energy source.In terms of the latter, thermal systems do not work at night or in inclement weather. Storage of hot water for domestic or commercial use is simple, needing except insulated tanks, but shop of the higher-temperature liquids needed to generate electricity on a large scale or storage of the electricity itself requires further technological development(F)WIND ENERGYIn the coarse there are areas which are quite windy. Wind energy may be converted into mechanical electrical energy. Now, wind has been utilized for pumping water in rural areas.Wind energy is useful in conflicting areas helps in saving fossils fuels, would deliver on the spot crushed measure of energy which is free pollution environmental degradation.Gujrat is first to starts using wind power.AdvantagesThere are a number of notable advantages associated with wind powerIt is a clean, renewable energy source.There is no fuel component, so once built there is no a finite fuel supply or costs associated with such a supply.Wind power can be generated in remote areas, including out in the nauticals.It is scalable in that it can be used to generate power in a local area or even at the individual property level, but can also generate large amounts of power that can be added to an electricity grid system..For land-based wind farms, once the wind towers are installed, the land area around them can be used for other purposes, such as agricultural use.DisadvantagesAs with any source of energy, there are some drawbacks to wind power. The most significant is that the wind to drive the turbines may be intermittent and that it does not always seismic disturbance when electricity is needed. Wind energy may only be available 40 percent of the year in some areas versus 90 percent for a fossil-fuel powered plant. New blade design can overcome this problem to a certain extent, as can storing the energy in batteries, but because of these potential drawbacks, the site of the wind farm is key to its victor and vice versa.(F)OCEAN ENERGY (TIDAL ENERGY)Tidal power generation depends on the harnessing of rise and fall of sea level due to tidal action. bittie tidal power plants have been constructed in china USSR. The most principal(prenominal) application of tidal power is electricity generation.In India sites exploitation of tidal energy are gulfs of kutch kombay sunderbans.India could intensify work on ocean thermal energy conversion wave energy. The country is already exist with exploiting tidal energy. The central electricity authority Gujrat electricity board carried out site studies for establishment of tidal plants in golf of kutch. India has excellent OTEC potential some of the best sites in world are known to be located off the Indian mainland island of lakshdeep Andoman nicobar. Total OTEC potential in India is 50000mW which is about 150% of installed power generated capacity in India.PRESENT USESTidal power has on a small scale been used throughout the report of mankind. It was not until twentieth century that large-scale tidal projects were considered. Today, sites suitable for the workout of tidal power exist in many places around the world.DISADVANTAGES-Not insofar economicly feasible.-Problems with transportation of hydroelectricity.-Technology not developed.ADVANTAGES-Renewable resource.-No pollution.-Produced 24 hours a day and 365 old age a year.-Peak output coincides with peak energy demand.(c) send away cell product of electricity by thermal plants is not a very efficient method and is major source of pollution. It now possible to make such in which reactants sre fed continuously to the electrodes and products are removed continuously from the electrolyte compartment. electrical cell that are designed to convert theenergy of burn of fuels like hydrogen, methane, methanol,etc. directly into electrical energy are called fuel cell.One of the most roaring fuel cell uses the reaction hydrogen with type O to form water. The cell was used for providing electrical power in Apollo space programme.The water vapours produced during the reaction were condensed and added to the drinking water supply for the astronauts. In the cell, hydrogen and oxygen are bubbled through porous carbon electrodes into concentrated aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. Catalyst like finally divided platinum metal are incorporated into the el ectrodes for increasing the rate of electrode reaction.Efficiency is 70%compared to thermal plant whose efficiency is 40%.(E)A fuel cell that runs on fresh oxygen hydrogen produces no waste product. when a reformist is coupled to the fuel cell some pollutant are released(co2)but levels are typically less than conventional fossil fuel combustion in a power plant or an auto-mobile locomotive.fuel cell could be ideal null emission power source for vehicle. Fuel cell busses could be tested in a Canada. The current from a fuel cell is proportional to the size of electrode voltage is limited (1.23). Tiny fuel cell running on methanol might used in cell phone, pager, toys, computer, now run by batteries.Bio fuel based on fuel derived from constitutional biomass from recently living animals or plants or their by products, has transformed from a niche alternative to fossil fuels (e.g., gaseous state, diesel) to become a booming industry. any(prenominal) liquid that memory boards ene rgy, which is typically utilized by an engine or generator, can be called a fuel. The term bio fuels encompasses a wide range of fuels, including veggie oils, animal fats, ethanol, biodiesel (any oil or fat that undergoes trans esterification to more closely match mineral-based fuel), and syn fuel (fuel made from gasi fied organic matter, then liquefied to form fuel). The main common trait of all these fuels is that they are derived from organic biomass, rather than minerals.Bio fuels are made using a fairly simple process that typically involves harvesting feedstock, or the raw materials (e.g., soybeans, sugarcane), crushing the feedstock, separating the dry matter from the oil, then re-crushing and/or further processing to extract as much oil as possible. The resulting oil can then either be directly consumed (e.g., by vehicles with specially designed engines), further processed (e.g., into biodiesel), or unify with mineral-based fuel before being delivered to the end user at g as stations and depots around the world (the most common blends in the U.S. are E10 (10% percent ethanol blend) and E85 (85% ethanol