EEE 463 Final Exam Newest 2026-2027 Actual Exam

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EEE 463 Final Exam Newest 2026-2027 Actual Exam With Complete Questions And Correct Detailed Answers (Verified Answers) |Already Graded A+

What is the output range for large point focus systems? - ANSWER- From 100 kWe to 100 MWe.

What percentage of total capital cost do mirrors represent in solar thermal systems? - ANSWER-40%-50%.

What is the Ivanpah solar power plant known for? - ANSWER-It has three towers and 173,500 mirrors, with a capacity of 392 MWe.

What is the main component of the Dish-Stirling system? - ANSWER-A dish concentrator (mirrors).

What is a key advantage of solar thermal systems over photovoltaics? - ANSWER-The capability of integrating thermal energy storage (TES).

What is the Stirling cycle process? - ANSWER-Heating, expansion, cooling, and contraction of the sealed working gas.

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What is a solar salt pond? - ANSWER-A shallow pond saturated with salt that serves as a solar collector.

Why is mineral oil typically used as a working fluid in solar thermal plants? - ANSWER-Because it has better thermal properties than water.

What are the two implementations of solar salt ponds? - ANSWER- Saturated salt pond and non-convective gradient pond.

What is the main issue with solar salt ponds? - ANSWER-Water loss due to evaporation and inefficient thermal efficiency.

What is the purpose of the solar chimney technology? - ANSWER-It is a hybrid solar-wind system designed for energy generation.

What is electron-hole pair production in solar cells? - ANSWER-The process where an incident photon frees and excites an electron, leaving a positively charged hole.

What is the structure of a basic solar cell? - ANSWER-A pn-junction diode consisting of two quasi-neutral regions around a depletion region.

What happens if a solar cell is too thin? - ANSWER-Sunlight may be transmitted through and not absorbed. 2 / 3

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What is the Shockley-Queisser limit? - ANSWER-The maximum theoretical efficiency of a solar cell, approximately 30% for silicon.

What are the assumptions for the Shockley-Queisser limit? - ANSWER- One semiconductor material per cell, one p-n junction, and sunlight is not concentrated.

What is the maximum efficiency for a silicon solar cell according to the Shockley-Queisser limit? - ANSWER-Approximately 30%.

What is a key challenge in converting photon energy into electricity in solar cells? - ANSWER-Not all electron-hole pairs created make electricity due to recombination.

What is the role of the cavity receiver in a Stirling engine? - ANSWER- It absorbs concentrated heat energy and transfers it to the cycle working fluid.

What is the purpose of photovoltaic (PV) systems? - ANSWER-To generate DC voltage/current from solar energy.

What is the typical voltage range for a solar cell? - ANSWER-0.6 - 1.0 volts.

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