Monday 10 February 2014

Generating electricity from lava a possibility



London:  An accidental encounter of scientists in Iceland with molten lava has opened possibilities of harnessing under surface heat to produce power.
A geothermal borehole project in Iceland a few years ago accidentally struck magma - the molten rock that flows out of volcanoes - and it spewed superheated steam for two years.

This superheated steam, scientists hope, can be harnessed to produce electricity, said a report published in The Conversation.

The Icelandic Deep Drilling Project, IDDP, has been drilling shafts up to 5 km deep in an attempt to harness the heat in the volcanic bedrock far below the surface of Iceland.

In 2009 their borehole at Krafla, northeast Iceland, reached only 2,100m deep before unexpectedly striking a pocket of magma intruding into the earth's upper crust from below, at searing temperatures of 900-1,000 degrees Celsius.

"Drilling into magma is a very rare occurrence and this is only the second known instance anywhere in the world," Wilfred Elders, professor emeritus of geology at University of California, Riverside, was quoted as saying.

"This could lead to a revolution in the energy efficiency of high-temperature geothermal projects in the future," Elders said.

The magma-heated steam has been measured to be capable of generating 36 MW of electrical power, said the study published in the journal Geothermics.

source- NDTV
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04 February 2014

US Energy Department pledges $12m for technologies to produce renewable carbon fibre from biomass

The US Department of Energy has announced up to $12 million in funding to support the development of technologies to manufacture carbon fibre from renewable feedstocks such as agricultural residues.
Carbon fibre derived from biomass may cost less to manufacture and offer greater environmental benefits than traditional carbon fibre produced from natural gas or petroleum, according to the Energy Department.
Renewable carbon fibre
Carbon fibre is typically made from petroleum and natural gas feedstocks (propylene and ammonia, respectively) that react to form acrylonitrile (ACN) which is then polymerised and spun into polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The volatility of the raw material prices and the energy intensive processes used in the manufacturing contribute to high cost carbon fibre (>$10/lb), which deter widespread use by the automotive industry.
The objective of this Renewable Carbon Fibre Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to identify and develop a cost-competitive technology pathway to high performance carbon fibre using biomass as a starting raw feedstock and biomass derived ACN (bio-ACN) as a target product. The goal is to produce bio-ACN at a modelled cost of $1/lb to enable the overall manufacturing of carbon fibre at $5/lb by 2020.
Source: Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
This funding supports the Energy Department’s Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, which aims to ensure US manufacturers remain competitive in the global marketplace. By replacing steel and other metals lightweight, high strength carbon fibre could lower the cost and improve performance of many technologies, including fuel-efficient vehicles and renewable energy systems. 
For example, reducing a vehicle’s weight by 10% can improve fuel economy by 6-8%.

Cost-competitive technology

The Energy Department funding will support projects that identify and develop a cost-competitive technology to produce high-performance carbon fibres from renewable biomass.
The goal is to enable the overall manufacturing of carbon fibre at $5/lb by 2020.
More information and application requirements is available on theFunding Opportunity Exchange website.
The deadline for submission of Concept Papers is 3 March 2014.
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POLICIES TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN GERMANY MISSING TARGETS, RESEARCH SHOWS

