Energy technology is a subsystem of the global complex of human activity; its other subsystems are the environment and various branches of economy. Energy technology is the system of energy supply which is the aggregate of large and artificial, man-made, systems intended to recover, transform, and distribute all kinds of energy resources to be used in the economy. Fig.1 shows the aggregate of systems and the direct and feedback (shown by the dashed lines) effects they produce on one another. The figure emphasizes the systems approach to energy technology by treating it as a large-scale system that comprises subsystems, which are parts of other large-scale systems. The science of energy technology implies a systematic knowledge of the features and interaction of energy flows, their effect on human society as viewed in the social, economic, and technological aspects, and their influence on the environment.
Energy technology is concerned with the regulations, processes, and phenomena directly or indirectly related to the recovery of energy resources essential to the economy, building of generating plants, and converting and using different forms of energy.
The science of energy technology develops in the following directions:
- Studying the proportions of the most favourable energy technology with the object of improving the methods of prediction, planning, and operation as applied to power systems. This direction is closely related with the social processes and the economics in the country.
• Improving the methods of power generation, conversion, transmission, and consumption as related to different forms of energy.
• Increasing the efficiency of all power plants, and decreasing their ecological effects, i.e. their adverse actions on the biosphere.
• Devising new ways and means of generating power, converting different forms of energy into electricity, developing new methods of power transmission, and utilisation of electricity in stationary and movable plants.
Energy technology depends for its development and efficiency on social and demographic factors, i. e. the political and economic situation in the country, manpower availability, population distribution, and location of energy sources. Energy technology is related to power engineering, power system control, electric, hydraulics, heat and nuclear power engineering. It also covers the field of fuel supply, provision of fossil fuels (coal, peat, gas, oil, nuclear fuels).The course “An Introduction to Energy Technology” should be delivered at the first stage during the training of an engineer. The role of engineer in modern society is enormous and will be still greater in future. The word “engineer “is of French origin and implies a person capable of creating something new, having an inventive mind. The notion of “technology” is also associated with creative work. It is derived from the word ‘techne” applied in ancient Greece to artisans most distinguished for their craftsmanship. These days plain mental work is done by computers, which offers the engineer wider scope for creative scientific activities. Engineers can and should make science a socially productive force by taking advantage of scientific achievements to raise the efficiency of labour and improve the quality of manufacture in the sphere of materials production.
Figure 1: Energy Technology and associated subsystems
More emphasis should be placed on the features of energy technology that make the output of future power plants commensurate with those of natural geophysical processes that affect the universe. The supply of and demand for energy should play an increasingly important part just as demographic, social and also political factors that influence inter-state relations and largely determine the policy of our country.
In this paper, the front page image shows the first of its kind solar–biomass hybrid 256 kW demonstration plant at Village Shive in Khed Taluka of Pune district under the Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) mode, in association with M/s Thermax Ltd., which has been commissioned. The plant uses solar energy and biomass, reducing cost of solar-biomass hybrid option. Attempts are being made to provide enabling conditions for running the plant continuously through interaction with the utility.
Importance of Energy Technology in Technological Progress
Technological and social progress necessitates increased energy usage and development of new and more efficient energy sources. Today, solar energy, chemical energy from chemical fuels, hydropower from rivers, seas, and oceans, nuclear energy from fissionable heavy isotopes is already being used. The utilisation of thermonuclear power released by the fusion of light elements holds much promise and, if realised, will solve the problem of world energy supply that is caused by the depletion of chemical fuel reserves. Cybernetics, computer technology, and space system engineering could not have been developed without electricity. The main distinguishing characteristics of electric energy are that it can readily be transmitted over long distances, and simply converted into different forms of energy with little loss of power.
A power system producing electric and thermal energy is directly connected with the fuel-supply system, i.e. the one providing primary energy sources, as shown in Fig.2. The power system depends largely for its construction and operation on natural factors as the availability of water basins and the location of energy resources and users. The power system must be controlled considering its impact on the biosphere and also the social functions of the fuel supply system, energy requirements of industry and transport. Control is exercised not only by producing energy but also by consuming it in various branches of the economy. All this requires is that the power engineer be trained on a very wide scale.
