K.E. Holbert
9/4/2007
Thermoelectrics and thermionics are direct energy conversion methods to turn thermal energy
into electricity. Nonetheless, the system efficiency is Carnot cycle limited. In the case of
thermoelectrics, n -p semiconductors may be used
According to El-Wakil (p. 541), the terrestrial radiation received by the continental U.S. is about
2.21016 kWhr/yr. If a typical solar cell has a conversion efficiency of 12%, determine how long
it would be before the entire surface of the U.S. is covere
Electricity Generation Scheme
Characteristic
Renewable
Base energy
form
Conversion
efficiency
Thermal cycle
Grid loading
Unit size
(MWe)
Fraction of
U.S. total
(2006)
Capital costs
($/kW)
Fuel costs
Storage
requirement
Coal
(scrubbed)
Nat. gas
Comb. Cyc.
Problem: It has been stated by some people and rejected by others that shading of a single row of
solar cells in a PV panel can reduce the power output to zero. (For example, such shading might
be caused by dust that slides down the surface of inclined pa
EEE 352Fall 2011
Homework 1
1.1
Determine the number of atoms per unit cell in a (a) face-centered cubic, (b)
body-centered cubic, and (c) diamond lattice.
(a) The body centered cubic has 8 corner atoms, each of which is shared among 8
unit cells, so this
EEE 352Fall 2011
Homework 2
2.5
The work function of a material refers to the minimum energy required to remove
an electron from the material. Assume that the work function of gold is 4.90 eV
and that of cesium is 1.9 eV. Calculate the maximum wavelength
EEE 352 Fall 2011
Homework 4
3.5
(a) Plot the function f(a)=12sin(a)/a+cos(a) for 0a4. Also, given the
function f(a)=cos(ka), indicate the allowed values of a which will satisfy this
equation. (b) Determine the values for of a at (i) ka= and (ii) ka = 2.
L9: Gas Turbines, Brayton Cycle
EEE 463
EEE 463
Gas Turbines
Brayton Cycle
Conventional Gas Turbine Plant
AC generator
Combustion
air inlet filter
Gas turbine exhaust
K. E. Holbert
1
L9: Gas Turbines, Brayton Cycle
EEE 463
Gas Turbine Plant
Natural gas o
L10: Combined Cycle
EEE 463
EEE 463
Combined Cycle
Combined Cycle
In general, combined cycle just denotes the
coupling of two different cycles (not to be
confused with cogeneration)
For power plants today, combined cycle means
a top (Brayton/gas) cycle
U.S. Energy Information Administration
October 2015 Monthly Energy Review
Note: Information about data precision.
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Next Update: November 24, 2015
Table 9.10 Natural Gas Prices
Month
1976 January
1976 February
1976 March
1976
EEE 463 Electrical Power Plants
Homework Assignment #6
Chapter 9
Problem:
Points:
Due: Thursday, November 5
4
[16]
Chapter 10
Problem:
Points:
Fall 2015
16
[24]
1. Using the heat of formation data from Lecture 11, calculate the energy release per mass of
L1: Energy Sources, Steam Tables
EEE 463
EEE 463
Energy Sources
Introduction
When choosing a fuel type for a power
plant, such selection must take place while
considering the competing consumers who
desire that same fuel source
Hence, we begin this cour
L12: Nuclear Fission Power Plants
EEE 463
EEE 463
Nuclear Fission
Nuclear Fission
Fission is the splitting of the nucleus of an atom
Contrast: fusion is the joining of two atoms
Fission releases nuclear binding energy
A neutron strikes the U-235 nucle
L2: Thermodynamics, Carnot Cycle
EEE 463
EEE 463
Basic Thermodynamics
Carnot Cycle
Basic Laws of Thermodynamics
Zeroth law: two bodies in thermal equilibrium
are at the same temperature
First law: conservation of energy
Second law has two forms:
Kelvi
Problem: A solar thermal plant with energy storage capability is to be constructed at about a 40
latitude to provide the electric energy to a system whose 24-hr average load is 100 MWe during the
winter. Assume that the solar thermal power plant will have
Integrated Coal Gasification
Combined Cycle
Fischer-Tropsch Process
Oil Shale Reserves
Tar Sands
Great Plains Synfuel PLant
Great Plains
Tampa Electric
Once Thru Cooling
Intake Structures
Trash Racks
Circ Water Pump
Circ Water Pump
Circ Water Pump Motor
Circ Water Pipes
Circ Water Pipes
Circ Water Valves
Vacuum Breaker
Once Thru Cooling
Spray Ponds
Induced Draft Cooling Towers
Cooling Tower
Induced Draft
SOLAR CALCULATIONS
The orbit of the Earth is an ellipse not a circle, hence the distance between the Earth and
Sun varies over the year, leading to apparent solar irradiation values throughout the year
approximated by [1]:
N
I 0 = I SC 1 + 0.033 cos
360
