Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes, 3rd Edition

Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes, 3rd Edition

by Aldo V. da Rosa
Released December 2012
Publisher(s): Academic Press
ISBN: 9780123978257

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Book description

With energy sustainability and security at the forefront of public discourse worldwide, there is a pressing need to foster an understanding of clean, safe alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power. Aldo da Rosa’s highly respected and comprehensive resource fulfills this need; it has provided thousands of engineers, scientists, students and professionals alike with a thorough grounding in the scientific principles underlying the complex world of renewable energy technologies. This new third edition of the classic text highlights advances in this vital area, which are proceeding at an unprecedented pace, allowing everyone interested in this burgeoning field to keep up with the latest developments in diverse topics from solar cooling to renewable energy storage.

  • Illuminates the basic principles behind all key renewable power sources- solar, wind, biomass, hydropower & fuel cells
  • Connects scientific theory with practical implementation through physical examples; end-of-chapter questions help readers apply their knowledge
  • Written by one of the world’s foremost experts in renewable energy, drawing from his decades of experience in academia and industry

NEW TO THIS EDITION: -All new chapter on pivotal renewable energy storage technologies -Now includes discussion of power grid and transmission issues -Expanded coverage of Hydropower and advances in PV cells -New and improved figures and additional end-of-chapter problems

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Foreword to the Third Edition
  6. Foreword to the Second Edition
  7. Foreword to the First Edition
  8. Acknowledgements
  9. Chapetr 1. Generalites
    1. 1.1 Units and Constants
    2. 1.2 Energy and Utility
    3. 1.3 Conservation of Energy
    4. 1.4 Planetary Energy Balance
    5. 1.5 The Energy Utilization Rate
    6. 1.6 The Population Explosion
    7. 1.7 The Market Penetration Function
    8. 1.8 Planetary Energy Resources
    9. 1.9 Energy Utilization
    10. 1.10 The Efficiency Question
    11. 1.11 The Ecology Question
    12. 1.12 Financing
    13. 1.13 The Cost of Electricity
    14. PROBLEMS
    15. References
  10. Part I: Heat Engines
    1. Chapter 2. A Minimum of Thermodynamics and of the Kinetic Theory of Gases
      1. 2.1 The Motion of Molecules
      2. 2.2 Manipulating Confined Gases (Closed Systems)
      3. 2.3 Manipulating Flowing Gases (Open Systems)
      4. 2.4 Entropy and Lossy Systems
      5. 2.5 Distribution Functions
      6. 2.6 Boltzmann’s Law
      7. 2.7 Phases of a Pure Substance
      8. 2.8 Symbology
      9. PROBLEMS
      10. References
    2. Chapter 3. Mechanical Heat Engines
      1. 3.1 Heats of Combustion
      2. 3.2 Carnot Efficiency
      3. 3.3 Engine Types
      4. 3.4 The Otto Engine
      5. 3.5 Gasoline
      6. 3.6 Knocking
      7. 3.7 Rankine Cycle
      8. 3.8 The Brayton Cycle
      9. 3.9 Combined Cycles
      10. 3.10 Hybrid Engines for Automobiles
      11. 3.11 The Stirling Engine
      12. PROBLEMS
      13. References
    3. Chapter 4. Ocean Thermal Energy Converters
      1. 4.1 Introduction
      2. 4.2 OTEC Configurations
      3. 4.3 OTEC Efficiency
      4. 4.4 OTEC Design
      5. 4.5 Heat Exchangers
      6. 4.6 Siting
      7. PROBLEMS
      8. References
    4. Chapter 5. Thermoelectricity
      1. 5.1 Experimental Observations
      2. 5.2 Thermoelectric Thermometers
      3. 5.3 The Thermoelectric Generator
      4. 5.4 Figure of Merit of a Material
      5. 5.5 The Wiedemann-Franz-Lorenz Law
      6. 5.6 Thermal Conductivity in Solids
      7. 5.7 Seebeck Coefficient of Semiconductors
      8. 5.8 Performance of Thermoelectric Materials
      9. 5.9 Some Applications of Thermoelectric Generators
      10. 5.10 Design of a Thermoelectric Generator
      11. 5.11 Thermoelectric Refrigerators and Heat Pumps
      12. 5.12 Temperature Dependence
      13. 5.13 Battery Architecture
      14. 5.14 The Physics of Thermoelectricity
      15. 5.15 Directions and Signs
      16. 5.16 Appendix
      17. PROBLEMS
      18. References
    5. Chapter 6. Thermionics
      1. 6.1 Introduction
      2. 6.2 Thermionic Emission
      3. 6.3 Electron Transport
