Nonconventional Energy Sources

Course Code: M414 • Study year: IV • Academic Year: 2024-2025
Domain: Environmental Engineering • Field of study: Environmental Engineering
Type of course: Compulsory
Language of instruction: English, German
Erasmus Language of instruction: English, German
Name of lecturer: Adrian Alexandru Tulbure
Seminar tutor: Paula Stoica
Form of education Full-time
Form of instruction: Class / Seminary
Number of teaching hours per semester: 56
Number of teaching hours per week: 4
Semester: Summer
Form of receiving a credit for a course: Grade
Number of ECTS credits allocated 4

Course aims:

• Starting from the knowledge of the fundamental physical phenomena, the present course deals with the conversion technologies of the renewable energies into usable forms of energy, considering the current state of the art.
• It will deepen not only the electrical sources, but also other forms of unconventional energy encountered in nature.
• The objectives of the course are related to the familiarization of the students with the types of renewable energy sources: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydroelectric energy and fuel cells
• It also deals with energy capture and actual conversion solutions.
• Describing the technical specifications, installation and operation of equipment on renewable energies.

Course Entry Requirements:

Fundamentals of electronic circuits; Electrotechnics, Wetter- and Climatology

Course contents:

• C1: Introduction to the teaching subject. Forms of electricity. Primary energy - secondary energy. Perspective trends for developing countries, all developing countries C2: Aspects regarding the energy-environment relationship. Evolution of national / global energy consumption. Where and how the electricity is produced: the maximum energy demand in time and space of the grid, the existence of primary energy resources, cooling and resp. conditioning. C3: Technical-economic aspects regarding the energy-environment relationship. Main cost factors: infrastructure at the site, network connections, injection for optimal compensation, conditioning. C4: Potential water energy - Hydropower. Hydroelectric power stations and generators. Potential / kinetic aspects, Energy balances. C 5: Solar radiation energy - Thermal energy. Conversion of solar energy into thermal energy. Solar thermal panels. Conversion efficiency. C 6: Solar radiation energy – Electricity. Photovoltaic effect, Photovoltaic cell, Connection types, Solar panel, Photovoltaic energy systems C7: The cell and the solar panel. Solar cell characteristics, Component materials. Solar systems. C8: Wind energy - Introduction to the wind conversion system. Wind energy conversion systems. Wind turbines. Betz's Law. The kinematic chain. C9: Wind turbine. Structure of the wind generator. Control and protection of wind generators. Constructive types and their performances. C10: Solar and wind farms. Feasibility studies. Financing systems. Primary and secondary legislation. C11: Combustion cells. Functioning principle. The three-phase mechanism in the combustion cell electrode. C12: Micro and macro-consumers of renewable electricity. Energy consumption daily, annually, total consumption, electricity consumption, thermal consumption. Fields of application: consumer goods, decentralized systems. C13: Energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Teaching methods:

Technical presentation and experimental works

Learning outcomes:

- C1: Explanation of the mechanisms, processes and effects of anthropic or natural origin that determine and influence the pollution of the environment C.1.2. Use of basic scientific knowledge in defining and explaining the specific concepts of engineering and environmental protection C.1.3. Applying the basic scientific knowledge in defining and explaining the specific concepts of engineering and environmental protection C.1.5. Identification of scientific solutions for the implementation of professional and technological projects

Learning outcomes verification and assessment criteria:

Theoretical – 60%; experimental – 40%.

Recommended reading:

Baican, R, Energii regenerabile, Ed. Grinta, Cluj-N., 2010, 400.
Zobaa, A.F. Bansal, R, Hanbook of renewable Energy Technology, World Scient. PublishingCo, Singapor, 2011, 421.
M.D. Cazacu, Noi tehnologii de conversia energiei, Note de curs, UPB, Buc, 1994, 300.
A. Tulbure si colab, Surse neconventionale de energie, Ed. Aeternitas,, 2015, Alba, 200.
D. Marinescu, V. Nicolae, Surse regenrabile de energie, UPBuc, buc, 2004, a.