NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY RESOURCES

a) Introduction: Renewable and non-renewable energy sources, their availability and growth in India; energy consumption as a measure of Nation's development; strategy for meeting the future energy requirements

2. Solar Energy: Solar radiation - beam and diffuse radiation; earth sun angles, attenuation and measurement of solar radiation; Optical properties of materials and selective surfaces; Principles, general description and design procedures of flat Platte and concentrating collectors; Performance analysis of cylindrical and parabolic collectors; Solar energy storage systems - their types, characteristics and capacity; solar ponds. Applications of solar energy in water, space and process heating, solar refrigeration and air conditioning; water desalination and water pumping; solar thermal power generation; solar cells and batteries; economic analysis of solar systems

3. Wind Energy: Principle of wind energy conversion; Basic components of wind energy conversion systems; wind mill components, various types and their constructional features; design considerations of horizontal and vertical axis wind machines: analysis of accodynamic forces acting on wind mill blades and estimation of power output; wind data and site selection considerations

4. Direct energy conversion systems:

i) Magnetic Hydrodynamic (MHD) Generator: gas conductivity and MHD equations; operating principle, types and working of different MHD systems – their relative merits; MHD materials and production of magnetic fields.

ii) Thermo-electric generators: Thermo-electric effects and materials; thermo-electric devices and types of thermo-electric generators; thermo-electric refrigeration.

iii) Thermionic generators: thermoionic emission and materials; working principle of thermionic convertors

iv) Fuel Cells: thermodynamic aspects; types, components and working of fuel cells.

v) Performance, applications and economic aspects of above mentioned direct energy conversions systems

5. Miscellaneous Non-Conventional energy Systems:

i) Bio-mass: Concept of bio-mass conversion, photo-synthesis and bio-gasification; Bio gas generators and plants - their types constructional features and functioning; digesters and their design; Fuel properties of bio gas and community bio gas plants

ii) Geothermal: Sources of geothermal energy - types, constructional features and associated prime movers.

iii) Tidal and wave energy: Basic principles and components of tidal and wave energy plants; single basin and double basin tidal power plants; conversion devices Advantages/disadvantages and applications of above mentioned energy systems.