Power Plants and Types of Power Plant

Power Plant

Power Plants Bulk electrical power is produced by special plants referred to as generating station or power plants. A generating station essentially employs a major mover coupled to an alternator for the assembly of electric power. The first cause converts energy from another form into energy. The alternator converts energy of the first cause into electricity. The electricity produced by the generating station is transmitted and distributed with the assistance of conductors to varied consumers. it's going to be emphasized here that aside from first cause alternator combination, a contemporary generating station employs several off-line equipment and instruments to make sure cheap, reliable and continuous service.

Depending upon the shape of energy converted into electricity, the generating stations are classified as under:

1. Steam power plant

2. Hydroelectric power plant

3. Diesel power plant

4. Atomic power plant

5. Turbine power plant

Steam Power Plant (Thermal Station)

A generating station which converts heat of coal combustion into electricity is understood as a steam power plant.

A steam power plant basically works on the Rankine Cycle. Steam is produced within the boiler by utilizing the warmth of coal combustion. The steam is then expanded within the first cause and is condensed during a condenser to be fed into the boiler again. The turbine drives the alternator which converts energy of the turbine into electricity. This sort of power plant is suitable where coal and water are available in abundance and an outsized amount of electrical power is to be generated.

Advantages

1. The fuel (i.e., coal) used is sort of chap.

2. Less initial cost as compared to other generating stations.

3. It are often installed at anywhere regardless of the existence of coal. The coal are often transported to the location of the plant by rail or road.

4. It requires less space as compared to the hydroelectric power plant.

5. The value of generation is lesser than that of the diesel power plant.

Disadvantages

1. It pollutes the atmosphere thanks to the assembly of huge amount of smoke and fumes.

2. it's costlier in running cost as compared to hydroelectric plant.

Hydro-electric Power Plant

A generating station which utilizes the P.E. of water at a high level for the generation of electricity is understood as a hydro-electric power plant .

Hydro-electric power stations are generally located in hilly areas where dams are often built conveniently and enormous water reservoirs are often obtained. during a hydro-electric power plant , water head is made by constructing a dam across a river or lake. From the dam, water is led to a water turbine. The water turbine captures the energy in falling water and changes the hydraulic energy (i.e., product of head and flow of water) into energy at the turbine shaft. The turbine drives the alternator which converts energy into electricity. Hydro-electric power stations are getting very fashionable because the reserve of fuels are depleting day by day. They need the added importance for control , storage of water for irrigation and water for drinking purposes.

Advantages

1. It requires no fuel as water is employed for the generation of electricity.

2. It's quite neat and clean as no smoke or ash is produced.

3. It requires very small running charges because water is that the source of energy which is out there freed from cost.

4. It's comparatively simple in construction and requires less maintenance.

5. It's robust and features a longer life.

6. Such plants serve many purposes. In additionally to the generation of electricity , they also help irrigation and controlling floods.

7. Although such plants require the eye of highly skilled persons at the time of construction, yet for operation, a couple of experienced persons may do the work well.

Disadvantages

1. It involves high cost of capital thanks to construction of dam.

2. There's uncertainty about the supply of giant amount of water thanks to dependence on weather.

3. Skilled and experienced hands are required to create the plant.

4. It requires high cost of transmission lines because the plant is found in hilly areas which are quite far away from the consumers.

Diesel Power Plant

A generating station during which diesel is employed because the first cause for the generation of electricity is understood as diesel power plant.

In a diesel power plant, diesel is employed because the first cause. The diesel burns inside the engine and therefore the products of this combustion act because the “working fluid” to supply energy. The diesel drives the alternator which converts energy into electricity. Because the generation cost is considerable thanks to high price of diesel, therefore, such power plant are only wont to produce small power.

Although steam power stations and hydro-electric plants are invariably wont to generate bulk power at cheaper cost, yet diesel power stations are finding favor at places where demand of power is a smaller amount , sufficient quantity of coal and water isn't available and therefore the transportation facilities are inadequate. These plants also are used as standby sets for continuity of supply to big points like hospitals, radio stations, cinema houses and telephone exchanges.

