Renewable Electrical Energy Systems

EEET2334/2335

Week 8 Lecture 8
Dr Manoj Datta

Lecture Overview
What is and why distributed generation (DG)
Distributed generation with fossil fuels Distributed generation with renewables

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Renewable Electrical Energy Systems/Week 8/ Lecture 8

What is and why distributed generation?

Distributed generation (DG) occurs near the location where the energy is actually used, thus the transmission losses over long distance are avoided
DG enhances the power supply security and reliability of the centralized energy systems For combined heat and power (CHP) generation, DG has economic advantages DG with renewable energy resources are gaining popularity due to the increasing environmental concerns

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Renewable Electrical Energy Systems/Week 8/ Lecture 8

Distributed Generation

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Renewable Electrical Energy Systems/Week 8/ Lecture 8

DG versus conventional generation

Source: F.R. Leslie, Distributed generation, FIT, USA.

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Renewable Electrical Energy Systems/Week 8/ Lecture 8

DG Benefit Matrix

Source: http://www.dg.history.vt.edu/ch1/benefits.html

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DG technologies for different power levels

Source: F.R. Leslie, Distributed generation, FIT, USA.

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Renewable Electrical Energy Systems/Week 8/ Lecture 8

Potential DG resources
DG with fossil fuels
Micro-turbines (natural gas) Reciprocating ICEs (natural gas) Diesel engines

DG with renewable energy sources

Solar PV Wind turbines Fuel Cell/ Battery/ EDCL Ocean energy converters / Hydro-turbines Animal powered/Bio-fuel/Waste
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HHV and LHV

For large power stations, efficiency is always based on HHV; while for DG technologies (micro-turbines, reciprocating ICEs), it is usually based on LHV.
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Micro-combustion turbines
Micro-turbines rated from 500W to several hundred kW are commercially available. Their basic configurations are as follows:

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Reciprocating ICE

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Reciprocating ICE (contd.)

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Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

Waste heat from reciprocating engines can be tapped mainly from exhaust gases and cooling water that circulates around cylinders in the engine jacket, with additional potential from oil and turbo coolers. Engine exhaust and cooling water each provide about half of the useful thermal energy in a reciprocating-engine cogeneration system. Figure shows an example heat balance for a reciprocating-engine cogeneration system utilizing a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG) for steam along with other heat exchangers to provide lower temperature energy for such loads as absorption airconditioning, hot water, and boiler heat.
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Diesel Generator

The power control mechanism consists of a governor and electric motor

These which are directly connected to the diesel engine and is designed to control the amount of fuel that is supplied to the diesel engine They also adjust rotational speed and output.
Source: http://www.chuden.co.jp/

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Fuel Cells
Fuel cells: a brief history
Basic operation of fuel cells Fuel cell thermodynamics: enthalpy Fuel cell: theoretical efficiency

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Fuel cells: a brief history

The first fuel cell was built in 1839 by Sir William Grove, a lawyer and scientist.
Serious interest in the fuel cell did not begin until the 1960s, when the U.S. space program chose fuel cells over nuclear power and solar energy. Fuel cells furnished power for the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft, and still provide electricity and water for the space shuttle.
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Basics of fuel cells

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Basic components of fuel cells

Fuel cells come in many varieties; however, they all work in the same general manner. They are made up of three adjacent segments: the anode, the electrolyte, and the cathode. Two chemical reactions occur at the interfaces of the three different segments. The net result of the two reactions is that fuel is consumed, water or carbon dioxide is created, and an electric current is created, which can be used to power electrical devices, normally referred to as the load.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell

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How do fuel cells work

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell

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Basic operation of fuel cells (contd.)

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Fuel cell thermodynamics: enthalpy

The enthalpy of a substance is defined as the sum of its internal energy and the product of its volume and pressure:

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Fuel cell: theoretical efficiency

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Gibbs free energy and fuel cell efficiency

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Fuel cell: electrical output

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Electrical characteristics: real fuel cells

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Application of fuel cells

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Source and reading Guide for Todays Lecture

Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems, Gilbert M. Masters, ISBN: 978-0-471-28060-6 Chapter 4: Sections: 4.1, 4.2, and 4.6

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