Course Title: INTRODUCTION TO MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Course Code: 22ESC144/244

Course Incharge: Ashoka E
ADVANTAGES: - Environmental friendly source, large scale power generation, energy at free of cost

DISADVANTAGES: - Expensive to build the dam, summer water may not sufficient to produce
electricity
 ADVANTAGES:-
1. The wind is free and with modern technology it can be captured efficiently. 2. Once the wind turbine
is built the energy it produces does not cause greenhouse gases or other pollutants.
3. Many people find wind farms an interesting feature of the landscape
4. Remote areas that are not connected to the electricity power grid can use wind turbines to produce
their own supply.
5. Wind turbines are available in a range of sizes which means a vast range of people and businesses
can use

Disadvantages:-

1. Wind turbines are noisy

2. The strength of the wind is not constant and it varies from zero to storm force.
3. Only selected places it can be harnessed.

NUCLEAR FUELS

Nuclear energy is the energy that holds the nucleus of an atom. The energy released during nuclear fission or
fusion, especially when used to generate electricity.
Nuclear fusion: Fusion energy is a form of nuclear energy released by the fusion (combustion) of two light
nuclei (i.e. nuclei of low mass) to produce heavier mass.
Nuclear fission: Nuclear fission is the process, where a heavy nucleus splits into two fragments of more or
less of equal mass.

Nuclear Reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device which controls the nuclear fission chain reaction to hardness nuclear energy
for peaceful purposes. A nuclear reactor which is used to generate electricity, is called a nuclear power plant.
Fuel in the form of pellets is enclosed in several tubular claddings of steel or aluminum. This is called fuel
assembly. Enriched U-235 or Pu-239 is the fuel material. A coolant is circulated through the reactor to
remove the heat generated. Ordinary water is most commonly used coolant. Rods made of boron or
cadmium which is neutron absorbers are used as control rods. The neutrons available for fission are
controlled by moving the control rods in and out of the nuclear core. The rods can be used to shut down the
reactor.
Working principle of a nuclear power station
The schematic diagram of nuclear power station is shown in figure. A generating station in which nuclear
energy is converted into electrical energy is known as nuclear power station. The main components of this
station are nuclear reactor, heat exchanger or steam generator, steam or gas turbine, AC generator and
exciter, and condenser.

The reactor of a nuclear power plant is similar to the furnace in a steam power plant. The heat liberated
in the reactor due to the nuclear fission of the fuel is taken up by the coolant circulating in the reactor. A
hot coolant leaves the reactor at top and then flows through the tubes of heat exchanger and transfers its
heat to the feed water on its way. The steam produced in the heat exchanger is passed through the turbine
and after the work has done by the expansion of steam in the turbine, steam leaves the turbine and flows to
the condenser. The mechanical or rotating energy developed by the turbine is transferred to the generator
which in turn generates the electrical energy and supplies to the bus through a step- up transformer, a
circuit breaker, and an isolator. Pumps are provided to maintain the flow of coolant, condensate, and feed
water.

ADVANTAGES:-
Nuclear power generation does emit relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The emissions of greenhouse gases and therefore the contribution of nuclear power plants to global
warming is therefore relatively little.

This technology is readily available, it does not have to be developed first.

It is possible to generate a high amount of electrical energy in one single plant.

DISADVANTAGES:-
The problem of radioactive waste is still an unsolved one.
High risks: It is technically impossible to build a plant with 100% security.
The energy source for nuclear energy is Uranium. Uranium is a scarce resource, its supply is estimated
to last only for the next 30 to 60 years depending on the actual demand
3. Heliothermal Process

Radiant solar energy is directly converted into thermal energy (heat energy) by using a collector.
This process is called as Helio thermal process. The surf-ace on which the solar rays fall is called a
collector. The collector may be either flat plate collector or focussing collector.

The surfaces on which the solar rays fall are called collectors.
There are two types of collectors:
(a) Flat plate collectors (b) Focusing collectors.

a) Liquid Flat Plate Collectors:

It has the following components:

(a) Absorbing plate
 Made of Copper, Aluminium or steel.
 It is coated with material to enhance the absorption of solar radiation.
 From the absorbing plates heat is transferred to tubes which carry either water or air.
(b) Transparent covers
 Sheets of solar radiation transmitting materials placed above the absorbing plate.

