Advanced scientific principles Flashcards
What major changes occurred in the English electricity industry in 1990?
Privatisation of the 12 regional electricity boards
Which of the following organisations owns and operates power stations that generate electricity from various sources?
Generators
What is the primary role of the Transmission System Owner in the UK power system?
Owning and maintaining the high-voltage transmission system
How does the system operator balance electricity demand and generation output?
By asking generators to increase output
What is distributed generation (DG) in the power system context?
Generation connected to the distribution network
In a three-phase AC generator, how are the windings on the stator arranged to produce a three-phase output?
Windings are connected in a star configuration
What is the purpose of step-up transformers in the UK power system?
To increase the voltage for long-distance transmission
Which type of electricity generation method is known for its ability to produce electricity without significant transmission losses over long distances?
High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC)
What is the primary source of heat for most electricity generation methods in the UK?
Fossil fuels and nuclear fission
What is the purpose of combined heat and power (CHP) generation systems?
To maximize waste heat by using it for heating or production processes
What is the term for a chemical solution that contains many ions and is used in battery production?
Electrolyte
Which two companies took over the CEGB’s big coal-fired power stations in 1991 in the UK?
National Power and Powergen
In the UK, which organization is responsible for the transportation of electricity between power stations and from region to region?
National Grid
What type of electricity generation method uses the Sun’s heat energy transferred to fluids to produce electricity?
Solar thermal
Which type of electricity generation system captures waste heat or thermal energy for heating schemes or production processes?
Combined heat and power (CHP)
What is the primary purpose of the interconnectors between the UK and Europe?
To pool capacity and diversity of supplies
Which of the following is NOT a current interconnector between the UK and Europe?
750 MW between England and Ireland
What type of network carries electricity from primary substations to customers at low voltage levels in urban and rural areas?
Secondary distribution network
Which type of transformer is used to decrease the voltage from high voltage transmission systems to a more manageable level for local distribution?
Step-down transformer
What is the name for the network of circuits, overhead lines, underground cables, and substations that link power stations and distribute electricity around the country?
Power grid
Which of the following is NOT a common voltage supply system used for electricity distribution in work premises?
Two-phase AC
In the UK, where is direct current (DC) occasionally used for public electricity supplies?
Links between England, the Netherlands, Ireland, and France
What is the primary purpose of DC battery systems in modern installations?
To store excess electricity for vehicle charging points
Why is alternating current (AC) the distribution system of choice for electricity suppliers worldwide?
AC allows for a wider range of circuit arrangements and supply voltages.
In a single-phase AC supply, what are the two conductors commonly referred to as?
Line conductor and neutral conductor
What is the nominal supply voltage for a single-phase AC supply in the UK?
230 V
In a balanced three-phase system, why is there no need to have a star-point connection to neutral?
The phases have a cancellation effect on each other.
What is the primary advantage of a star (Y) connected load in a three-phase system?
It provides a balanced load across all phases.
In a delta (Δ) connected load in a three-phase system, how are the three coil windings connected to each other?
In a triangle or delta configuration.
What is the line current (IL) in a delta-connected load if the phase current (IP) is 100 A?
173.2 A
Which of the following statements is true regarding neutral conductors in a three-phase AC system?
The neutral conductor carries the same current as the line conductors.
In a star (Y) connected load in a three-phase system, what is the relationship between the line current (IL) and the phase current (IP)?
IL = IP
Which voltage configuration is commonly used for domestic premises and lighting within work premises in the UK?
Single-phase and neutral AC system
What is the primary advantage of using a multi-phase arrangement, such as three-phase, in industrial and commercial premises?
It allows for the use of very large conductors.
In a delta-connected load, if the phase voltage (VP) is 400 V, what is the line voltage (VL)?
400 V
What is the purpose of a star (Y) connected load in a three-phase system?
To ensure a balanced load across all phases.
In a balanced three-phase system, what happens to the star-point voltage naturally?
It remains at zero voltage.
Which conductor carries any out-of-balance current in a single-phase load within a three-phase system?
Neutral conductor (N)
What does the term “equilateral triangle” refer to when discussing neutral current in a three-phase system?
A triangle with sides representing phase currents.
In a delta-connected system, how many wires are used to obtain a three-phase supply?
Three wires
What is the purpose of Earth Fault Loop Impedance (Zs) verification?
To ensure the safety of electrical installations
Which elements are part of the earth fault current loop in a typical electrical system?
Protective conductors and earthing terminals
In TN-C-S systems, what is the typical maximum declared value for earth fault loop impedance external to the installation?
0.35Ω
In TN-S systems, how do earth fault loop impedances typically compare to TN-C-S systems?
They are higher
In TT systems, why do residual current devices (RCDs) need to be adopted for protection against electric shock?
Because they operate at lower earth fault currents
What is the fundamental principle of transformers?
Induction of magnetic flux in two coils
Which type of transformer is commonly used for transmitting electrical energy from power stations at high voltages?
