OVERVIEW

This is a basic course on energy systems. The lessons that will be carried out by the teachers will start from the definition of basic concepts from the thermodynamic instruments, to special attention on the main systems for electric energy generation.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course purpose is to provide students with technical and methodological instruments for analysis, control and management of energy systems, analyzing their behaviour at design and off-design conditions, including dynamic aspects and their impact at both local and global level.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The attendance and active participation at the proposed teaching activities (lessons and exercises) and the individual study will allow the student to:

- know the basic aspects related to fossil fuels and renewable sources;

- know basic concepts and performance parameters of energy systems (efficiencies, useful work, emissions, etc.);

- know the typologies of the main energy systems and their applicative details;

- apply the thermodynamic concepts to the performance calculations;

- know the main technoeconomic aspects of the energy systems;

- identify and analyse the main plant components;

- know the main regulation mechanisms.

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of thermodynamics: I and II principles, internal energy, enthalpy and entropy functions, perfect gas concept, basic transformations.

TEACHING METHODS

The course is composed of: classroom lessons (54 hours) and exercises (6 hours). The exercise hours will be carried out by the teachers with the following approach: summary introduction on the contents related to the classroom lessons and development of exercises (on the blackboard).

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Worldwide and Italian energy demand and the energy sources. Machine classifications.
• Fossil (and renewable) fuels; the combustion; stoichiometric air; air excess.
• Thermodynamic aspects: T,S and H,S charts, Carnot's cycle and its efficiency.
• Efficiency parameters: ideal, limit and real cycles; adiabatic and polytropic efficiency; global efficiency and auxiliary impact.
• Steam cycles and related plants: efficiency; methods to increase steam cycle efficiency; regeneration; thermal balance; circuit general aspects; main components. Regulation of steam turbines.
• Wind turbines: basic aspects and Betz's analysis.
• Gas cycles: turbogas technology; ideal, limit and real cycles for the simple layout; ideal cycle efficiency; maximum useful work; efficiency of limit and real cycles. Work-Efficiency chart; heavy-duty and aereoderivative turbines; the main turbogas components; the recuperated cycle (ideal and real) and its performance; intercooled cycle (ideal and real); reheated cycle (ideal and real). Aspects on aeronautic gas turbines.
• Combined cycles: aspects on combined cycle types; the recovery steam generator (one pressure level), the pinch-point and subcooling values; the optimal vaporization pressure for a one pressure level; combined cycle efficiency.
• The internal combustion engines (ICEs): basic aspects and classification; geometry parameters; working cycles for two and four strokes; ideal cycles and their efficiency; comparison between the cycles; limit and real cycles; the indicated cycle; aspects related to the engine/user coupling; the ICE regulation; ICE emissions; supercharging.
• Characteristic curves of the main fluid machines: compressor, turbine, pump (series and parallel pump coupling).
• Hydraulic machines: hydraulic energy, plant types, maximum theoretical power, turbine types, turbine selection (Pelton, Francis and Kaplan turbines).

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All the slides used during the lessons and other teaching materials will be available on aul@web. In general, lesson notes and the aul@web teaching materials are enough for the successful exam preparation.

Students not attending the lessons (although the active participation at the lessons is strongly recommended) are suggested to use the aul@web teaching material. In case of doubts on these documents, please contact the teachers by e-mail: mario.ferrari@unige.it and alessandro.sorce@unige.it.

The following books are suggested as support (the exam can be successfully passed without reading these books):

• O. Acton, C. Caputo, "Macchine a fluido", UTET.
• R. Della Volpe, “Macchine”, Liguori Editore.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIOVANNI TANDA (President)

LUCA MANTELLI

MASSIMO RIVAROLO

MARIO LUIGI FERRARI (President Substitute)

ALESSANDRO SORCE (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/8716/p/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is composed of an oral test on all the topics presented and discussed during the course (exercises included).

2/3 exam days will be available in the winter session and 3/4 for the summer session (verify on the web tool https://servizionline.unige.it/studenti/esami/prenotazione). No additional exam days will be carried out, except for the students that terminated their lessons for the undergraduate course. So, these students can contact the teachers by e-mail (mario.ferrari@unige.it or alessandro.sorce@unige.it) to fix a possible exceptional exam day.

To participate at this oral test, it is necessary to do the registration (at least 5 days in advance) on the web tool https://servizionline.unige.it/studenti/esami/prenotazione.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam will be carried out with oral questions that can be supported by writing (on the blackboard or a paper sheet).

The details on the exam preparation and on the analysis of each topic will be provided during the lessons.

The exam will evaluate not only the student's knowledge, but also the analysis capability of problems on energy systems and the presentation with a right terminology. The student can be asked to design plant schemes, to analyse the system behaviour on the main thermodynamic planes, and to carry out design calculation in agreement with what presented during the lessons.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with specific needs (for instance Specific Learning Disorders) are invited to contact the teachers by e-mail (mario.ferrari@unige.it and alessandro.sorce@unige.it) at least 5 days before the exam. For instance, students with learning disorders ("disturbi specifici di apprendimento", DSA) will be allowed to use specific modalities and supports that will be determined on a case-by-case basis in agreement with the delegate of the Engineering courses in the Committee for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities.