ECE 681: Wind and Solar Energy Systems


3-kW solar array at UFM, Thurston & Manhattan Ave, Manhattan, KS	Skystream 3.7 wind turbines at NREL's Wind Research site, Boulder, CO.

Fall 2011

Lectures MWF 2:30pm, RA 1064.

Instructor:

Ruth Douglas Miller, rdmiller@ksu.edu, RA 280, 532-4596
Office hours: M, W 9:30am, W 3:30pm, or whenever my office door is open!

Texts and Resources:

RA Messenger & J Ventre, Photovoltaic Systems Engineering, 3rd ed., CRC Press, 2010.
L Castaner & S Silvestre, Modelling Photovoltaic Systems Using PSpice, Wiley, 2002.
J. F. Manwell, J. G. McGowan, A. L. Rogers, Wind Energy Explained: Theory, Design and Application, 2nd ed, Wiley, 2009.
P. Gipe, Wind Power: Renewable Energy for Home, Farm and Business, Chelsea Green, 2004.

Course Objectives and Description

I have several goals I'd like you to accomplish in this class:

Understand the physics of photovoltaic cells at least at the level of EECE 525.
Know the basics of design of a PV system: the name, purpose and operation of allparts, and how to compute the size and/or number of each part needed for a given specified application.
Understand the physics of wind turbines at an introductory dynamics level
Know the basics of wind turbine selection and siting criteria.
Have some idea where alternative energy technologies might go in the future.
Have a realistic idea of the current global energy situation from both physical and political perspectives.

I look forward to hearing your own goals and fitting them in to the class.

Project Teams List

Course Schedule:

Week	Dates	Notes	Readings & HW	Topics and Due Dates
1		1st Day Questionnaire	Manwell Ch 2, problems B.2.8, 11	introductions, background, interests; global need & desire for alternative energy, Intro to Wind Energy: IanBG (NREL) tutorial Wind assessment instruments, towers; capacity factor
2		EnergyCalcHW NessCo0405data	M&V Ch. 3.1-4, 7.1-3, 10.1-4 problems 7.3	PV physics, balance of system. Field trip: Riley Co Shops
3		Power Affil Day	M&V Ch. 3.8, Wilson MPPTs	Power trackers, inverters in detail
4			M&V Ch. 2, 4 problems 2.7, 11, 16, 17, 19; 4.6, 9	System block diagram for PV, sun angles, tracking; system design PV examples; design of PV systems; HOMER, IMBY
5			Manwell Ch. 3 problems B3.1, 2	Project designs, Gantt chart. PV design examples, intro wind aero.
6			Manwell Ch. 4	Gantt chart due this wk Lift/drag aero, Betz, Magnus W Wilson wind farm ppt
7	4-5 October	Kansas Energy Conf, Wichita	Manwell Ch. 5 probs B.5.13, 14, 16	Wake effects, System blocks for wind: generators, induction generators Exam 1 TakeHome given 3 Oct, due 10 Oct
8			Manwell Ch. 9, 10 probs B.10.7, 8, 12 M&V Ch. 11	Induction generators, inverters. Grid connection. Photovoltaic Physics, M&V problem 11.1
9			Manwell Ch. 9, M&V Ch. 5	Economics, multilevel inverters
10			Manwell Ch. 8	Wind turbine siting, wind farm design Solar parking lot design (economics & production) Review exam 1
11			Manwell Ch. 5, M. Wilson thesis, Inverter notes	Induction generator circuit analysis (B.5.13, 14, 15) power tracker & inverter circuit behavior, harmonic cancelation
12
13	15-19 November	Exam 2: 16 Nov
	Thanksgiving
14				project demonstrations/presentations: 10 December

Final	F 17 Dec, 4:10pm			final project due. Drafts due 13 December

Expectations

I will assign reading and homework at least weekly, and expect you to come to class having completed the assigned reading. This will help you greatly in understanding the lecture. I expect you to spend about two hours outside class per lecture hour on work for this course. Please let me know if the workload greatly exceeds that level--I don't know until you tell me.

Evaluations

Tentatively, there will be two hour-long exams, one early and one just after midterm; and in lieu of a final examination, a major project will be due at the scheduled time of the final, with class presentations during the last week. If circumstances necessitate your absence from a class with a scheduled exam, you must notify me beforehand, by phone, e-mail or through the Dean's office, in order to reschedule the exam. Progress reports, a presentation, a final report, and a demonstration if applicable will all be graded parts of the project. You may work singly or in teams depending on interests and project scope. Tentative grade breakdown is as follows: two hourly exams: 30% each; final project, 30%, graded homework, 10%.

Classroom Conduct and Accomodations for Disabilities

From the University Provost:

"All student activities in the University, including this course, are governed by the Student Judicial Conduct Code as outlined in the Student Government Association By Laws, Article VI, Section 3, number 2. Students that engage in behavior that disrupts the learning environment may be asked to leave the class."
"Any student with a disability who needs an accommodation or other assistance in this course should make an appointment to speak with the instructor as soon as possible."

KSU Honor System

From the University Provost: "Kansas State University has an Honor System based on personal integrity, which is presumed to be sufficient assurance that, in academic matters, one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized assistance. Undergraduate and graduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Honor System. The policies and procedures of the Honor System apply to all full and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning. The honor system website can be reach via the following URL: www.ksu.edu/honor . A component vital to the Honor System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by students. The Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work." A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty. The F indicates failure in the course; the X indicates the reason is an Honor Pledge violation."

In this course, I expect and encourage you to work together on assigned homework, but to turn in your OWN work for credit, and to complete all quizzes and exams on your own without assistance in any form from anyone except me. If you are ever uncertain as to what aid on an assignment is or is not authorized, please ask me for clarification!

KSU Final Examination Policy

No major projects may come due, or major exams be scheduled the last week of classes (7-11 December.) Students may not be required to take 3 exams in one 24-hour period. Should a student have 3 exams scheduled within 24 hours, it is the student's responsibility to seek relief, and the instructor of the highest-numbered class is responsible to reschedule that exam when appealed to. Students must have scheduling conflicts for the final exam resolved no later than seven days prior to the final exam period (7 December, this semester).

Extra Interesting Stuff

Udall Scholarship: founded in honour of the famous environmentalist and legislator, Morris Udall, this national scholarship is awarded to up to 80 rising juniors or seniors interested in pursuing a career in the general area of environmental issues. The deadline is October; minimum GPA of 3.0. Contact Jim Hohenbary at 112 Eisenhower or (785) 532-6904.

NREL Internships: available for summers if you're good enough and act quickly.

This page last updated 22 August, 2011 by Ruth Douglas Miller