Course detail

Low power electrical sources

FEKT-LMZEAcad. year: 2011/2012

Usage of small power sources in practial use, reserve power sources - small water power plants, wind power plants, solar power plants, kogeneration units. Economic evaluation of operation of small power plant, operation and maintenance of small power sources, integration of low energy sources into electrical power system, reverse influences of small energy sources on the supply network. Alternative power sources.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The students will gain knowledge about the possibilities of the production of electricity in small business sphere and in households, they will gain insight in the economic evaluation of the profitability of low power sources, especially the sources with the combined heat and electricity production, they will be able to carry out a qualified evaluation of profitability for the use of various types of low power sources in various applications

Prerequisites

The subject knowledge on the Bachelor´s degree level is requested.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Teaching methods depend on the type of course unit as specified in the article 7 of BUT Rules for Studies and Examinations.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

- two semestral projects - 2 x max. 10 points (20 points in total)
- laboratory projects max. 25 points
- final exam max. 55 points

The necessary condition to get credits is to obtain at least 20 points in evaluated activities.

Course curriculum

LECTURES:
1. Introduction into the field of small power sources, efficiency balance of small power sources, energy potential within the Czech Republic
2. Small water power plants - energy potential of water flows within the Czech Republic, basic distribution of small water plants, basic hydrological computations
3. Small water power plants - operation and electric parameters, incorporation of small water plants into electricity supply system. Semestral project assignment
4. Wind power plants - wind conditions within the European Union and the Czech Republic (energy potential of wind in the Czech Republic), the types of wind power plants, operation and electrical parameters
5. Wind power plants - regulation of wind motors, influences of wind power plants on the operation of electricity supply system, operation economy
6. Solar energy - introduction into helio-energetics, the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy, fotovoltaic transformation
7. Photovoltaic power plants - construction of solar power plants, incorporation of solar power plants into the electricity supply system, semestral project assignment
8. Co-generation units (CU) of low efficiency, used machine unit of CU, the construction of units
9. Co-generation units - incorporation into supply network, analysis of starting cycle and operation parameters
10. Biomass - usage of bio-fuel within small power plants, the sources of biomass, combined combustion of biomass, economic evaluation of the systems
11. Fuel elements - the principal of its function, possibilities of fuel elements usage, hydrogen management
12. Heat pumps - the principal of its function, possibilities of its usage, determination of energetic heating factor
13. Other technologies usable within small power plants, Stirling's motor, thermocouples, economic evaluation of systems

LABORATORY TRAINING:
- measuring of operational characteristics of water power plants
- loading characteristics of photovoltaic panels
- fuel elements characteristics
- operation states and characteristics of heat pump

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Explain the possibilities and the ways of small-scale productin of electrical energy within middle-firm environment or household, introduce the students with the systems of reserve power sources with diesel generators or accumulators. Specify the possibilities of small power, solar and wind power plants within Czech Republic and to intorduce the possibilities of application if co-generation power units. After passing this cource, the students are able to evaluate expertly the advantages of small power sources usage in different applications including the evaluation of economic parameters, operation, maintenance and the influence on the supply network.
The students will be familier with the alternative power sources, mainly within the field of low-energy buildings using bio-fuel.
The students will also get a survey in other technologies used for small power plants such as fuel elements, thermocouple, Stirling's engine etc.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

The content and forms of instruction in the evaluated course are specified by a regulation issued by the lecturer responsible for the course and updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Recommended reading

Gabriel,P., Kučerová,J.:Navrhování vodních elektráren, ČVUT Praha 2000 (CS)
Krbek,J. Polesný,B.: Malé kogenerační jednotky v komunální a průmyslové energetice, PC-DIR, 1999 (CS)
Rychetník,V., Pavelka,J., Janoušek,J.:Větrné motory a elektrárny, ČVUT 1997 (CS)
Dvorský E., Hejtmánková P. Kombinovaná výroba elektrické energie a tepelné energie, Nakladatelství BEN, Praha 2005, ISBN: 80-7300-118-7 (CS)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme EEKR-ML Master's

    branch ML-EEN , 1. year of study, winter semester, optional specialized

  • Programme EEKR-CZV lifelong learning

    branch ET-CZV , 1. year of study, winter semester, optional specialized

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1. Introduction into the field of small power sources, efficiency balance of small power sources, energy potential within the Czech Republic
2. Small water power plants - energy potential of water flows within the Czech Republic, basic distribution of small water plants, basic hydrological computations
3. Small water power plants - operation and electric parameters, incorporation of small water plants into electricity supply system. Semestral project assignment
4. Wind power plants - wind conditions within the European Union and the Czech Republic (energy potential of wind in the Czech Republic), the types of wind power plants, operation and electrical parameters
5. Wind power plants - regulation of wind motors, influences of wind power plants on the operation of electricity supply system, operation economy
6. Solar energy - introduction into helio-energetics, the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy, fotovoltaic transformation
7. Photovoltaic power plants - construction of solar power plants, incorporation of solar power plants into the electricity supply system, semestral project assignment
8. Co-generation units (CU) of low efficiency, used machine unit of CU, the construction of units
9. Co-generation units - incorporation into supply network, analysis of starting cycle and operation parameters
10. Biomass - usage of bio-fuel within small power plants, the sources of biomass, combined combustion of biomass, economic evaluation of the systems
11. Fuel elements - the principal of its function, possibilities of fuel elements usage, hydrogen management
12. Heat pumps - the principal of its function, possibilities of its usage, determination of energetic heating factor
13. Other technologies usable within small power plants, Stirling's motor, thermocouples, economic evaluation of systems

Exercise in computer lab

6 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

A simulation of an asynchronous generator's operation on a PC
Electric power calculation on a PC.
The harmonic analysis and the evaluation of the connection of a small power station to the supply network.

Laboratory exercise

20 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

- measuring of operational characteristics of water power plants
- loading characteristics of photovoltaic panels
- fuel elements characteristics
- operation states and characteristics of heat pump