Wind turbine installation

Wind power refers to the kinetic energy stored in wind, and it's extraction using wind turbines. This article deals mainly with the intricacies of large scale deployment of wind turbines to generate electricity. See wind turbine for more on individual turbines. Wind Turbine As a general rule, wind generators are practical where the average wind speed is greater than 20 km/h (5.5 m/s). Obviously, meteorology plays an important part in determining possible locations for wind parks, though it has great accuracy limitations....

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How Does Wave Energy Work?

Wave power is a method of electrical generation, where energy from waves moving in water is transferred into an electrical current; the electricity thus produced is coined asrenewable energy. Wave power generation is not a widely employed technology with only a few experimental sites in existence. Wave power has however an advantage in comparition with many other renewable energy sources, because of it's stability in production. Where for instance the amount of wind power being produced relies heavily on how strong winds there are locally, which fluctuates heavily from day to day and from season...

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Water turbine - Types of Turbine

Water Turbine Water turbine - Types of Turbine Water is very heavy and its flow energetic. The Power available in flowing water is described by; where: •  Power( Joules/sec or Watts) •  turbine efficiency •  density of water (Kg/meter3) •  accelaration of gravity (9.8 meters/sec2) •  head (meters, this is the height at which still, unimpeded water starts falling from) •  flow rate (meters3/sec) Theory of operation Water turbines are divided into two groups; reaction turbines and impulse turbines. Impulse turbines change the direction of flow of the water,...

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Solar water heating

Using the sun to heat water A collector is placed on or forms the roof of a building, or on a wall facing the sun, or may be free-standing. The working fluid is either pumped or driven by convection through it. Active control or simple physics ensures it only moves when a net gain in heat will occur. The collector can be a simple glass topped box with copper pipes in it, or a set of metal tubes surrounded by a evacuated (near vacuum) glass cylinder. A parabolic mirror can also be added to concentrate the sun's light on the tube. A simple water heating system would pump cold water out to a collector...

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What is sea level rise?

Sea level rise, a phenomena sometimes held to be caused by global warming and thus evidence supporting the Global Warming Theory. Rising atmosphere temperature theoretically is causing the ice caps to melt and the oceans to expand (heat does cause ice to melt and water to expand). On the other hand, heat also causes water to evaporate, so it is not known what effect global warming will have on sea level. Some researchers believe that rising average sea levels are proof of the global warming theory and that likely further global warming will cause additional sea level rise, possibly wiping out shore-based communities. Other researchers believe that rising average sea levels are...

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Renewable energy

Renewable energy is any type of energy generation that isn't dependent on a limited resource like fossil fuels. Renewable energy may be used directly, such as solar ovens, geothermal heat pumps, or windmills. Other forms of renewable energy sources generate electricity, such as solar power cells, wind generators, tidal waves and hydroelectricpower. Still other forms generate fuels, such as vegetable oils generated from biomass. Most renewable energy can trace their root to solar energy, perhaps with the exception of geothermal and tidal wave power. For example, wind is caused by the density difference of the air when the sun heats various parts of the earth unevenly. Hydroelectric...

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Photovoltaic energy systems definition

Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of radiant energy such as sunlight into electricity through quantum mechanical processes. Photovoltaics is also known as 'solar electric power' or 'solar power', though the latter term fails to adequately distinguish photovoltaics from other technologies that make use of solar energy, such as solar hot water, or solar thermal electricity generation. The photovoltaic effect - the process by which sunlight is converted to electricity - was first noted by Edmund Becquerel in 1839. The principle component of a photovoltaic system is the photovoltaic cell, or...

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What is passive solar energy and heating system?

Passive solar is a term referring to those technologies that can be employed to convert natural sunlight into usable heat, to cause air-movement for ventilation or cooling, or to store the heat for future use, without the use of electrical or mechanical equipment. Technologies that use pumps or fans are classified as active solar technologies. Passive solar technologies used domestically include the use of direct solar gain, solar space heating, those solar hot water systems based on the thermosiphon, thermal mass, the Trombe wall, solar cookers, the solar chimney, and earth sheltering. More widely, they include technologies such as the solar furnace and solar forge. Passive solar...

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Oil Tankers

Oil Tankers are ships of varying sizes designed for the bulk carriage of crude oil and various refined spirits. The largest are up to 650,000 tonnes. The current custom is for crude oil to be transported to near its point of use where it is refined as required. At various times, there have been accidents that have led to serious and catastrophic pollution. Another concern has been the pollution caused by careless cleaning of ships' tanks. During World War II, the transport of oil and its products was a critical strategic activity, since shortages had a paralysing impact on mechanised nations. The destruction and defence of these ships was, therefore, a prime conce...

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Liquefied natural gas (LNG)

Liquefied natural gas (LNG). Natural gas can be cooled until it becomes liquid and stored in tanks. This reduces the volume about 600 times. For transportation between locations where other means of transportation (such as pipelines) is uneconomic, natural gas can be transported as LNG by ship. The infrastructure needed for LNG transportation consists of a liquification terminal, where the gas is cooled, LNG-ships for transportation and a regasification terminal at the destination, where it will be reheated and turned into gas. The regasification terminals are usually connected with a distribution...

