EG1 CH.5 Flashcards
What is the basic design/idea on generating electricity that most power plants use?
Some method to rotate a magnetic field around a conductor that produces alternating current.
What is the reason that alternating current is produced when generating electricity?
Because the magnetic field has two opposing poles (+ & -) that changes the flow of electricity at certain rates.
What are are some common types of energy production?
Steam, hydroelectric, wind, combustion engine, solar, and nuclear
Steam is commonly used to generate electricity by moving a turbine. What are some common heating elements that produce that steam?
Fossil fuels, nuclear, geothermal, and solar
What pressure range is steam usually at to move a turbine?
2400 - 3500 PSI
T or F: The turbine is directly connected to the generator.
True
What are some sources of fossil fuels?
coal, petroleum, and natural gas
What is cogeneration?
When excess heat is captured from steam and used for another purpose.
How does a combined system work in a natural gas plant?
The hot exhaust from burning natural gas is used to produce steam and run additional generators.
There are two ways crude oil can be used to produce electricity. What are they?
In a boiler or in a combustion turbine.
T or F: Crude oil in a boiler set up uses cogeneration for additional heating.
True
T or F: Crude oil in a combustion turbine set up can use a combined cycle set-up to produce steam and spin additional turbines
True
What percentage of US energy comes from nuclear?
20%
Where does geothermal plants get the heat to produce steam?
They use the heat from geysers or hot springs to produce steam.
T or F: Geothermal plants can use cogeneration.
True
What are the two ways that solar can produce electricity?
Photovoltaic and parabolic trough
How do photovoltaic cells work?
They use semi-conductors to produce electrical power in the form of direct current.
How do parabolic troughs work?
They harness the heat of the sun to heat up salt to a molten state, which passes through a boiler that produces steam.
What are some other fuels sources for steam plants?
Biomass and resource recovery
What are the two basic methods of obtaining mechanical motion using water?
Gravity-fed or Dam
How does a hydroelectric dam work?
Water is back up into a reservoir and channeled into a penstock, where it passes across a turbine connected to a generator.
What is pumped hydro electric storage?
When water is pumped from the reservoir to another reservoir during nighttime hours for use during hours of high demand.
How do wind turbines work?
Wind turbines capture wind into mechanical motion which spins a turbine.
What is the most common fuel source for back-up generators?
Diesel
