Electric power plantsElectric power plants

Index1.1Energy sources(Uses,Definition and Classification)2.1Electricity2.2Electric power plant(How an electric power plant work)2.3 Transport and distribution of electric energy.3.1Conventional electric power plant.3.2 Nuclear power plant3.3 Fossil fuel thermal power plant(Combined cycle power plant)3.4 Hydroelectric power plants4.1Non-conventional electric power plants4.2Wind power plants and wind farms4.3Solar power plants(Photo-thermal power plants and photovoltaic power plant)4.4Georthermal power plants4.5Biomass thermal power plants4.6Ocean power plants5.1 Environmental impacts assesment5.2(Extraction of natural resources, fuel transport,Electricity generation and final energy use).6.Investigation of wind turbine.

Energy Sources:Energy Sources:

-Are natural resources from which -Are natural resources from which we obtain different forms of energy we obtain different forms of energy

that can be transformed for a specific that can be transformed for a specific use.use.

-The energy we consume has many -The energy we consume has many different uses, for example: different uses, for example:

Household energy and Industrial Household energy and Industrial energyenergy

Examples of uses of energy sourcesExamples of uses of energy sources

Household uses: The Household uses: The operating of operating of electrical electrical appliances, heating appliances, heating systems, hot water systems, hot water systems, heats for systems, heats for cooking and for cooking and for means of transport.means of transport.

Industrial energy: Industrial energy: The operating of The operating of factories and factories and companies, companies, construction, construction, agriculture and so agriculture and so on.on.

We can classify energy sources in We can classify energy sources in several ways:several ways:

By availability in nature and capacity for regeneration: Renewable or Non-Renewable.

RENEWABLE: Abundant and inexhaustive for example: Trees, the sun, water, the wind...

NON-RENEWABLE: May or may not be abundant,depleted when we used them up, cannot be renewed in a short period of time. For example: Fossil fuels, oil, coal...

By use in each country:

CONVENTIONALCONVENTIONAL: Most commonly used in industrialized countries, for example: energy that comes from fossil fuels.

NON CONVENTIONAL: Alternative energy source, In early stages of the technological development, solar and wind power belong to this group.

Conventional energy Conventional energy sourcessources

Alternative energy sourcesAlternative energy sources

By enviromental impact:

Clean or non pollutingClean or non polluting: Low enviromental : Low enviromental impact, do not generate by-products that impact, do not generate by-products that pollute the enviroment.pollute the enviroment.

PollutantsPollutants: Sources that have negative : Sources that have negative effects on the enviroment, for example: effects on the enviroment, for example: they might generate by-products that they might generate by-products that severely pollute the enviromentseverely pollute the enviroment.

By origin:

Primary:Primary: The energy is obtained directly from nature, examples: crude oil, natural gas ,coal, nuclear energy and renewable energies

SecondarySecondary: Resulting from transformation of primary sources, examples: electricity and some petroleum derivatives

Electricity

It's the most widely used form of energy in It's the most widely used form of energy in inductrialised societies for two reasons:inductrialised societies for two reasons:

-It can be easily transformed into other forms of -It can be easily transformed into other forms of energy.energy.

-It can be transported easily long distances-It can be transported easily long distances

Humans have an intimate relationship with Humans have an intimate relationship with electricity, to the point that it's virtuallyelectricity, to the point that it's virtually impossible to separate your life from it.

Even at the loneliest corners of the world, Even at the loneliest corners of the world, electricity exists. If it's not lighting up the electricity exists. If it's not lighting up the storm clouds overhead or crackling in a storm clouds overhead or crackling in a static spark at your fingertips, then it's static spark at your fingertips, then it's moving through the human nervous moving through the human nervous system, animating the brain's will in every system, animating the brain's will in every flourish, breath and unthinking heartbeat.flourish, breath and unthinking heartbeat.

How and electric power plant works.

1.)Some fuel source, such as coal, oil, natural 1.)Some fuel source, such as coal, oil, natural gas, or nuclear energy produces heat.gas, or nuclear energy produces heat.2.)The heat is used to boil water to create steam. 2.)The heat is used to boil water to create steam. 3)The steam under high pressure is used to spin 3)The steam under high pressure is used to spin a turbine. a turbine. 4.)The spinning turbine interacts with a system 4.)The spinning turbine interacts with a system of magnets to produce electricity.of magnets to produce electricity.5.)The electricity is transmitted as moving 5.)The electricity is transmitted as moving electrons through a series of wires to homes and electrons through a series of wires to homes and business.business.

Transport and distribution of electric energy.Transport and distribution of electric energy. Electric power plants are usually located far away from

the points where the energy is used for safety reasons.