 They allow solar energy to reach the absorbing plate while reducing convection, conduction
and re-radiation heat losses. Made of a toughened glass, usually 4mm thick. Which helps in
reflecting the incident
 Solar energy back to the absorber plate.
 Glass cover permits the entry of solar radiation as it is transparent for incoming short wave lengths
(c) Insulation
It minimizes and protects the absorbing plate from heat losses.

Working
 Sun’s rays falling on the transparent covers are transmitted to the absorbing plate.
 The absorbing plate usually of Cu, Al or galvanized iron is painted dead black for maximum
absorption.
 The collector (plate) will absorb the sun energy and transfer it to the fluid in the pipe beneath the
collector plate.
 Use of flat mirrors on the sides improves the output.
 Water from the overhead tank is made to flow through the water tubes. Solar rays passes through the
transparent cover and falls on the absorber plate. Heat energy from the absorber plate is transferred to
the cold water flowing through the tubes. Worm water rises above the cold water because of low
density and flows into the heater tank.
Biofuels
Introduction: - Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. It
most often refers to plants or plant-derived materials. As an energy source, biomass can either be
used directly via combustion to produce heat, or Indirectly after converting it to various forms of
biofuel.

This biomass may be transformed by physical, chemical and biological processes to biofuels. In
chemical forms biomass is stored solar energy and can be converted into solid, liquid and gaseous
energy carries. Biomass is biological/organic material derived from living, or recently living
organisms. (The term is equally applicable to both animal and vegetable derived material, but in the
context of energy, it refers to plant based material)

Source of biomass: - sources of biomass/biofuels are:-

Examples of various biofuels used in engineering applications: - The various bio-fuels are bio-methanol,
bio-ethanol, bio-diesel, bio-gas and producer gas.

First-generation biofuels are made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using
conventional technology. The basic feedstock for the production of first-generation biofuels
come from agriculture and food processing.
Introduction to Biogas Energy
Biogas is a mixture of gases which the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter produces, for example,
agricultural waste, plant residue, municipal waste, food waste and more. It comprises methane, carbon dioxide
in conjunction with the small amount of hydrogen sulphide, and moisture.

Biogas Plant
The biogas plant comprises a dome-like structure. In this, the organic material like discarded food residue, fats,
sludge, cow dung etc. mix with water and then fed into the digester through the inlet.

The digester is basically a sealed chamber where anaerobic decomposition of organic matter occurs. After a few
days, the organic matter completely decomposes to produce gases like methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and
hydrogen sulphide.

After that, we draw these gases through pipes from the storage tank above the digester and distribute through
decentralization channels to neighbouring centres for use.
The most common first-generation biofuels are:

 Biodiesel: Extraction with or without esterification of vegetable oils from seeds of plants like
soybean, oil palm, oilseed rape and sunflower or residues including animal fats derived from
rendering applied as fuel in diesel engines.

 Bioethanol: Fermentation of simple sugars from sugar crops like sugarcane or from starch crops
like maize and wheat applied as fuel in petrol engines.

 Biogas: Anaerobic fermentation or organic waste, animal manures, crop residues an energy crops
applied as fuel in engines suitable for compressed natural gas.

Advantages of biomass energy:-

 Renewable and inexhaustible (theoretically) source of energy.

 Biomass is very abundant.
 It is easy to convert to a high energy portable fuel such as alcohol or gas which are efficient,
viable and relatively clean-burning.
 It is cheap in contrast to the other energy sources.
 Biomass production can often mean the restoration of waste land Commercial
use of biomass may reduce the problem of waste disposal.
 It may also use areas of unused agricultural land and provide jobs in rural communities.
 When direct combustion of plant mass is not used to generate energy (i.e. fermentation, pyrolysis,
etc. are used instead), there is minimal environmental impact.

