Chapter 5

Question 1

What are the typical operating voltages in a generation facility?

Answer 1

13.8 kV - 24 kV

Question 2

What are the most common methods used to generate electricity?

Answer 2

• Steam
• Hydroelectric
• Wind
• Distributed Generation
• Combustion Engine/Turbine

Question 3

What are power companies doing to reduce the demand on non-renewable and pollutant emitting generations sources?

Answer 3

Purchasing their power from more renewable sources such as wind and solar.

Question 4

What methods are used to produce high-pressure steam?

Answer 4

• Fossil-fired Generation
• Nuclear-fired Generation
• Geothermal Generation
• Solar Generation

Question 5

What is the range of pressure the steam is being created at?

Answer 5

2,400 - 3,500 psi

Question 6

How is the method of Steam Generation performed?

Answer 6

The steam creates pressure that turns the blades of a turbine to provide mechanical motion. That mechanical motion then rotates within the generator to produce electricity.

Question 7

What are some sources of fossil fuels?

Answer 7

Coal, petroleum, and natural gas.

Question 8

What is “cogeneration” or “combined heat and power??”

Answer 8

The heat from the steam is captured and used for heating?

Question 9

How does coal-fired generation work?

Answer 9

Coal is burned in furnace to boil water. Water is converted into high pressure steam to spin the turbine. Steam is condensed back into water and pumped back through the furnace to be re-converted to steam. In cogeneration the hot water may be used for heating before circulating back to the furnace.

Question 10

What is Natural Gas?

Answer 10

Natural Gas is a fossil fuel from the decaying matter of buried plants, animals and other gases.

Question 11

How does Natural Gas Generation work?

Answer 11

The gas is harvested and is fired in a combustion turbine, which spins a generator.

Question 12

What is “Combined Cycle?”

Answer 12

The hot exhaust from the natural gas turbine is used to produce steam, which can spin an additional steam turbine connected to another generator.

Question 13

How does Crude Oil Generation work?

Answer 13

It involves the heating of oil in a boiler, which also boils water into a high-pressure steam. In addition the hot oil can be used for heating purposes in a cogeneration type facility. In some generating facilities, the oil is burned in a combustion turbine, which spins a generator. The exhaust can also be used to heat water, which spins an additional generator in a combined-cycle facility.

Question 14

Approximately 20% of the electrical energy produced in the US today derives from what type of generation facility?

Answer 14

Nuclear Generation Facility

Question 15

How does Nuclear Generation work?

Answer 15

High pressure steam is produced from the nuclear fission process to spin the turbine. The high pressure steam is cooled in a condenser where it can be pumped back into the reactor.

Question 16

How does Geothermal Generation work?

Answer 16

Geothermal uses natural heat from geysers and hot springs. The injection well pumps cool water into the molten rock beneath the earth’s surface where it turns into steam. The steam is then used to to turn a turbine connected to a generator, and in some cases, the steam is also used for heating in cogeneration facilities.

Question 17

What are the two methods of generating electricity using solar power?

Answer 17

Photovoltaic and parabolic trough.

Question 18

How does photovoltaic work?

Answer 18

Photovoltaic uses semi-conductive solar panels to produce electrical power in the form of DC. The DC can then be converted to AC to feed into the grid.

Question 19

How does parabolic work?

Answer 19

Parabolic trough harnesses the heat energy from the sun to heat up salt to a molten state, and them the molten salt passes through a boiler where high-pressure steam is produced.

Question 20

How does Biomass generation work?

Answer 20

Biomass uses biological materials such as wood chips, sugarcane, and switchgrass which contain fuels needed to heat a boiler.

Question 21

How does resource recovery work?

Answer 21

It incinerates solid waste materials.

Question 22

How does Hydroelectric generations work?

Answer 22

Turbines connected to generators are rotated using the energy from gravity fed water to create the mechanical energy.

Question 23

How does a Hydroelectric dam work?

Answer 23

Water is backed into a reservoir then channeled through a penstock, where it passes through turbine blades spinning a generator.

Question 24

What do some facilities do when electricity consumption is low?

Answer 24

During the nighttime hours they pump water into a man-made reservoir. During the daytime that water is then pumped back into the main reservoir turning a generator as it travels back. “Pumped Hydroelectric Storage.”

Question 25

Which is the fastest growing method of producing electricity?

Answer 25

Wind Generation.

Question 26

What can the blades of a wind turbine do?

Answer 26

They can be rotated to face the wind, thus producing more power. Also the pitch in the blades can be changed and adjusted to the amount of wind coming in.

Question 27

Why is there a gearbox installed in Wind Propelled Turbines?

Answer 27

The gear box is fine tuned to the speed of the generator so it can be easily synchronized.

Question 28

What is the housing of the unit called?

Answer 28

Nacelle

Question 29

What does wind do for wind propelled turbines?

Answer 29

The wind provides necessary mechanical motion to turn the generator.

Question 30

What is Distributed Generation sometimes referred to as?

Answer 30

Distributed energy sources or dispersed microgeneration. Typically considered smaller scale generation and is normally located at the point of consumption.

Question 31

Which methods are involved in Distributed Generation?

Answer 31

Photovoltaic, to combustion engine, to wind turbines.

Question 32

What is the most common method from Distributed Generation?

Answer 32

Typically involves some form of renewable resource.

Question 33

How does the combustion engine work?

Answer 33

Diesel fuel is used to power the engine.

Question 34

Smaller-scale generators are popular for what in combustion engine generation?

Answer 34

Back-up power where power is consumed around the clock.

Question 35

How are larger-scale generators in combustion engine generation more beneficial?

Answer 35

• The provide enough power to power locomotives.
• They produce enough power to feed into the grid.
• The heat created by these engines can be used in a “Combined Heat & Power” Scenario meaning both heat and electricity can be consumed.

Question 36

What are the parts in a Generator/Turbine?

Answer 36

• Generator - Stator, Rotor, Shaft

- Turbine - Shaft, Wicket Gate, Blades, Water Flow

Question 37

How does the generator make electrical energy?

Answer 37

Using the mechanical energy from the water.