Energy Flashcards
What was the industrial revolution
Transforming economies such as agriculture to large industries such as manufacturing
What were some impacts of the industrial revolution
- economic growth
- a more efficient division of labour
- growth in technological innovations
What was seen to increase after the industrial revolution
The amount of coal
What does per capita mean
per person
What normally is meant by finding per capita
Finding an average/mean
What are some countries that have the highest per capita energy consumption
- canada
- usa
- qatar
- singapore
What are some countries that have the lowest per capita energy consumption
- madagascar
- rwanda
- congo
- malawi
What factors determine energy consumption
- affluence
- climate (temperature)
- access to water
- industries
- environmental awareness and change
Example of affluence and energy consumption
Canada has a high affluence, so they are able to purchase high end things such as washing machines etc
Example of climate and energy consumption
If its a colder climate, there will be more energy needed for heat and vice versa
Example of access to water and energy consumption
Might drive up per capita, as water may need to be pumped from aquifers etc
Example of industries and energy consumption
Heavy industries require high amounts of energy, which increases per capita energy consumption and vice versa
Example of environmental awareness and change and energy consumption
This will decrease the per capita energy consumption
What factors could cause a change in a country’s energy demand and consumption
- change in climate
- change in industries
- increase in developments of energy efficient appliances
- increase in affluence
- change in cost of energy
Examples with change in climate for energy demand
The UK may need more air con in housing etc instead of heating, this increases per capita energy use
Examples with change in industries for energy demand
The UK may need to turn towards servicing industries instead of large industries, this will decrease per capita energy use
Examples with increase in development of energy efficient appliances for energy demand
It allows for a decrease in per capita energy use
Examples with increase in affluence for energy demand
Leads to an increase in per capita energy use, as more people are able to buy appliances such as washing machines, which require a lot of energy
Examples with change in cost of energy for energy demand
Causes people to use less energy, as it’s now more expensive, this will decrease per capita energy use
How can we meet increased world energy demand in the future
- invest in the development if renewables
- exploit more non-renewables
- investing and developing more nuclear power
- pop control
- increase in energy efficient appliances
Definition of renewable and how this feature may affect energy use
- Is an infinite resource - meaning its for the long term future
- They reform quite quickly
- examples: solar, wind, HEP
Definition of non-renewable and how this feature may affect energy use
- Energy source that is finite (fixed amount)
- examples: coal, oil, gas, nuclear
Definition of abundance and how this affects energy use
- How much is available to us
- ^ the amount of resource = ^ amount of using it
Define local constraints and how this affects energy use
- Energy resources aren’t evenly distributed across the world
- Access to resources may be reduced by planning authorities
- example - topography and rock type
Define intermittency and how this affects energy use
- Comes and goes
- Resource that is available then not available
- example - solar, wind , HEP
Define predictability and how this affects energy use
- Knowing when a resource is available
- example - tidal, fossil fuels
Define energy density and how this affects energy use
- Amount of energy per unit volume
- Energy dense = produce high temperatures
- example - ^ Dense - Nuclear (uranium)
Define resource availability and how this affects energy use
- Linked to abundance - amount of energy available
- about equipment and expertise to access the resource
Define ability to convert and how this affects energy use
- How easy for it to be made more usable
- Being able to store and save for later
- example - windmill-grind flower-can now use to create electricity
Define applicability to use and how this affects energy use
- Some resources are better suited for other uses
- example - oil - vehicle use
Define ease of storage and how this affects energy use
- Some energy may need to be converted to electricity in order to store it
- example - fossil fuels are easiest to store, as you can physically pick it up - coal and oil
Define ease of transportation and how this affects energy use
- Fossil fuels are easiest to transport
- example - coal - by planes
Define environmental impact and how this affects energy use
- Fossil fuels - production of CO2
- HEP - building reservoirs and dams
Define technological developments and how this affects energy use
- Some energy sources require more technological developments than others
- example - nuclear
Define political and economic influences
- International agreements that may stop you using some resources
- example - paris agreement
What is the formation of coal
- Dead plant matter is submerged in swamp environments
- undergoes heat and pressure over hundreds of years
How is coal extracted
- Open cast mining - mining on the surface (it’s easier and simpler)
- Deep mining - exploitation of coal or mineral deposits underground (more expensive and more technical developments)
What is coals’ main uses
- Used to generate electric power
- Used to heat homes
- Used for cooking
- Used in steel industries
What is the formation of oil
- Forms underground over millions of years
- From prehistoric organisms decomposing by high amount of heat
- at the bottom of the ocean
How is oil extracted
- Trapped below surface
- It migrates through porous and permeable rock
- Can use oil drilling to remove the oil
What is oils’ main uses
- To propel vehicles
- Heat buildings
- Produce electricity
- Petrol chemical industries (fertilisers)
What is the formation of gas