February 7, 2014

New research has shown that policies to reduce energy consumption in homes are missing their targets. Germany’s 2002 regulations were intended to create an 80% reduction by 2050 for energy used for home heating. According to the study, at the present rate reductions could achieve less than 25% by 2050.
The paper 'Why German homeowners are reluctant to retrofit', by Ray Galvin, published in Building Research and Information, reveals why German policy is failing to achieve the expected reductions in energy consumption from home heating. It discusses the implications for national energy-saving policies and economic viability of thermal retrofit programs.
Policies and initiatives can sometimes go wrong, due to lack of evidence, insufficient technical knowledge or lack of appropriate strategies for delivery.
Retrofitting is the addition of new technology or features to older systems. Germany is frequently considered a leader in moving towards the goal of a low-carbon society and has implemented a long-running program aimed at retrofitting homes for energy efficiency.
Author Dr Ray Galvin commented: "'For many homeowners the required standards are too high, too inflexible and too expensive to reach." He added: "If the only permissible choice is 16cm of external wall insulation or no insulation at all, many people simply do nothing."
The five-year long British-German study found that the policy is based on questionable economics and a failure to appreciate the limitations of old buildings. Faulty policy assumptions were made on the current amount of energy consumed in old homes. A further miscalculation was made on the projected energy savings from retrofitting homes.
"Instead of basing estimates on the actual, measured consumption of these homes," says Galvin, "the policy and regulations assume they are consuming the full amount that would be required to keep every room in the house warm and generously ventilated all year round. These homes' actual consumption averages about 40% less than this, so there is far less savings potential than expected."
The costs of energy retrofits to homeowners were also underestimated. Interviews with homeowners and housing providers as well as policymakers revealed that homeowners did their own financial calculations and found they would never get their money back through fuel saving.
"The government's main promotional plank for retrofitting over the last decade has been that it always pays back," comments Galvin. "When people find it comes nowhere near doing so, they lose confidence in the regulations,' he says. 'Even when they do retrofit, their fuel savings are far less than the regulations assume, so Germany's consumption falls at a much lower rate than expected."
However, the study suggests it might not be too difficult to reverse these failures. "The government needs to allow more flexibility to fit with the real economic and building situation of each household,' says Galvin, 'and drop the idea that thermal retrofitting always pays back. It could still promote top-end retrofitting among well-to-do households for environmental and lifestyle reasons."
The researchers add: "Other countries can learn these errors, such as the UK's Green Deal which also focuses on improving the energy efficiency of homes

Source - Taylor & Francis

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SYLLABUS FOR INTEGRATED M.TECH IN ENERGY ENGINEERING FOLLOWED BY CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF JHARKHAND AND IIT BOMBAY

Course Structure for Integrated M. Tech. in Energy Engineering
Centre for Energy Engineering
Central University of Jharkhand
Lecture (L) - Tutorial (T) - Practical (P) - Credit (C)

Semester - I
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Communicative English
2
0
1
3

Environmental Studies
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Physics-I
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Chemistry-I
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Mathematics-I
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Mechanics
2
1
0
3

Computer Programming & Data Structure 
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Mechanics Lab.
0
0
2
1

Engineering  Physics-I Lab.
0
0
2
1

Engineering  Chemistry-I Lab.
0
0
2
1

Computer Programming Lab.
0
0
2
1

Engineering Drawing and Graphics
1
0
3
2
Total Credits
27

Semester - II
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Engineering  Physics-II
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Chemistry-II
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Mathematics-II
2
1
0
3

Disaster Management
2
1
0
3

Mechanics of Solids
2
1
0
3

Basics of Electrical Engg.
2
1
0
3

Engineering Thermodynamics
2
1
0
3

Engineering  Physics-II Lab.
0
0
2
1

Engineering  Chemistry-II Lab.
0
0
2
1

Mechanics of Solids Lab.
0
0
2
1

Basics of Electrical Engg. Lab.
0
0
2
1

Workshop Practice
0
1
3
3
Total Credits
28





Semester - III
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Introduction to Renewable Energy Resources
2
1
0
3

Fluid Mechanics
3
1
0
4

Steam Power System
3
1
0
4

Electric Circuit Theory and Network
3
1
0
4

Basics of Electronics
3
1
0
4

Engineering Mathematics-III
2
1
0
3

Fluid Mechanics Lab.
0
0
2
1

Electric Circuit Theory and Network Lab.
0
0
2
1

Basics of Electronics Lab.
0
0
2
1
Total Credits
25

Semester - IV
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Theory of Machines
3
1
0
4

I.C. Engines and Gas Turbines
3
1
0
4

Measurement, and Instrumentation
3
1
0
4

Materials Science for Energy Applications
2
1
0
3

Conventional Power Generation Systems
3
1
0
4

Numerical Methods and Computational Techniques
2
1
0
3

I.C. Engines Lab.
0
0
2
1

Measurement and instrumentation Lab.
0
0
2
1

Conventional Power Generation Lab.
0
0
2
1

Industrial visit  to any Conventional Power Plant
0
0
0
0
Total Credits
25

Semester – V 
Total credit requirement for this semester is 25.
Paper Code
 Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Heat and Mass Transfer
3
1
0
4