blend). Only some biofuels, most notably biodiesel, can be used in traditional internal combustion engines. Other biofuels, such as ethanol, must be blended with mineral-based fuel in order to be used in existing engines.The most common inputs into biofuels vary by country. In the U.S., corn and soybeans are most prevalent, while Europe tends to use flaxseed and rapeseed, brazil-nut tree sugarcane, and Asia palm oil. Brazil is in many ways the pioneer of the biofuels industry, having introduced ethanol from sugarcane (and flexfuel vehicles adequate to(p) of running on ethanol) over 25 years ago as method to reduce dependence on oil imports.a fuel cell uses a catalyst to create a reaction surrounded by hydrogen from a fuel and oxygen from the air to generate electricity, with the only byproduct being water. Such fuel cells can be used for power gener ation and as a replacement for the combustion engine to run cars and other vehicles. Fuel cells have long been used in the U.S. space program, but until the past few years have turn out prohibitively expensive for civilian use. Interest in fuel cells was reignited in the late 1990s, as companies began to make breakthroughs in technology. Large automotive manufacturers, such as General Motors and Daimler Chrysler, also started investing in fuel-cell companies and began to design notion fuel-cell powered vehicles. Development, thus far, has focused generally on protonexchange tissue layer (PEM) fuel cells. This type of fuel cell uses a polymer membrane to separate two subcells, one fed with hydrogen and one with oxygen (through air). On the hydrogen side, the hydrogen breaks down into protons and electrons, and the protons migrate through the membrane into the oxygen side. The electrons, on the other hand, are forced to detour through wire connecting metal plates, resulting in a re action that creates electricity. Other types of cells include the molten-carbonate fuel cell, which is the most efficient design but is very complex and only economical when generating more than 200 kilowatts. Westinghouse is developing a competing design, the solidoxide fuel cell, which operates at extremely high temperatures and has the added advantage that waste heat can be used to drive an auxiliary gas turbine.(F)What are the Challenges to Large-Scale Hydrogen yield?One of the biggest challenges to moving towards large-scale adoption of the hydrogen economy is production of hydrogen itself. A question often raised is whether it takes more energy to produce the hydrogen than you get back when you either drive the car or use it to power a building. There are currently three ways to produce hydrogenNatural gas, coal, wood and organic waste burn with air and steam at extremely high temperatures. When cooled, the resulting gases contain a significant amount of hydrogen.An electrical current is passed in the midst of two electrodes (anelectrolyzer) immersed in water. Hydrogen rises up from the negative electrode and oxygen from the positive electrode.Some bacteria reportedly produce hydrogen, but this method has yet to be exploited commerciallyThe first of these options has traditionally been the most cost-effective. That it still requires the burning of fossil fuels, combined with the rising price for natural gas, however, makes it less attractive as a long-term solution.The second option is simple to establish and can be done on a small or large scale nearest the point where the hydrogen may be needed. However, it also has a major drawback. Although this method has a 98 percent efficiency rate, when you factor in the voltage of the fuel cell, you get back only 40 percent of what you put inThere are two powerful arguments for converting electricity into hydrogen, in spite of the inefficiency of the processThe first is the use it or lose it principle. Electric al power itself cannot be stored in its pure form it needs to be converted to something else. just as surplus nuclear and gas-fired power stations may store unused power by using it to pump water back up inside a damper as part of an incorporate electrical storage system in combination with a hydroelectric power plant, hydrogen can be similarly used to store unused electrical power.Second, electricity stored as hydrogen is versatile. Not onlycan it be used for re-electrification, it also can potentiallybe used as fuel for cars or for producing heat.Why Fuel Cells?Fuel cells directly convert the chemical energy in hydrogen to electricity, with pure water and potentially useful heat as the only byproducts.Hydrogen-powered fuel cells are not only pollution-free, but also can have two to three times the efficiency of traditional combustion technologies.A conventional combustion-based power plant typically generates electricity at efficiencies of 33 to 35 percent, while fuel cell syste ms can generate electricity at efficiencies up to 60 percent (and even higher with cogeneration).The gaseous state engine in a conventional car is less than 20% efficient in converting the chemical energy in gasoline into power that moves the vehicle, under normal driving conditions. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which use electric motors, are much more energy efficient and use 40-60 percent ofthe fuels energy corresponding to more than a 50% decrement in fuel consumption, compared to a conventional vehicle with a gasoline internal combustion engine.In addition, fuel cells operate quietly, have fewer moving parts, and are well suited to a variety of applications.How Do Fuel Cells Work?A single fuel cell consists of an electrolyte sandwiched between two electrodes, an anode and a cathode. Bipolar plates on either side of the cell help distribute gases and serve as current collectors. In a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, whichmost promising for light-duty transportatio n, hydrogen gas flows through channels to the anode, where a catalyst causes the hydrogen molecules to separate into protons and electrons. The membrane allows only the protons to pass through it.Comparison of Fuel Cell TechnologiesIn general, all fuel cells have the same basic configuration an electrolyte and two electrodes. But there are different types of fuel cells, classified primarily by the kind of electrolyte used. The electrolyte determines the kind of chemical reactions that take place in the fuel cell, the temperature range of operation, and other factors that determine its most suitable applications.(7)