Fuels and Energy

Conventional Fuels: Origin, composition and distribution of natural gas, crude oil, shale and coal. Properties of commercial fuels. Stoichiometry of combustion of coal, petroleum and natural gas. Equilibrium composition of combustion products, calculation of flame temperature. Types of burners, furnaces and boilers. Mass and energy balances of furnaces and boiler. Environmental effects of winning, transport and combustion of conventional fuels: fires, explosion, health hazards, corrosion and pollution. Nuclear Energy: Nuclear fission by fast and thermal neutrons. Practical fissile materials, energy release on fission, products of fission. Moderation of neutrons. Types of reactors for power production. Description of cycle, typical operating conditions for reactor and steam cycle. Alternative Energy Sources: Solar, biomass, wind, wave, tidal, geothermal sources and ocean thermal energy. Heat pump. Energy storage.