Electricity can't be stored so it have to be transported to consumption centres. This transport involves several processes:

1) Incrising the voltage to 220.000V or 4000.000V to prevent significant energy loss.

2)Transporting it by high voltage cables attached to towers

3)Decreaing the voltage at the electricity substations to 3-30 kV.

4)Distribution reducing the voltage to 230-400V

Nuclear power plantsNuclear power plantsThis type of plant includes a nuclear This type of plant includes a nuclear

fission reactor that produces the fission reactor that produces the pressurised steam needed to move the pressurised steam needed to move the turbine motor. Uranium is the main fuel turbine motor. Uranium is the main fuel used. Electricity is created by the used. Electricity is created by the uranium fission … uranium fission …

How does a nuclear power plant How does a nuclear power plant work.work.

Fossil fuel thermal power plantsFossil fuel thermal power plants

At this type of power plant water is eated in At this type of power plant water is eated in a boiler by the heat generated from the a boiler by the heat generated from the combustion of a fossil fuel, usually natural combustion of a fossil fuel, usually natural gas or oil .The steam that is generated gas or oil .The steam that is generated moves the turbine connected to the moves the turbine connected to the generatorgenerator

Combined cycle of thermal power plants

Electricity is generated as a result of two combined cycles:

During the fist cycle gas turbine is used, including a compressor(Machine used to increase or decrease the pressure of a gas)

The combustion gases are transported to a boiler where they transfer the energy to the water during the second cycle.

Hydroelectric power plants

This type of power plant uses the potential This type of power plant uses the potential energy provovided by the height of the energy provovided by the height of the store water in a dam, converting it into store water in a dam, converting it into kinetic energy. This energy moves the kinetic energy. This energy moves the blades of the turbine. Depending on the blades of the turbine. Depending on the destination of the water it can be divided destination of the water it can be divided into two types:Gravity or pump.into two types:Gravity or pump.

Gravity-driven hydraulic power plantsGravity-driven hydraulic power plantsWater used follows the course of a river and will not Water used follows the course of a river and will not

be reused.be reused.

Pump-driven hydraulic power plants

Water Water descends descends into a into a reservoir reservoir located at located at lower height, lower height, then pumped then pumped to a higher to a higher reservoir to reservoir to reuse itreuse it..

Sizes of hydroelectric power plantsSizes of hydroelectric power plants

Micro-power Micro-power plantsplants

Small power Small power plantsplants

Large power plants

Non-conventional electric Non-conventional electric power plants.power plants.

Types of non-conventional Types of non-conventional energy power plants.energy power plants.

Wind power plants.Wind power plants. Solar power plants: Photo-thermal power Solar power plants: Photo-thermal power

plants and Photovoltaic power plants.plants and Photovoltaic power plants. Geothermal power plants.Geothermal power plants. Biomass thermal power plants.Biomass thermal power plants. Ocean power plantsOcean power plants.

Wind Power PlantsWind Power Plants

These power plants use the kinetic energy of These power plants use the kinetic energy of the wind to move the blades of a rotor at the the wind to move the blades of a rotor at the top of a tower; know as the wind turbine.top of a tower; know as the wind turbine.

Wind power plants are a clean form of Wind power plants are a clean form of generating electricity. However, they can only generating electricity. However, they can only be installed in places with appropiate wind be installed in places with appropiate wind conditions.conditions.

Parts of a Wind power plantParts of a Wind power plant

A D V A N T A G E S 1 . W in d is R e n e w a b le a n d fre e o f c o st 2 . P o llu tio n free 3 . C a n b e in sta lle d in re m o te v illa ge s , th u s re d u c in g c o stly tra n sm iss io n lin e s

D ISA D V A N T A G E S

1 . C a p ita l c o st is ve ry h igh 2 . L a rge a re a o f la n d is re q u ire d 3 . M a in te n a nc e c o st is ve ry h igh

Solar Power Plants

These plants use the energy from the sun to produce power.

There are two main types of installations: Photo-Thermal and Photovoltaic power plants.

Photovoltaic power plantsPhotovoltaic power plants

Photo-thermal power plantsPhoto-thermal power plants

In this type of power plants, the heat In this type of power plants, the heat generated by solar radiation produces generated by solar radiation produces steam that is used to move the rotor in the steam that is used to move the rotor in the generator.generator.

To do this, they use special mirrors, called To do this, they use special mirrors, called heliostats, that reflect sunlight and heliostats, that reflect sunlight and concentrate it at one point, where it concentrate it at one point, where it reaches a high temperaturereaches a high temperature.

