Skip to main content
Skip header

Alternative Energy Sources

Type of study Bachelor
Language of instruction English
Code 635-2035/02
Abbreviation AEZ
Course title Alternative Energy Sources
Credits 6
Coordinating department Department of Thermal Engineering
Course coordinator doc. Ing. Marek Velička, Ph.D.

Subject syllabus

• Solar energy. Solar spectrum, solar constant, Positioning the Sun. Solar energy flux density, direct sunlight, diffuse sunlight, total solar radiation. Energy to insulated area.
• Solar collectors - flat, vacuum, concentration. Energy absorbed by collector, collector efficiency.
• Photovoltaic conversion. Band gap. Photovoltaic cells - types, performance, efficiency, connection. Photovoltaic power plants.
• Wind energy: Parameters and vertical wind profile. The kinetic energy and wind power. Betz’s law. Output wind engine, tip-speed ratio. Wind turbine - rotor, gearbox, generator, system yaw of engine room, tower, control system. The potential of wind energy in the Czech Republic.
• The energy of water flows. Specific energy, output of the water engine. The main kinds of water turbines. Hydroelectric power plant in the Czech Republic and the world. Ocean energy. - sea waves, tides, ocean currents, temperature gradient between different depths, osmotic processes, thermal energy, etc.
• Biomass. Biomass for energy uses - purposely grown biomass, waste. EROEI. The methods of extracting energy from biomass. Thermal processes - combustion, gasification, pyrolysis. Biotechnological processes - anaerobic digestion and ethanol fermentation. Chemical processes - biodiesel.
• Geothermal energy. Geothermal gradient, heat flow. Geothermal resources. Geothermal power plants.
• Heat pumps. Principle, COP. Refrigerants for HP. Types of heat pumps: air - air, air - water, water - water, ground - water. The environmental aspect in the application of heat pumps.
• Nuclear energy. Energy from nuclear reactions. Ways to control the chain reaction. Nuclear reactor. Nuclear power plants. Fusion energy.
• Hydrogen technologies. Production of hydrogen from fossil fuels, electrolysis of water.
• Fuel cells. The principle, types - A, PEM, PA, MC, SO. Development and application of FC.
• Energy storage - electromechanical, thermal, chemical.

Literature

[1] MICHAELIDES, E. Alternative Energy Sources. Heidelberg. Springer, 2012. ISBN 978-3-642-20950-5.
[2] LIENHARD IV, J. H., LIENHARD V, J. H. A Heat Transfer Textbook. 4th ed. Cambridge: Phlogiston Press, 2012.
[3] GASCH, R., TWELE, J. Wind Power Plants: Fundamentals, Design, Construction and Operation. 2nd ed. Heidelberg: Springer, 2012. ISBN 978-3-642-22937-4.
[4] MacKAY, D. J. C. Sustainable Energy - without the hot air. Cambridge: UIT, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9544529-3-3 .

Advised literature

[1] GASCH, R., TWELE, J. Wind Power Plants: Fundamentals, Design, Construction and Operation. 2nd ed. Heidelberg: Springer, 2012. ISBN 978-3-642-22937-4.
[2] Časopisy: Power in Europe, GWI, Renewable Energy Focus.
[3] www.renewableenergyworld.com.