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* Solar cooker is a device that uses solar energy in the form of heat for cooking food.
* As shown in figure, solar cooker consists of a container box whose body is made up of
nonconducting plastic or fibrous material and insulated from outside to prevent heat loss.
* A plane mirror is fixed on the top of the box inb such a way that it reflects sunrays into
the box.
* Solar cooker contains small containers painted black externally to absorb heat.
* The box is covered with a glass-sheet to retain the heat inside due to greenhouse effect.
This heat develops about 100-140C temperature inside the box within 2-3 hours when
placed in sunrays.
* This type of cooker can be used to prepare food items like rice, dal, pulses,
vegetables,etc.
* ADVANTAGES
1. There is no combustion of fuel.
2. Maintenance is negligible.
3. It is pollution-free.
4. The natural taste of the food is maintained as it conserves all nutrients.
5. During the preparation of food no personal attention is needed.
* LIMITATIONS
1. Food cannot be cooked on a cloudy day or in absence of direct sunlight
2. It takes very long time for cooking.
* Solar cell is a device that converts solar energy directly into electrical energy.
* Earlier, it was observed that when solar rays fall on a thin wafer of selenium, electricity is
generated.
* A solar cell made of selenium wafer converts only 0.7% of solar energy into electrical
energy which is a very small output and hence impracticable for generating electricity.
* The first solar cell made in 1954 could convert about 1% of incident solar energy into
electricity.
* Modern solar cells most commonly made from semimetal silicon can have efficiency of
upto 25%. Silicon is easily available and is eco-friendly.
* A typical solar cell consisting of a 2 x 2 cm square piece of pure silicon can produce about
0.7 watt electricity with about 10% efficiency.
* This electricity is quite small and to get large amount of electricity several solarcells are
connected together in series. This arrangement is called Solar Panel.
* ADVANTAGES:
1. Solar cells provide eco-friendly environment.
2. Solar cells can be used anywhere as a self-generating source of electricity.
* LIMITATIONS:
1. The availability of the special grade silicon required for making solar cells is very limited.
2. The cost of connecting material used in solar panels is very high as it is generally silver.
3. The current produced by solar cells is direct current (DC) and it has to be converted to
alternating current (AC) for some devices. This involves high cost and loss of efficiency.
4. The conventional method of storing solar energy in storage batteries is not efficient
enough.
* USES:
1. In artificial satellites.
2. In radio wireless transmission.
3. In TV transmission.
4. In traffic signals and research centres.
5. In calculators and watches.
6. In solar cars.
Explain Tidal Energy OR How can electrical energy be generated using tidal energy
of the sea (ocean) ?
ANS:
* The level of water near the seacoast changes twice a day. This everyday movement of
water along the seashore is known as tides. A high tide occurs on every new moon day and
on a full moon day. During the tide the water level rises by a few meters.
* The energy possessed by the rising and falling water is known as tidal energy.
* a dam is constructed across a narrow opening of a sea. Due to tide, the water moves in
and out through the openings and flows over the turbines fixed inside the walls of the dam.
The movement of turbines generates electricity.
* Tides are not uniform and the rise and fall of water is not large enough to generate
electricity on a large scale. Also, there are a very few sites where we find a narrow opening
suitable for a dam.
* Wind energy is an indirect form of solar energy. Wind possesses tremendous kinetic
energy and causes waves in the oceans. The height of such waves is great when the wind
velocity is high. Such waves can be used to generate electricity by rotating turbines using
their energy.
* The greatest limitation of this method is that the location of turbine and other equipment
is in the sea. They require a lot of maintenance and replacement. This makes them costlier.
* Biogas is produced by the decay of biomass and it consists of 65-75% methane, 30-40%
carbon dioxide as well as traces of H2,H2S, and N2.
* Because biogas is generally obtained from the solid wastes of animal dung, sewage, crop
residues, agro-wastes and poultry droppings, it is traditionally called 'Gobar gas'.
* Methane is an excellent fuel. The calorific value of biogas is 35-40 kJ/g.
* Two types of biogas plants are commonly used in India.They are :
1. Fixed-Dome Type
2. Floating Gas-Holder Type
* The floating gas-holder type plants have been prepared by the Khadi and Village
Industries Commission (KVIC) and are used where biogas is obtained from the animal dung.
It consists of a dome like structure, made of steel, that floats up as the pressure of biogas
evolved increases.
* The fixed-dome type structure has a longer life. Its dome can be made from bricks. Thus,
the cost of the plant is reduced. This type of plant is more suitable for obtaining biogas from
human excreta and other bio-wastes.
* PROCESS:
o A slurry of dung, other biowastes and water is prepared in a mixing tank.
o This slurry is fed into the digester which is a closed underground tank made of bricks.
o The digester is sealed from the top.
o The anaerobic micro-organisms decompose the biomass in the digester and produce
biogas which is a mixture of fuel gases like methane, hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide with
carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
o After a few days, sufficient gas is produced which is supplied to the places of use.
* ADVANTAGES:
1. It can be supplied to the consumers through pipes.
2. Its main component methane is an excellent fuel and burns without smoke.
3. It does not produce ash during burning.
4. It can be used as a fuel for domestic heating, cooking, lighting as well as to generate
electricity.
5. It can be supplied to industries as a fuel.
6. The slurry left behind in the digester serves as an excellent manure for farmers.
7. It provides us with a scientific method of disposal of organic wastes.
* The fission of 1 kg of 92U235 produces 109 W-day or 1000 MW-day energy. If only 30%
of this energy is converted into electrical energy, we get 300 MW-day energy for which 2500
tons of coal are needed.
* Electrical energy is produced by using chain reaction in which the neutrons produced in
previous reaction are used to split uranium nuclei in subsequent steps. This type of fission is
carried out in special type of vessels called Nuclear Reactor.
What is Chain Reaction ? Describe the ideal conditions to support a chain reaction.
ANS:
* If in a reaction the products of one step result in producing the subsequent step of the
reaction then that reaction is called 'Chain Reaction'.
* During the fission of 92U235, two or three neutrons are released. If the energy of these
neutrons is utilised to cause fission of other nuclei, then again two or three neutrons are
released per nuclei. Thus, the process of fission continues as chain reaction.
* The reaction mentioned above will go beyond control if all the neutrons released in one
step are utilised to cause fission in the subsequent step. Because the number of neutrons
released will go on increasing, the amount of energy produced will also go on increasing and
reach an uncontrollable stage.
* The following processes can take place after neutrons are produced in the fission
reaction.:
1. At least one of the neutrons (released during previous step) hits the other 92U235 to
cause fission to release more neutrons ( & energy).
2. The neutrons may be captured by the uranium nucleus (parent nucleus) without fission to
take place.
3. The neutrons may be captured by the other nucleus (daughter nuclei) either in fission
material or in the surrounding containers even without causing fission.
4. The neutrons may not interact with one another and the nucleus and may escape from
the system.
* The fission reaction would stop if the last three processes dominate. However, the fission
reaction will continue if the first process is repeated at least once.
* Thus, the ideal condition to support the chain reaction will be to lower the energies of
released neutrons to thermal neutron energy range of 0.04 eV.
* This can be achieved by using special substances called moderators like graphite and
heavy water which take out some of the energy of the neutron.