Figure 2: Effect of various factors on power system performance
Training for Power Engineering
The present requirements of the power engineer imposed by the rapid technological and social progress are that he needs to be quick in adapting himself to the changing conditions, assimilate new scientific and technological achievements in his own and different fields, and put these achievements to practical use. Hence, the power engineer must develop and improve his ability to assimilate and systematise the acquired knowledge. The professions directly involved with power engineering are subdivided into electrical, thermal, and hydropower engineering. There is also a group of professions dealing with fuel technology. Specialists in these professions are trained for development of mineral resources, design and operation of oil and gas lines. The group of civil engineering includes professions such as the construction of thermal power and hydroelectric generating plants. The specialists in mining electrical engineering are employed to maintain the electrical equipment used in the construction and operation of mines. Electrical power engineering also includes the electrification of agricultural production. The direct relation between power engineering and economics is accounted for by such professions as mining engineering, petroleum and gas engineering, and economics of power engineering.
Power engineering education
Education and training of engineers, technologists and technicians require the development of engineers with broad, holistic backgrounds with capabilities to respond technological changes in a global environment. Today’s engineers have to develop new processes and products, and create and manage new systems for manufacturing, information management, and computer based communications etc. In general, they have to put knowledge to work for society. The total educational experience of the power engineer must emphasize not only on the basics of engineering and associated technologies, but also remain responsive to the rapid changes in technology. Co-operative internship programs between institutes, industry, and government need to be encouraged. The engineering profession requires that engineers continually strengthen and refresh their talents to remain creative and innovative. Employers should release working personnel to complete their Bachelors or Masters programs on a full-time basis so that their education is current and is at the appropriate working depth of knowledge and skills. Since engineers have to work in a world of intense economic competition and since the global economy requires diverse communication skills, the working knowledge of a foreign language is desirable.
The three integral parts of the process of study are perception, knowledge, and ability. Each of these requires specific approach and is essential for the specialist working without assistance. Understanding, for instance, a phenomenon, one may be unable to design and build a particular component for lack of required aptitude. Perception, in turn, is an independent approach to the solution of problems arising in the course of study. Higher education is said to be a skilful guidance of students plus their unassisted studies. The students should learn to grasp the basic logic of the lecture and the groundwork of a mathematical proof without getting confused by details. The manner of presentation and intonation serve the lecturer as a means to direct the students’ attention to the main, principal points of the lecture.
The lecturer should not confine himself to the subject-matter as it is, e.g. proving a theorem, but also illustrate the general principles of scientific reasoning and show the approach to technological problems of similar kind. The student is faced with a number of difficulties on his way to knowledge. First, the knowledge gained at the institute may become out-of-date in the course of time so that the graduate will encounter an entirely new technology in his practical activities. It is therefore essential that fundamental principles of development be learned, basic knowledge acquired, and research techniques mastered during the years of study to enable the graduate to become afterwards involved in the technological progress without delay.
The lecture is one of the most critical elements of educational process. It is the lecture that must show the logic of reasoning, give a digest of scientific thought accumulated over decades and centuries, and usher the students not only into the workshop of technology but also into the sanctuary of modern sciences.
It is necessary to introduce the students, who have sought to learn the present state of the science of energy technology, to the history of energy technology, the problems it encounters, and the prospects for its growth. To achieve this goal, it is important that the would-be power engineer be strongly recommended to study the pertinent literature that gives him a new horizon and an understanding of diversified connections between power engineering and different branches of the economy, the biosphere, and the great variety of human activities aimed at promoting technological progress.
The present requirement of the specialist imposed by the rapid technological and social progress are that one be quick in adapting himself to the changing conditions, digest new scientific and technological achievements in his own and different fields, and put these achievements to practical use.
Conclusions
The paper will aid in forming a view of power engineering as a vocation, of the science of energy technology, and the associated problems that need to be solved. For the students who are aspiring to study power engineering, the paper is of educational value because it provides a progressive world outlook characteristic of the engineer who makes decisions not only on the specific technical factors concerned, but also on the most general approach to the problems of country-wide economic importance that require the social aspects of human activities and their effect on the environment.
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