POWER PRODUCTION FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY

AY 2015-16
12th February 2016
Prof. Silva and Manzolini

Time: 1,5 hours

Instructions for the examination:

1) Clearly indicate your name on all the sheets you will deliver.
2) The score refers to exercises done in a comprehensive manner with exact numerical results. Numerical results correct but not accompa-
nied by explanations will not be taken into account. The final score will be normalized according to the average results.
3) Answer briefly and clearly only to the asked questions. Calculations and explanations which do not respond to the questions will not be
considered for evaluation even if correct.
4) Talking with colleagues and / or cheating will cause the cancellation of the exam.
5) All the needed data for the resolution of exercises lies on this paper. It’s NOT ALLOWED to use material other than this (e.g. books, clip-
board etc.)

Exercise 1 (16 points)

It should be evaluated the installation of a PV plant for residential applications. The PV plant is installed on
the roof of a house (5 x 7 m), the azimuth of the house is 30° (the azimuth is determined starting from south
direction, positive counterclock-wise) and the tilt of the roof is 30°. Assuming the PV module and inverter
characteristics reported in the following table, determine the nominal power installed (AC), the number of in-
verters discussing the results (it’s not necessary to check the conditions at minimum and maximum tempera-
ture). (5 points)

PV modules Inverter
Power @STC 320 W Power input in CC 2650 W
Open circuit voltage @STC 64.8 V Maximum voltage 600V
Short circuit current @STC 6.24 A Power point operating voltage 260-500 V
Voltage at MPPT@STC 54.7 V Power output in AC 2500 W
Voltage coefficient –176,6 mV / °C
Current coefficient 3.5 mA/°C
Power coefficient -0.38%/°C
2
STC (1000 W/m and 25°C)
2
NOCT (@800 W/m and T amb 20°C) 45°C
Dimensions ( l x w) in mm 1559 x 1046

Calculate the yearly electricity produced assuming only losses due to (i) incidence angle, (ii) operating tem-
perature and (iii) inverter. Assume an average zenith and azimuth angle of the sun equal to 40° and -10° re-
2
spectively, an average ambient temperature equal to 23°C, an average 550 W/m Direct Normal Irradiance
2
and 100 W/m diffuse irradiance. Equivalent hours of solar radiation are 1650 (5 points).
cosS  cos Z S cos   sin  Z S sin  cos( S  )
Where θS is the incidence angle, θZS is the zenith angle, β is the roof tilt, ψs and ψ are the solar and roof azi-
muth angles respectively.

What would be the electricity produced by the same number of panels installed on a two axis tracking sys-
tem? (3 points)

Determine the maximum cost of the tracking system, to make the latter solution competitive from an econom-
ic point of view, assuming a lifetime of 15 years and an equivalent electricity value of 175 €/MWhel (3 points).
Exercise 2 (14 points)

A biogas plant feeds an internal combustion engine having a nominal power output of 500 kW and a net
electrical efficiency of 38.5%. The biogas is produced by the anaerobic digestion of a mix of manure from
cattle slurry (4500 t per year), cattle manure (7500 t per year) and the organic fraction of municipal solid
waste (OFMSW, 6500 t per year). Calculate (i) the annual electricity production of the plant (4 points) and
(ii) the corresponding equivalent hours of operation (2 points).
The repowering of the plant is then considered consisting in a replacement of the engine with a more power-
ful one, namely with a nominal power output of 700 kW and 40% electrical efficiency. An additional input of
biomass is considered, specifically sludge from sewage treatment plants. Assuming a constant value of the
equivalent hours, determine (iii) the annual quantity of sewage sludge that has to be added in this new con-
figuration, keeping the same input values for the other substances (4 points). Finally calculate (iv) the specif-
ic emission of CO2 per kWh of generated electricity (4 points).
Characteristic production of the produced biogas as a function of organic content are considered in the fol-
lowing table:

Spec. production of biogas

Biomass 3
[ Nm biogas / t ]
manure from cattle slurry 34
cattle manure 93
OFMSW 155
sludge from sewage 100

Assume that the biogas is an ideal gas consisting only of CH 4 and CO2 with molar fraction 55% and 45% re-
spectively, the molar mass of methane is equal to 16.04 kg/kmol (LHVCH4 = 50 MJ/kg) and that of CO2 is
equal to 44.01 kg/kmol. Remember also that the molar volume of an ideal gas under normal conditions is
equal to 22.41 l/mol.

