MEC4104 : Renewable Energy Technology - Renewable Energy Case Studies - Engineering Assignment Help

Assignment Task :

Case Study 1: Solar Thermal Energy 

Analyse solar energy available for a thermal application at the place of your employment, or at some other  specific industrial, commercial, or rural enterprise at a location within 50 km of the postal address you have  registered with USQ. You are required to briefly describe the enterprise, its location, building(s) and the  space available for collection of solar energy.  

The application for the solar energy will be a thermal process/technology. Options include: (1) Solar water  heating; (2) Solar thermal concentrating systems for power production; (3) solar thermal energy collection for  air-conditioning / refrigeration applications; and (4) solar thermal energy for heating and drying applications.  

Direct electricity generation via photovoltaics is not a thermal technology and does NOT fall within the scope  of this particular assignment question. 

(a) Present an annotated map/satellite image showing the location of the site/building(s) (latitude and  longitude). Describe the site/building(s) and its location relative to the postal address you have registered with  USQ. Define the maximum footprint available for installation of the planned solar thermal collector system.  

(b) What is the application for the thermal energy? Will a new service be offered through the solar thermal  installation, or will the installation replace an existing service delivered through non-renewable energy technologies? How will the enterprise benefit from this renewable energy initiative? Define the amount of  energy required, when this energy is required (specifying the variations on a daily and monthly basis) and the  temperature at which this energy must be delivered in this application. Clearly describe your assumptions.  

(c) Describe the solar thermal collector technology which you are considering for installation at this site (e.g., flat plate, vacuum tube, tracking, concentrating etc.). Include specifications of collection efficiencies,  operating conditions including working fluid mass flow rates and other relevant performance metrics for this  technology. Define the meanings of the variables you have identified, citing your technical literature and  other sources.  

(d) Analyse monthly-averaged solar radiation data to determine the solar energy/power available and its  variation at the site location. Present a graph showing the average variation throughout the year. For the  critical period, when the demand for the energy is highest and/or availability of the solar energy is lowest, also  graph the average variation throughout the day. Be sure to describe your analysis, including the necessary  assumptions, and define the meaning of the variables you have used in the analysis and presentation of the  graphs. Cite the source(s) of your data. 

(e) Identify a suitable energy storage strategy. Compare the energy supply and demand cycles and assess the  viability of the storage technology in this application through suitable engineering analysis.  

(f) Size an appropriate collection and storage system based on your results in parts (a) to (e). Through  engineering analysis, define the system performance and demonstrate that the necessary quantity of energy  can be delivered at the required temperatures during normal operation. Also highlight if the solar system is  able to satisfy demand during periods of peak demand and/or troughs in solar supply. Is a back-up system that  operates on a non-renewable energy source required? Ensure you present your calculations and discuss your  assumptions clearly.  

(g) Assess the viability or otherwise of the proposed system and/or identify limitations of your current work  and identify further analysis which needs to be performed in order to fully assess the viability or otherwise of  the proposed collection system. 

Case Study 2: Wind Energy  

Evaluate the wind-energy conversion capacity of the wind turbine specified below for use as an alternative  energy source for a place of residence within 20 km of the postal address you have registered with USQ.  

The wind turbine to be considered is specified in the 

(a) Describe the residence and its location, being specific with respect to the postal address you have  registered with USQ. How many people reside here? 

(b) Develop a plot showing the probability distribution of wind speed at your location. Obtain this plot by  analysing available data. The distribution should be representative of conditions averaged across a period of 1  year and should take the form of probabilities of the wind speed falling within four or more discrete bands.   

The level of detail available for wind statistics is likely to vary depending on your particular location. You are  required to make and justify assumptions that facilitate the development of a sensible probability distribution  at your location based on the available data. 

(c) Using the specifications provided, develop a plot of the power output as a function of wind speed on the  assumption that the generator is being used to charge batteries and the cut-out wind speed is 20 m/s.   

(d) Based on results obtained in parts (b) and (c), over a period of 1 year, how many kW-hr of electrical  energy can be generated at your residence? Estimate the fraction of the energy requirements of this residence  that could be satisfied by installing this WECS.

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