Sustainable Power Systems Flashcards
What is greenhouse effect
Process where heat leaving the earth is partially reflected back onto the earth surface by atmospheric gases
Global warming
excessive concentrations of greenhouse gases cause changes in climate, as more heat is reflected back by the atmosphere
Hierarchy of gases that cause global warming
Water vapour and clouds
CO2
Methane CH4
Nitrous Oxide N2O
Ozone O3
Chlorofluorocarbons CFC
Sources of Energy Supply in Australia ( Highest to lowest)
Petroleum
Coal
Natural gas
Renewable Energy
Nuclear
What is sustainable Energy ?
Energy that can be used without having an overall detrimental effect on the environment
What is MEPs ( Minimum Energy Performance Standards )
MEPS specify the minimum level of energy performance required for various appliances and equipment sold in Australia.
Renewable Energy are sourced from ?
Natural resource that do not become depleted
What happens when batteries are connected in series and parallel
Series = increased voltage
Parallel = increased current
What is the Ah capacity of a battery ?
It is the quantity and duration of current battery can supply.
What is an inverter ?
Is an electronic device that converts a DC current input into an AC current
What is the basic operation of an inverter?
It rapidly switches the dc input in different directions for varying amounts of time. (By using a bridge)
What is Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)?
Is a technique of rapidly switching the current in series of pulses with same magnitude but different duration.
What is the use of a charge controller (battery charger) ?
It enables safe and functional charging, discharging and interconnection with installations.
What is irradiance (G)
The quantity of solar power available at the surface at any instant in time. ( W/m^2)
What is Irradiation (H) ?
The quantity of solar energy available at the surface over a given time period. ( kWh/m^2)
What is extraterrestrial irradiation ?
The quantity of solar energy available at the top of the earth’s atmosphere
What is sunshine hours ?
The average hours of sunshine received at a location over a given period of time.
What is Declination angle ?
angle is the angle between the horizontal plane of the earth (known as the equator) and the horizontal plane of the sun.
What is Equinox ?
- is an astronomical event that occurs twice a year ( March 21 and September 23)
- when the tilt of Earth’s axis is such that the Sun is directly above the equator.
- Day/Night length equal
What is Solstice ?
Is when the declination angle is at its maximum value, occurring twice a year:
The winter solstice is the day of the year with the least hours of sunlight.
The summer solstice is the day of the year with the most hours of sunlight.
What is Radiance ?
Radiance is the quantity of energy emitted from a source :
Direct radiation is solar radiation that comes straight from the sun, casting shadows on a clear day.
Diffuse radiation is indirect sunlight that is scattered from air molecules, dust and water vapour.
What is Reflectance ?
Reflectance is the ratio of reflected radiation to incident radiation arriving at a surface.
What is solar window ?
The area of the sky through which the sun moves throughout each yearly cycle.
What is Latitude
Is a coordinate indicating the north-south position of a point on the earth.
What is Longitude ?
Is a coordinate indicating the east-west position of a point on the earth.
What is Zenith ?
Is a point directly above a location/ an observer.
What is Azimuth angle ?
The angle between the sun and true north in a clockwise direction. Applied to a PV array, a 180 degree azimuth angle indicates that the array faces due south.