Exercise 1
Data 3.20718
Module dimensions 1559 1046
Roof size 5 7
Module power 320 W inverter power 2650 W
Voltage 64.8 V Voltage 600 V
Short circuit current 6.24 MPPT Voltage range 260-500 V
MMPT Voltage 54.7 V AC power 2500
alfa -0.1766 mV/°C DNI 550 W/m*2
beta 3.5 mA/°C Diffuse radiation 100 W/m^2
gamma -0.38 %/°C zenith angle 40 °
NOCT 45 °C azimuth angle 10 °
roof tilt 30 ° ambient temperature 23 °C
roof azimuth -30 ° equivalent hours 1650 h

Results
Number of modules 18
DC total power 5760
Number of inverters (theroetical) 2.173585
N° of inverters 3 ipotesi 2 inverter
Number of modules per inverter 6 pannellli per inverter 8
Inverter power 1920 w potenza per inverter 2560 W
Inlet voltage 388.8 V tensione ingresso 518.4 V
MPPT Voltage 328.2 V tensione MPPT 437.6 V
AC inverter power 1811.3 W potenza x inverter 2415.094 W
AC total power 5434.0 W potenza totale 4830.189 W

cos (incidence angle) 0.909616 24.5476763

Incidence radiation 593.59 W/m^2 600.29
temperature 41.5 °C 41.76
power 178.00 W 179.86
average power AC 3022.69 W 3054.21
electricity 4987.45 kWh 5039.45
1.01042667
cos (inc. angle w 2 axis tracking) 1
radiation 643.30 W/m2
temperature 43.1 °C
power 191.70 W
average AC 3255.2 W average power AC
electricity 5371.08 kWh 5427.08296 electricity

delta electricity 383.63 kWh average AC 2893.511

lifetime gain 5754.51 kWh electricity 4774.294 kWh
value 1007.04 €

Exercise 2
Data
Electric power 500 kW
Electrical efficiency 38.5%
Livestock waste quantity
manure from cattle slurry 4500 t
cattle manure 7500 t
OFMSW 6500 t
Livestock waste biogas production
manure from cattle slurry 34 [Nm3 biogas/t]
cattle manure 93 [Nm3 biogas/t]
OFMSW 155 [Nm3 biogas/t]
sludge from sewage 100 [Nm3 biogas/t]

Frazione di CH4 nel biogas 55% [% moli]

PCI CH4 50 MJ/kg

MM CH4 16.04 kg/kmol

MM CO2 44.01 kg/kmol
Ideal gas molar volume 22.41 l/mol
Electric power (new engine) 700 kW
Electrical efficiency (new engine) 40%
Results
Methane from manure 60231 kg/anno
Methane from cattle manure 274580 kg/anno
Methane from OFMSW 396616 kg/anno
Methane (total) 731427 kg/anno
Energy from methane 36571343.2 MJ
Energy from methane 10158706.4 kWh
Electricity production 3911.10 MWh
Equivalent hours 7822.2 h
Electricity production (new engine) 5475542.8 kWh
Energy from methane 13688857 kWh
Energy from methane 49279885 MJ
Required methane (new engine) 985598 kg
Methane deficit 254171 kg
Sludge from sewage treatment 6457 t

CO2 from methane 61446 kmol

CO2 from biogas 50274 kmol
CO2 from methane 2704 t
CO2 from biogas 2213 t
TOTAL CO2 4917 t
CO2 specific emission 898 g/kWh