Disadvantages of Biogas
In addition to having many advantages, there are also some disadvantages of biogas. They are as
follows:
Inefficient on a large scale: As it is difficult to boost the efficiency of biogas, it is not
economically feasible to use biogas on a large scale.
Contains impurities: It comprises a lot of impurities which are difficult to control even after
putting it through many rounds of purification. When we compress biogas to use as fuel, it proves to
be extremely corrosive to the container.
Unstable and hazardous: When methane comes in contact with oxygen it reacts violently to create
carbon dioxide. As a result, the highly inflammable nature of methane makes it susceptible to
explosions
 Global Warming:
Global warming is a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally
attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFCs, and other
pollutants.

Causes for Global Warming:

One of the biggest issues facing us right now is global warming. Its effects on animals and on agriculture
are indeed frightening, and the effects on the human population are even scarier. The causes are mainly
from us, the human race, and the effects on us will be severe.

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning power plants Our ever increasing addiction to electricity
from coal burning power plants releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide emissions from burning gasoline for transportation With our population growing at an
alarming rate, the demand for more cars and consumer goods means that we are increasing the use of fossil
fuels for transportation and manufacturing.
Methane emissions from animals, agriculture such as rice paddies, and from Arctic sea beds
Methane is another extremely potent greenhouse gas, ranking right behind CO2. When organic matter is
broken down by bacteria under oxygen-starved conditions (anaerobic decomposition) as in rice paddies,
methane is produced.

Effects for Global Warming:

Higher temperatures: Every continent has warmed substantially since the 1950s. There are more hot days
and fewer cold days, on average, and the hot days are hotter.
Heavier storms: The world's atmosphere can hold more moisture as it warms. As a result, the overall
number of heavier storms has likely increased since midcentury,
Heat waves: Heat waves have likely become longer and more frequent around the world
Shrinking sea ice: The extent of sea ice in the Arctic has shrunk since 1979, by between 3.5 percent and
4.1 percent per decade, on average. Summer sea ice has dwindled even more rapidly:
Sea-level rise: The pace of sea-level rise has continued to increase in recent decades. Sea-level rise is
caused by both the thermal expansion of the oceans — as water warms up, it expands — and the melting
of glaciers and ice sheets.
Food supply: A hotter climate can be both good for crops and bad for crops (excess heat can damage
plants).
Greenhouse Effect:
The greenhouse effect is the process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's
surface to a temperature above what it would be without its atmosphere. If a planet's atmosphere
contains radio active gases (i.e., greenhouse gases) they will radiate energy in all directions. Part of this
radiation is directed towards the surface, warming it. The intensity of the downward radiation – that is,
the strength of the greenhouse effect – will depend on the atmosphere's temperature and on the amount
of greenhouse gases that the atmosphere contains.
Earth’s natural greenhouse effect is critical to supporting life. Human activities, mainly the burning of
fossil fuels and clearing of forests, have strengthened the greenhouse effect and caused global warming

Ozone Layer
A layer in the earth's stratosphere at an altitude of about 10 km (6.2 miles) containing a high
concentration of ozone, which absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth from the sun.

Causes for Ozone Layer Depletion:

The decrease in ozone concentration in the middle layers of the atmosphere – mainly in the stratosphere
– is extremely damaging to life on earth, and is largely caused by emissions of halogenated
hydrocarbons produced by man, CFCs, HCFCs, halons, carbon tetrachloride and methyl bromide. For
this reason, such substances are commonly referred to as Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
(ODS).

Effects of Ozone Layer Depletion:

Skin Cancer: Today, it is estimated that skin cancer rates increased due to the decrease in stratospheric
ozone (ozone layer Effects on aquatic ecosystems)

The loss of phytoplankton, the basis of the marine food chain, has been observed as the cause of the
increase in ultraviolet radiation.
Effects on Animals: For some species, an increase in UV radiation implies the formation of skin cancer.
This has been studied in goats, cows, cats, dogs, sheep and laboratory animals and is probably pointing
out that this is a common feature of several species.
Plants: In many plants UV radiation can have the following adverse effects: alter its shape and damage
plant growth, Reduce tree growth, Change flowering times, Make plants more vulnerable to disease and
produce toxic substances.