Learning objectives
The course deals comprehensively with issues related to energy transformation processes and their impact on the environment. In particular, sustainability is considered with reference to several aspects: energy use, renewable energy, energy transformations, use of fossil fuels in combustion processes in heating systems and thermal engines.
Knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course the student will be able to learn about aspects and issues related to world energy consumption and with reference to most important energy sources (both renewable and not) to conversion processes for energy generation and utilization, to related power plants and to final use of energy. He/she will also acquire the basics of thermodynamic cycles and their efficiency with reference to the most common power plants. He/she will then know problems, limitations, advantages and disadvantages of different solutions used and/or proposed nowadays for energy generation and use.
Applying knowledge and understanding:
The student will be able to develop general assessments of operating characteristics, performance and pollutant emissions of most common power plants used for energy generation from primary sources. He/she will also be able to compare qualitatively and quantitatively (albeit on general evaluations) different solutions for the generation of energy from primary sources.
Making judgments:
The student will have the tools and knowledge necessary to make critical evaluations and comparisons of solutions for energy generation and use taking into account the available alternatives.
Communication skills:
The student must cope with the tools needed to effectively present evaluations and comparisons of different solutions for specific processes of energy generation through both graphic and numerical representations concerning the characterization of energy and environmental alternatives.
Learning skills:
The student will be able, starting from the basic knowledge given in the course, to acquire by himself information and data that can be useful to evaluate main characteristics of systems and solutions used and/or proposed for energy generation and use.
Prerequisites
Attendance to the course requires knowledge provided by the courses of Physics and Chemistry.
Course unit content
General considerations. The energy balance of the planet: natural and anthropogenic contributions. Energy sustainability: rationalization and use of Renewable Energy Sources. Energy consumption in the world: characteristics of primary energy sources; fossil fuels and renewable sources. Technologies for the use of renewable sources. Solar Primary energy source: availability of solar radiation, solar thermal collector without concentration: the basic technology and efficiency for ACS facilities, problems of heat storage in the short and long term, solar thermal collector, vacuum collector. Issues related to solar concentration for medium and high temperature processes for heat and electricity generation. Photovoltaic solar cell: generalities, technologies and features, analysis of various types of PV modules and their characteristics, the PV modules as building elements, considerations on stand-alone and grid-connected plants. Non-technical issues associated with solar installations: costs, building regulations and planning, incentives.
Solar secondary energy sources. Biomass: the availability and characteristics of wood biomass from forest management, direct combustion, characteristics and management for anaerobic fermentation of biomass plants and animals, characteristics and use of biogas. Hydro power: resource availability, technological characteristics of the facilities and management issues, environmental compatibility. Wind resource: availability, technological characteristics of the plants, environmental compatibility.
Direct and inverse thermodynamic cycles, power generation and cogeneration, heat pumps, compression and absorption and their applications; trigeneration. Combustion processes: reactions, mechanisms of formation of pollutants, methods for estimating emissions. Fuels and their characteristics. Power output from steam plants, gas turbines and internal combustion engines (ICE): main emissions from stationary and mobile applications, and techniques for their reduction.
Full programme
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Bibliography
M.Bianchi, A.De Pascale, A.Gambarotta, A.Peretto – “Sistemi energetici - Impatto ambientale” - vol.3, pp.1-544, ISBN 88-371-1754-X, Pitagora Editrice, Bologna, 2008.
R.Vismara, "Ecologia Applicata", Hoepli, 1992M.L.Davis, D.A.Cornwell, "Introduction to Environmental Engineering", McGraw-Hill Int.Ed., 1991
P.A.Vesilind, J.J.Peirce, R.Weiner
"Environmental Engineering", Butterworth Publishers, 1988
Additional material is available via the portal "Web Learning in the University" (lea.unipr.it), where it is available a copy of the slides used during the course.
Teaching methods
Lectures will be focused on the basic knowledge required to study energy conversion and use processes from primary energy sources. As part of the course, some numerical examples will also be presented to enable the student to acquire the necessary familiarity with the units of measurement and the evaluation of operating characteristics of systems used for energy generation and use.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment of learning is accomplished through oral interview during which the student must submit (by means of actual digital tools, e.g., Powerpoint) an original study related to a specific solution and/or process used, or proposed, in the field of energy generation and use. The study should also include quantitative assessments (although roughly estimated) developed independently and critically on the theme chosen. During the presentation questions will be asked to clarify the addressed topics: in particular the critical capacity, property exposure and the ability to relate with the covered topics will be assessed.
Other information
Attendance to the course lectures is highly recommended.