Advantages

1. The planning and layout of the plant are quite simple.

2. It occupies less space because the number and size of the auxiliaries is little.

3. It are often located at anywhere.

4. It are often started quickly and may devour load during a short time.

5. There are not any standby losses.

6. It requires less quantity of water for cooling.

7. The general cost is far but that of steam power plant of an equivalent capacity.

8. The thermal efficiency of the plant is above of a steam power plant.

9. It requires less operating staff.

Disadvantages

1. The plant has high running charges because the fuel used is expensive.

2. The plant can only generate small power.

3. The value of lubrication is usually high.

4. The upkeep charges are generally high.

Nuclear Power Plant

A generating station during which atomic energy is converted into electricity is understood as a atomic power plant.

In atomic power station, heavy elements like Uranium or Thorium are subjected to fission in special apparatus referred to as a reactor. The warmth energy thus released is utilized in raising steam at heat and pressure. The steam runs the turbine which converts steam energy into energy. The turbine drives the alternator which converts energy into electricity.

The most important feature of a atomic power station is that massive amount of electricity are often produced from a comparatively bit of fuel as compared to other conventional sort of power stations. it's been found that complete fission of 1kg of Uranium can produce the maximum amount energy as are often produced by the burning of 4500 plenty of high grade coal. Although the recovery of principal nuclear fuels is difficult and expensive, yet the entire energy content of the estimated world reserves of those fuels are considerably above those of conventional fuels, coal, oil and gas. at the present , energy crisis is gripping us and, therefore, atomic energy are often successfully employed for producing low cost electricity on an outsized scale to satisfy the growing commercial and industrial demands.

Advantages

1. The quantity of fuel required is sort of small. Therefore, there's a substantial saving within the cost of fuel transportation.

2. A atomic power plant requires less space as compared to the other sort of an equivalent size.

3. It's low running charges as a little amount of fuel is employed for producing bulk electricity .

4. This sort of plant is extremely economical for producing bulk electrical power.

5. There are large deposits of nuclear fuels available everywhere the planet. Therefore, such plants can ensure continued supply of electricity for thousands of years.

6. It ensures reliability of operation.

Disadvantages

1. The fuel used is dear and is difficult to recover.

2. The cost of capital on a nuclear plant is extremely high as compared to other sorts of plants.

3. The erection and commissioning of the plant requires greater technical know-how.

4. The fission by products are generally radioactive and should cause a dangerous amount of radioactive pollution.

5. Atomic power plants aren't compatible for varying loads because the reactor doesn't answer the load fluctuations efficiently.

6. The disposal of the by products, which are radioactive, may be a big problem. They need either to be disposed off during a deep trench or during a sea faraway from beach.

Gas Turbine Power Plant    

A generating station which employs turbine because the first cause for the generation of electricity is understood as a turbine power plant.

In a turbine power station, air is employed because the working fluid. The air is compressed by the compressor and is led to the combustion chamber where heat is added to air, thus raising its temperature. Heat is added to the compressed gas either by burning fuel within the chamber or by the utilization of air heaters. The recent and high air from the combustion chamber is then passed to the turbine where it expands and does the mechanical work. The turbine drives the alternator which converts energy into electricity.

It may be mentioned here that compressor, turbine and alternator are mounted on an equivalent shaft in order that a neighborhood of mechanical power of the turbine are often utilized for the operation of the compressor. Turbine power plants are getting used as standby plants for hydro-electric stations, as a starting plant for driving auxiliaries in power plants etc.

Advantages

1. It's simple in design as compared to steam power plant since no boilers and their auxiliaries are required.

2. It's much smaller n size as compared to steam power plant of an equivalent capacity. This is often expected since turbine power station doesn't require boiler, feed water arrangement etc.

3. The initial and operating costs are much less than that of equivalent steam power plant.

4. The upkeep charges are quite small.

5. Gas turbines are much simpler in construction and operation than steam turbines.

6. It are often started quickly form cold conditions.

Disadvantages

1. There's a drag for starting the unit. It's because before stating the turbine, the compressor has got to be operated that power is required from some external source. However, once the unit starts, the external power isn't needed because the turbine itself supplies the required power to the compressor.

2. Since a greater a part of power developed by the turbine is employed in driving the compressor, internet output is low.

3. The general efficiency of such plants is low because the exhaust gases from the turbine contain sufficient heat.