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Ground-coupled heat exchanger

Earth cooling tubes utilize the earth's near constant subterranean temperature to warm or cool air for residential, farm or industrial uses. It is often a viable and economical alternative to conventional heating, cooling or heat pump systems since there are no compressors, chemicals or burners and only require a blower to move the air. Most systems are usually four inch to eighteen inch diameter, smooth-walled, rigid or semi-rigid plastic or metal pipes, buried six to ten feet underground where the temperature is typically 50-70 degrees year round (in the northern hemisphere). There are basically...

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Greenhouse Gas

A greenhouse gas is one which contributes to the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases are the most commonly considered factors in global warming. Water vapor is the primary greenhouse gas, accounting for most of the greenhouse effect. In public policy discussions, however, water vapor is generally disregarded. Other greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs) such as freon. Carbon dioxide is the subject of a proposed global warming treaty (see Kyoto Protocol). Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the concentrations of many of the greenhouse gases have increased. Carbon dioxide is up 30%, methane over 50%, nitrous...

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What is the Greenhouse Effect?

The greenhouse effect is one of the things that make life on Earth possible. The light from the Sun passes through the atmosphere and reaches the earth's surface where much of it is absorbed, thereby warming the surface. Some of the infrared radiation is reflected upwards again. The greenhouse gases in the atmosphere then reflects some of this radiation back to the surface again, thus utilizing some more of the energy from it. The greenhouse effect is necessary for life on Earth, but recent years have seen it develop into global warming. Temperatures are increasing, causing disturbances to ecosystems. Greenhouse...

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How a Gas Turbine Works?

A gas turbine is a turbine that uses some form of gasseous fuel. Generally speaking, the fuel is stored in liquid form for convenience. It is mixed with compressed air and burned, which greatly increases the "potential volume" of the air (ie, it wants to get much larger). From there it is directed out an expanding nozzle, flowing past the turbine on the way. Gas Turbine The most common form of gas turbine in the jet engine. Jet engines typically use the power extracted from the turbine to drive the compressor and fuel systems....

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Fuel oil

Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation. Fuel oil is the heaviest commercial fuel that can be obtained from crude oil; it is heavier than gasoline and gas oil, its boiling temperature ranging from 370 to 600 ºC. It is made of long hydrocarbon chains (from 20 to 70 carbon atoms), particularly alkanes, cycloalkanes and aromatics. As a fuel, it is mainly used for ship propulsion. Fuel oil is classified into six classes, according to its boiling temperature, composition and purpose. The lightest is fuel oil no. 1, the heaviest fuel oil no....

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Fossil-fuel power station

Synonyms: Steam electric power plant (US); thermal power power plant (asia) or power station (UK). A fossil fuel power plant (FFPP) is an energy conversion center designed on a large scale for continuous operation. Just as a battery converts relatively small amounts of chemical energy into electricity for temporary or intermittent use, the FFPP converts the sun's energy stored in [fossil fuels]] such as coal, oil, or natural gas successively into thermal energy, mechanical energy, and finally electric energy for continuous use and distribution across a wide geographic area. Each FFPP is a highly complex, custom designed system, costing over $1000/kw, or $500 million for a 500MWe unit....

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Filling station

A gas station or gasoline station is a place that sells gasoline and diesel fuel. In the United Kingdom and Ireland they are known as Petrol Stations where they sell petrol anddiesel fuel. Gas stations were known to offer free oil company road maps as a strategy to build brand loyalty. However, the oil companies discontinued distributing free maps in the 1970s. Nowadays, the stations sell maps produced by Rand McNally and the AAA (American Automobile Association) and CAA (Canadian Automobile Association). Gas stations sell gasoline by the US gallon in the United States and by the litre (US: liter) in Canada, Mexico, and most parts of the world. There are generally two types of gas...

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What is Biomass?

In industrial contexts, biomass refers to living and recently living biological material, usually plant matter grown for use as biofuel. It excludes organic material which has beentransformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum. It is usually measured by dry weight. Most plant matter that can be processed into various industrial material: • biofuel (including biodiesel, methanol fuel, and ethanol fuel) • building materials • biodegradable plastics and paper (using cellulose fibers) In industry, biomass is grown from several plants, including switchgrass, hemp, corn,...

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Types of Biofuels

Classes of Biofuels • Solid biofuels • Wood — see Wood heat • Liquid biofuels • Bioalcohols — see alcohol as a fuel. • Ethanol (not produced from petroleum) - A significant amount of ethanol produced from sugar cane is being used as automotive fuel in Brazil. Ethanol produced fromcorn is being used as a gasoline additive (oxygenator) in the United States. • Methanol - Currently, methanol is produced from natural gas. It is possible, but not economically viable at anywhere near current price levels, to produce methanol from biomass (biomethanol). • Straight vegetable oil (SVO) - used in modified...

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