Power transformer
What is the primary purpose of isolation transformers?
To provide electrical separation
Which type of transformer is often used in medical applications to prevent first-fault failures?
Isolation transformer
Which type of transformer is used to provide a physical neutral for power transformers with a delta-connected secondary?
Earthing transformer
what is the primary function of a step-down transformer in an electrical system?
To decrease voltage
In a step-up transformer, the number of turns in the secondary winding is _____ compared to the primary winding.
More
What is the primary function of an insulation transformer?
To provide electrical separation
Which type of transformer is commonly used for power transmission purposes due to its ability to transmit electricity over long distances efficiently?
Power transformer
What is the purpose of the magnetic core in a transformer?
To induce a magnetic field
In a current transformer, which winding has only one turn?
Primary winding
Which type of transformer is commonly used in domestic bathrooms to power shaver sockets safely?
Isolation transformer
What is the typical purpose of earthing transformers in electrical systems?
To provide a physical neutral for delta-connected transformers
Which type of transformer is used to measure high currents accurately and is commonly found in electrical metering applications?
Current transformer
What is the primary purpose of using thin, insulated laminations in transformer cores?
To reduce eddy currents
Eddy current loss in a transformer is primarily a form of which type of loss?
Core loss
What is hysteresis loss in a transformer core primarily related to?
Magnetization direction changes
What is the main cause of copper losses in a transformer?
Resistance in windings
How are copper losses in transformer windings typically calculated?
Using the formula I^2R
What is the primary function of an isolation transformer?
To provide electrical separation
Which type of transformer is commonly used in electrical metering applications to accurately measure high currents?
Current transformer
What type of inductance occurs when a primary winding induces a magnetic field that induces a current into a secondary winding?
Mutual inductance
What does the turns ratio of a transformer indicate?
The relationship between primary and secondary voltages
How is a transformer typically rated in terms of power?
In kilovolt-amperes (kVA)
What is the primary purpose of using laminations in transformer cores?
To reduce hysteresis loss
Which type of loss in a transformer core occurs due to the magnetic material’s need to be re-magnetized as the supply alternates direction?
Hysteresis loss
What is the primary cause of copper losses in a transformer?
Resistance in the windings
In transformers, what is the main factor contributing to core loss?
a) Eddy currents
Hysteresis loss
What is the primary function of an isolation transformer in electrical systems?
To provide electrical separation
Which type of transformer is commonly used to convert high voltage to low voltage for safe use in households?
Self-inductance
What does the turns ratio of a transformer determine?
The relationship between primary and secondary currents
How are copper losses in transformer windings related to the load current?
Quadratically proportional
In what unit is a transformer’s power rating typically expressed?
Kilovolt-amperes (kVA)
What is the primary function of a resistor in an AC circuit?
What is the primary function of a resistor in an AC circuit?
To restrict current flow proportionally to voltage
In a resistive AC circuit, what is the phase relationship between voltage and current?
In-phase (unity)
What types of loads in AC circuits are typically resistive?
Incandescent lamps and heaters
What does an inductor primarily introduce in an AC circuit?
Inductive reactance
In an ideal inductive circuit, how much does the current lag behind the voltage
90 degrees
What is the unit of inductance used to measure inductors in AC circuits?
Henry (H)
In a capacitive AC circuit, how does the current phase relationship differ from that in an inductive circuit?
Leading current
What is the primary effect of a capacitor in an AC circuit?
Leading current
How is capacitive reactance (XC) calculated in an AC circuit?
XC = 1 / (2πfC)
What is the primary unit used to measure capacitance in AC circuits?
Farad (F)
What is the primary factor that determines the reactance of an inductor in an AC circuit?
Frequency of the supply (f)
In an ideal capacitive circuit, what is the phase shift between current and voltage?
What is the unit of measurement for reactance in AC circuits, whether inductive or capacitive?
Ohm (Ω)
Which type of load is most commonly associated with power factor correction using capacitors?
Inductive loads
What is the primary purpose of a transformer in an electrical circuit?
To change voltage and current levels
When an AC voltage is applied to a transformer’s primary winding, what is induced in the secondary winding?
Voltage
What does the turns ratio of a transformer represent?
The ratio of primary to secondary windings
Which component in a transformer is responsible for reducing eddy current losses?
Core material
What is the unit used to rate the capacity of a transformer?
Volt-amperes (VA)
In what unit is capacitance typically measured?
Farad (F)
What is impedance in an electrical circuit?
The combination of resistance and reactance (inductive, capacitive, or both)
Which component causes a leading or lagging current in a circuit?
Both B and C
How is impedance (Z) calculated in a circuit?
Z = R² + X²
In a circuit with both inductance and capacitance, how is the resulting reactance calculated?
By subtracting the smaller reactance from the larger
What is the purpose of an impedance triangle in electrical circuits?
To visualize the relationship between resistance and reactance