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning 
3
1
0
4

Electromagnetic Energy Conversion
3
1
0
4

Power Electronics
3
1
0
4

Open elective- I
3
0
0
3

Open elective - II
3
0
0
3

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Lab.
0
0
2
1

Electromagnetic Energy Conv. Lab.
0
0
2
1

Power Electronics Lab.
0
0
2
1
Total Credits
25

Semester - VI
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Solar Thermal Technology
3
1
0
4

Fuels and Combustion Technology
2
1
0
3

Control System
2
1
0
3

Electrical Power Systems
3
1
0
4

Energy Management
3
0
0
3

Machine Design for Energy Application
3
1
0
4

Solar Thermal Technology Lab.
0
0
2
1

Fuels and Combustion Technology Lab.
0
0
2
1

Control System Lab.
0
0
2
1

Electrical Power Systems Lab.
0
0
2
1
Total Credits
25

Semester VII
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Solar PV Technology
3
1
0
4

Electrochemical Energy Conversion
3
1
0
4

Wind Energy Technology
3
1
0
4

Bio-Energy Systems
2
1
0
3

Solar PV Technology Lab.
0
0
2
1

Electrochemical Energy Conversion Lab.
0
0
2
1

Wind Energy Technology Lab.
0
0
2
1

Bio-Energy Systems Lab.
0
0
2
1

Industrial training & Seminar#
0
0
0
1

Project –I on Energy Innovation
0
0
8
4
Total Credits
24
# The industrial training will take place during the vacation after 6th Semester and will be evaluated during 7th Semester.

Semester - VIII
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Energy System Modeling & Analysis
2
1
0
3

Other Emerging Renewable Energy Resources
2
1
0
3

Energy Auditing and Economics 
2
1
0
3

Energy, Environment and Climate Change
2
0
0
2

Energy Efficient Building
3
0
0
3

Project Management
2
0
0
2

Project -I on Energy Innovation and Seminar-I
0
0
16
8
Total Credits
24

Semester - IX
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Human Values & Professional Ethics
3
0
0
3

Elective-I
3
0
0
3

Elective-II
3
0
0
3

Pre-Dissertation Seminar
0
0
0
5

Project-II Phase-I & Seminar
0
0
30
10
Total Credits
24

Semester - X
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Project-II Phase-II
0
0
40
15

Post-Dissertation Seminar
0
0
0
5

Grand VIVA
0
0
0
4
Total Credits
24
List of Electives
Open Elective
(Open electives offered by Centre for Energy Engineering for any students of the University)
Paper Code
Paper Name
Credit Structure
L
T
P
C

Renewable Energy Resources
3
0
0
3

Energy and Environment
3
0
0
3

Energy and Society
3
0
0
3

Direct Energy Conversion
3
0
0
3

Basics of Energy Management
3
0
0
3

Rural Energy Technology
3
0
0
3
Elective –I

Advanced Energy Storage
3
0
0
3

Advanced PV Technology
3
0
0
3

Nuclear Power Engineering
3
0
0
3

Small Hydropower Systems
3
0
0
3

Organic Photovoltaic Devices
3
0
0
3

Smart Grid & Hybrid Systems
3
0
0
3

Advanced Wind energy Systems
3
0
0
3

Computer Aided Power System Analysis
3
0
0
3

Advanced I.C. Engine
3
0
0
3
Elective – II

Power Generation Economics
3
0
0
3

Grid Integration of Renewable Energy Sources 
3
0
0
3

Energy Efficient Lighting
3
0
0
3

Hydrogen Energy
3
0
0
3

Alternative Fuels for Transportation
3
0
0
3

Energy and Sustainable Development
3
0
0
3

Environmental Impact Assessment
3
0
0
3

Waste to Energy
3
0
0
3


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