Date | May 2017 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 17M.2.SL.TZ1.3 |
Level | Standard level | Paper | Paper 2 | Time zone | 1 |
Command term | Explain | Question number | 3 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Two renewable energy sources are solar and wind.
An alternative generation method is the use of wind turbines.
The following data are available:
Length of turbine blade = 17 m
Density of air = 1.3 kg m–3
Average wind speed = 7.5 m s–1
Describe the difference between photovoltaic cells and solar heating panels.
A solar farm is made up of photovoltaic cells of area 25 000 m2. The average solar intensity falling on the farm is 240 W m–2 and the average power output of the farm is 1.6 MW. Calculate the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells.
Determine the minimum number of turbines needed to generate the same power as the solar farm.
Explain two reasons why the number of turbines required is likely to be greater than your answer to (c)(i).
Markscheme
solar heating panel converts solar/radiation/photon/light energy into thermal energy AND photovoltaic cell converts solar/radiation/photon/light energy into electrical energy
Accept internal energy of water.
power received = 240 × 25000 = «6.0 MW»
efficiency « = 0.27 / 27%
area = × 172 «= 908m2»
power = «= 0.249 MW»
number of turbines «» = 7
Only allow integer value for MP3.
Award [2 max] for 25 turbines (ECF from incorrect power)
Award [2 max] for 26 turbines (ECF from incorrect radius)
«efficiency is less than 100% as»
not all KE of air can be converted to KE of blades
OR
air needs to retain KE to escape
thermal energy is lost due to friction in turbine/dynamo/generator
Allow velocity of air after turbine is not zero.