Renewable source of energy

Pollution free

After the capital cost, the

cost of power generation

is quite low.

Wide range of applications,

powering street lights to

satellites

Capital cost is very highLarge area of land is requiredLarge number of solar panels are required Affected by seasons.

Geothermal Power Plants

These plants use the heat found at deep These plants use the heat found at deep levels in the earth. This heat may reach the levels in the earth. This heat may reach the surface in the form of steam, gases or hot surface in the form of steam, gases or hot water.water.

Geothermal energy may be used directly Geothermal energy may be used directly (for hot water and heating industrial use (for hot water and heating industrial use and so on) and indirectly (the heat and so on) and indirectly (the heat generates steam, which produces generates steam, which produces electricity)electricity)

How does a geothermal power plant How does a geothermal power plant workwork

Biomass Thermal Power Plants

Biomass consists of all organic compounds that are produced through natural processes. They may come from the following sources:

Forestry and agricultural waste .

Specific crops, such as sunflowers and sugar beet.

Waste from agri-food industries.

Biomass is subjected to different physycal and chemical processes in order to produce fuel such as characoal, alcohol or biogas.

Ocean Power PlantsOcean Power Plants

These type of power plants use the energy These type of power plants use the energy from the seas and the oceans, they use from the seas and the oceans, they use three types of energy from the sea:three types of energy from the sea:

The mechanical energy from the tides.The mechanical energy from the tides. The mechanical energy from the waves.The mechanical energy from the waves. The energy from the ocean's thermal The energy from the ocean's thermal

gradientgradient.

Enviromental Impact

The building and operating of

an electrical power plant results

in an ecological change in that

region. This is due to the

construction of the necessary

infrastructure and the waste that

this activity generates

Enviromental impact assessement

An environmental impact assessment are the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment.

The main characteristics of each type of power plant and the impact that they have on the enviroment are shown in the next slide:

Types of enviromental impact

Extraction of natural resources. Fuel transport. Electricity generation. Final energy source.

Extraction of natural resourcesExtraction of natural resources

The explotation of fossil fuels and nuclear power means the depletion of resources, which makes it necessary to find new ones.

Fuel extraction processes are sometimes harmful to the enviroment. In particular, timber (wood processed from trees harvested from forests) extraction has led to the disappearance of large areas of forests, a process that is continuing even today.

Fuel transport

Oil is transported by means of oil pipelines and oil tankers . Oil pipelines can suffer accidents caused by nature or human error, which result in uncontrolled spills. Oil tankers can suffer accidents at sea, with the risk of oil spills. Some spills have caused oil slicks (a film of crude oil leaked from ships which floats on top of sea water) that have taken years to clean up and dissipate, and have affected the lives of many plants and animals species.

Electricity generation

Large hidroelectric power plants require water Large hidroelectric power plants require water reservoirs convering large areas, which profundly reservoirs convering large areas, which profundly change the natural cycle of rivers, flood (area of land change the natural cycle of rivers, flood (area of land covered by water) large land areas and destroy covered by water) large land areas and destroy ecosystems, in addition to increaing the risk of ecosystems, in addition to increaing the risk of accidents.accidents.

Electricity generation

Conventional thermal power plants:

-They produce air pollution .

-They emit large amount of CO2, which increases the greenhouse effect.

-They emit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide that cause acid rain.

-The water used in the cooling system is returned to the enviroment while it's still warm, which can affect both animal and plant life

Electricity generation

Nuclear thermal power plants are accompained by the risk of nuclear accidents and the problem of nuclear waste, some of which, remain dangerous for thousand of years.

Final energy use

The fuels we use in vehicles and heating systems emit gases and particles similar to those generated by conventional thermal power plants.

When we turn on an electric appliance, we are consuming energy that has already caused several enviromental prolems during its extraction, generation and transportation.

Brief comment about wind turbines that create water from the air.

After we read the article we have realised that is a After we read the article we have realised that is a very innovative idea that will be very useful for arid very innovative idea that will be very useful for arid countries where there aren't any posibilities of countries where there aren't any posibilities of finding potable water. It's a very good idea because finding potable water. It's a very good idea because it won't cause any pollution although large it won't cause any pollution although large extension of land will be required. We think that all extension of land will be required. We think that all of this water produced in the future will reach of this water produced in the future will reach places where many adults, children and old people places where many adults, children and old people die because of deshidratation so we hope that it's die because of deshidratation so we hope that it's

the beginning of a huge change in our world. the beginning of a huge change in our world.

By: Manuel Folgado By: Manuel Folgado and Blanca Bañas 3ºAand Blanca Bañas 3ºA