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Power Plants
Hydraulic Power Plant:
Utilizes potential energy of water as source of
energy.
Primary source is rain fall.
Water is collected in natural lakes and reservoirs at
high altitude/storing water by constructing dams
across flowing streams.
Energy of water utilized mat be PE/KE.
KE is a function of velocity and mass.
PE is a function of height .
The KE and PE possessed by water is converted in
to mechanical power in prime movers known as
hydraulic turbines.
Turbine is directly coupled to n electric generator
to produce electric power.
Dam:
Expensive structure in power plant
Masonry, Earth filled, wooden & Steel dams.
Masonry is the most common type
Gravity, Buttress and Arch dams.
Gravity dams are bulky and derive the stability by
water pressure by virtue of its weight.
Buttress dam, the upstream face is inclined to create
a considerable downward force to counter overturning
tendency.
Arch dam is a solid curved structure resists water
pressure by its weight and by transferring the
pressure by arch action.
Idukki dam in periyar river.
Waterways:
These are provided to carry water from reservoir to power
house.
Includes Canal, Penstock or tunnel.
Canals are used when handling large quantity of water.
Tunnels are made by cutting mountains when geography
prevents the use of a canal.
Penstock are made up of steel or concrete.
Sloping towards power house and sharp bends are to be
avoided to reduce head loss. (Velocity ranges from 2-6 m/s).
Control works:
Appliances to control flow of water.
Includes gates, valves, trash rack etc..
Gates 4 discharging excess water during flood period.
Sluice gates, rolling gates etc..
Valves for controlling the rate of flow to power house like
needle valves and butterfly valves.
Working principle
Air is compressed to a high pressure
in a centrifugal
compressor.
Sent to combustion chamber for help the fuel burn.
The heat released by combustion of fuel increases pressure of
gas.
High pressure gas runs the gas turbine.
Generator coupled to GT produces electricity.
Power plant is self sufficient as the part of the power produced
is utilized to run the compressor.
Advantages:
1. Small in size
2. Quick starting and smooth running.
3. Also supplies compressed air in addition to electricity.
4. Less environmental problems.
Disadvantages:
1. Low efficiency2.
Solid fuels cannot be used.
3. Only for low capacity power generation
Advantages:
Quick starting and smooth running.
Economical even for a few capacity power generation
systems.
Can be used for mobile power generation systems.
Part load and overall efficiency is high compared to
other power plants.
Disadvantages:
Maximum power generation capacity is limited .
Maintenance requirement is very high.
Fuel and lubrication system are very expensive.
Feed water:
The feed water used in the steam boiler is a means of transferring
heat energy from the burning fuel to the mechanical energy of the
spinning steam turbine.
The total feed water consists of re-circulated condensate water and
purified makeup water. Because the metallic materials it contacts are
subject to corrosion at high temperatures and pressures, the makeup
water is highly purified before use.
Boiler operation:
Pulverized coal is air-blown into the furnace from fuel nozzles at the
four corners and it rapidly burns, forming a large fireball at the center.
The thermal radiation of the fireball heats the water that circulates
through the boiler tubes near the boiler perimeter.
As the water in the boiler circulates it absorbs heat and changes into
steam It is separated from the water inside a drum at the top of the
furnace.
The saturated steam is introduced into superheat pendant tubes that
hang in the hottest part of the combustion gases as they exit the
furnace.
Here the steam is superheated to 500C to prepare it for the turbine.
Re heater:
Power plant furnaces may have a re-heater section
containing tubes heated by hot flue gases outside the
tubes.
Exhaust steam from the high pressure turbine is re-routed
to go inside the re-heater tubes to pickup more energy to
go drive intermediate or lower pressure turbines.
Air path:
External fans are provided to give sufficient air for
combustion.
Steam turbine generator:
High pressure-low pressure turbine in a series coupled with
generator.
Fly ash collection:
Fly ash is captured and removed from the flue gas by
electrostatic precipitators or fabric bag filters.
Schematic of a Wind
turbine power plant
Rankine cycle:
If the circulated fluid is water, it gets
converted in to steam and this high pressure
steam operates a steam turbine, to which a
generator is coupled. To produce electricity.
Brayton cycle:
If the circulated fluid is helium or air, it gets
heated up in central receiver and its pressure
increases with volume expansion. The high
pressure gas operates a gas turbine to produce
mechanical power which will be converted to
electricity by a generator.
Schematic of OTEC
Breeder reactors
A breeder reactor is one in which more fissionable material is
produced than consumed.
Fertile U238 is converted in to fissionable Pu 239.
In a FBR, the core containing U 235 is surrounded by a fertile
material U238.
No moderators are used.
The fast moving neutrons produced by the fission of U 235 are
absorbed by the U238 and gets converted in to fissionable Pu 239
which is a fissionable material capable of sustaining chain
reaction.
Disadvantages
Cost of establishing a nuclear power plant is more than that
for a hydro or thermal power plant.
Sufficient care must be taken to dispose off the radio active
wastes which may otherwise cause a serious problem to the
health of workers as well as the environment.
Maintenance cost is high.
It requires skilled personnel for its operation.