      4. 6.4 Lossless Diodes with Space Charge Neutralization
      5. 6.5 Losses in Vacuum Diodes with No Space Charge
      6. 6.6 Real Vacuum-Diodes
      7. 6.7 Vapor Diodes
      8. 6.8 High-Pressure Diodes
      9. PROBLEMS
      10. References
    6. Chapter 7. AMTEC
      1. 7.1 Operating Principle
      2. 7.2 Vapor Pressure
      3. 7.3 Pressure Drop in the Sodium Vapor Column
      4. 7.4 Mean Free Path of Sodium Ions
      5. 7.5 V - I Characteristics of an AMTEC
      6. 7.6 Efficiency
      7. 7.7 Thermodynamics of an AMTEC
      8. References
    7. Chapter 8. Radio-Noise Generators
      1. 8.1 Sole Section
      2. References
  11. Part II: The World of Hydrogen
    1. Chapter 9. Fuel Cells
      1. 9.1 Introduction
      2. 9.2 Voltaic Cells
      3. 9.3 Fuel Cell Classification
      4. 9.4 Fuel Cell Reactions
      5. 9.5 Typical Fuel Cell Configurations
      6. 9.6 Fuel Cell Applications
      7. 9.7 The Thermodynamics of Fuel Cells
      8. 9.8 Performance of Real Fuel Cells
      9. References
    2. Chapter 10. Hydrogen Production
      1. 10.1 Generalities
      2. 10.2 Chemical Production of Hydrogen
      3. 10.3 Electrolytic Hydrogen
      4. 10.4 Thermolytic Hydrogen
      5. 10.5 Photolytic Hydrogen
      6. 10.6 Photobiologic Hydrogen Production
      7. PROBLEMS
      8. References
    3. Chapter 11. Hydrogen Storage
      1. 11.1 Introduction
      2. 11.2 Compressed Gas
      3. 11.3 Cryogenic Hydrogen
      4. 11.4 Storage of Hydrogen by Adsorption
      5. 11.5 Storage of Hydrogen in Chemical Compounds
      6. 11.6 Hydride Hydrogen Compressors
      7. 11.7 Hydride Heat Pumps
      8. PROBLEMS
      9. References
  12. Part III: Energy from the Sun
    1. Chapter 12. Solar Radiation
      1. 12.1 The Nature of the Solar Radiation
      2. 12.2 Insolation
      3. 12.3 Solar Collectors
      4. 12.4 Some Solar Plant Configurations
      5. 12.5 The Measurement of Time
      6. 12.6 Orbital Mechanics
      7. PROBLEMS
      8. References
    2. Chapter 13. Biomass
      1. 13.1 Introduction
      2. 13.2 The Composition of Biomass
      3. 13.3 Biomass as Fuel
      4. 13.4 Photosynthesis
      5. PROBLEMS
      6. References
    3. Chapter 14. Photovoltaic Converters
      1. 14.1 Introduction
      2. 14.2 Theoretical Efficiency
      3. 14.3 Carrier Multiplication
      4. 14.4 Spectrally Selective Beam Splitting
      5. 14.5 Thermo-photovoltaic Cells
      6. 14.6 The Ideal and the Practical
      7. 14.7 Solid-State Junction Photodiode
      8. 14.8 The Reverse Saturation Current
      9. 14.9 Practical Efficiency
      10. 14.10 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC)
      11. 14.11 Organic Photovoltaic Cells (OPC)
      12. 14.12 Solar-Power Satellite
      13. 14.13 Solar Energy to DC Conversion
      14. 14.14 Microwave Generation
      15. 14.15 Radiation System
      16. 14.16 Receiving Array
      17. 14.17 Attitude and Orbital Control
      18. 14.18 Space Transportation and Space Construction
      19. 14.19 Future of Space Solar Power Projects
      20. Appendix A: Values of two definite integrals used in the calculation of photodiode performance
      21. PROBLEMS
      22. References
  13. Part IV: Wind and Water
    1. Chapter 15. Wind Energy
      1. 15.1 History
      2. 15.2 Wind Machine Configurations
      3. 15.3 Measuring the Wind
      4. 15.4 Availability of Wind Energy
      5. 15.5 Wind Turbine Characteristics
      6. 15.6 Principles of Aerodynamics
      7. 15.7 Airfoils
      8. 15.8 Reynolds Number
      9. 15.9 Aspect Ratio
      10. 15.10 Wind Turbine Analysis
      11. 15.11 Magnus Effect
      12. PROBLEMS
      13. References
    2. Chapter 16. Ocean Engines
      1. 16.1 Introduction
      2. 16.2 Wave Energy
      3. 16.3 Tidal Energy
      4. 16.4 Energy from Currents
      5. 16.5 Salination Energy
      6. 16.6 Osmosis
      7. 16.7 Further Reading
      8. PROBLEMS
      9. References
    3. Chapter 17. Nuclear Energy
      1. 17.1 Introduction
      2. 17.2 Fission Reactors
      3. 17.3 Fusion Reactors
      4. 17.4 Cold Fusion
      5. PROBLEMS
      6. References
    4. Chapter 18. Storage of Energy
      1. 18.1 Generalities
      2. 18.2 Electrochemical Storage (Batteries)
      3. 18.3 Capacitive Storage
      4. PROBLEMS
      5. References
  14. Index

Product information

  • Title: Fundamentals of Renewable Energy Processes, 3rd Edition
  • Author(s): Aldo V. da Rosa
  • Release date: December 2012
  • Publisher(s): Academic Press
  • ISBN: 9780123978257