- Marine organisms that die and sink to the bottom of the ocean and get covered with sediments
How is gas extracted
-Trapped below surface
- Migrate through porous and permeable rock
- Can use hydraulic fracking to remove it (fluid pumped at high pressures into the rock to create narrow paths for the gas to move through)
What are gas’ main uses
- Generate electricity
- To heat buildings and homes
- Use for gas cooking
- Air conditioning
- Water heating
What are some main features of fossil fuels
- Low intermittency
- High predictability
- Don’t require advanced technology developments
- Reliable sources
Arguments FOR the continued use of fossil fuels
- They are abundant
- More reliable than renewables
- Very predictable
Arguments AGAINST continued use of fossil fuels
- The extraction and combustion cause enviro impacts
- Transportation can cause damage e.g oil spills
- Finite resources
What are some environmental impacts of coal during extraction
- Mining can cause damage etc
- Land subsidence
- Acid mine drainage
What are some environmental impacts of coal at or after use
- Sulphur dioxide - acid rain
- CO2 - climate change
- Excess C02 cause ocean acidification
What are some environmental impacts of oil during extraction
- Cause habitat loss
- Oil spills
- Water contamination
- Air pollution
What are some environmental impacts of oil at or after use
- CO2 emissions can cause climate change
- Transportation can cause damage
- SMOG
What are some environmental impacts of gas during extraction
- Habitat loss
- Air pollution
- Affect on human health
- Habitat fragmentation
What are some environmental impacts of gas at or after use
- CO2 emissions can cause climate change
- Transportation could cause damage to the environment
- Combustion - excess CO2
What is primary oil recovery
- Drilling into the ground
- Until reaching an oil well
- Oil reaches the surface on its own pressure
- (20% recovery)
What is secondary oil recovery
- Increase pressure in oil well
- So more oil reaches the surface
- By pumping water from the bottom
- (20% recovery)
What is tertiary oil recovery
- Doing something to change properties of oil, to make it less viscous and can move easier through porous and permeable rock
- e.g adding CO2
- (20% recovery)
What are the benefits of tertiary oil recovery
- You can stay at one extraction point for longer - reduce damage
- Obtain more fossil fuels for the future - increase economy and profit
- Carbon capture - some carbon left behind when pumped into the oil
What is subsea production wells
- Below ocean floor
- No platforms at the surface
- Gas can be extracted from 2-3 km deep
- They have floating drilling vesicles and platforms
- Pipe products up to a floating ship or platform
What does ROV stand for
- Remotely operated vehicle
What does AUV stand for
- Automated unmanned vehicle
What are ROV’s and AUV’s used for and what do they do
- Help to access places that are hard, expensive or dangerous for humans to go to
- Carry out remote surveys or sensing (gravimetry)
- Can identify natural seeps
- Can help with maintenance jobs and simple repairs
Describe the process of hydraulic fraction
- Shaft is drilled
- Horizontal hole
- Fracking fluid is pumped into shaft (water,chemicals and sand)
- Fracture the rock
- Fracking fluid pumped out
- Sand left behind - keeps fractures open
- Gas can escape and can be collected
What are some arguments for fracking
- Generates income
- Reach goal for demand low-cost energy
- Increases rate at which natural gas can be recovered
What are some arguments against fracking
- Release of greenhouse gases
- Contamination of fresh drinking water
- Requires large consumption of energy
Need to drill multiple holes
What was said about the fracking case study in lancashire
- Preston new road
- Fracking was banned at the site following the seismic event of a 2.9ML
- They have until the end of 2024 to fill the hole with concrete
What are tar sands
- Use bitumous oil (thick,sticky and low-grade)
- Extract the sand
- blast or wash it with hot water or steam
- Recover the oil
- Return the sand
Case study of tar sands in canada and the impacts
- Largest industrial project in human history
- 170L a barrel
- Now become economically viable
- Gathers 3 million barrels a day
They use: - Open pit mining - most is extracted
- Deep pit mining - Hard to reach areas
Impacts: - Habitat loss
- Contribute to air pollution
What are oil shales and how are they extracted
- kerogen is stuff before oil with is viscous and low quality
- Mine the shale
- Heat the shale
- kerogen - less viscous is collected
What is enhanced gas recovery
- EGR, recovers hard to reach gas (recovers last 10-20%)
- Inject CO2 or N2
- Increased pressure forces gas upwards
What is a methane hydrate
- A crystalline solid that consists of a methane molecule surrounded by a cage of interlocking water molecules
Where are methane hydrates found
- In permafrost regions and deep ocean sediments under high pressure and low temperatures
What is an extraction method for methane hydrates
- Injecting CO2 or other substances which can replace methane hydrate structure releasing the methane
What are some impacts of the extraction of methane hydrates
- Methane leakage
- Subsidence
- Water quality concerns
- Disrupt to marine ecosystems
What is meant by the term coal gasification
- Process of obtaining gas from coal
Why do we use coal gasification
- Gas may be more applicable for a specific use
- Coal may be too deep to recover
What do some industries call coal gasification
- Syngas
What is the process of coal gasification
- Burn coal underground in controlled conditions
- Produces CO2 + H2 + CH4
What is meant by the term ‘coal liquefaction’
- Process of obtaining liquid hydrocarbon from coal
Why do we use coal liquefaction
- Applicability to use
- Coal can be converted to hydrocarbons
- Can use syngas and convert it to liquid hydrocarbons
Define nuclear fission
The process in which a large nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei with the release of energy
What is fissile fuel
Used as fuel in nuclear reactors as they have the ability to be split by neutrons in a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction
Define nuclear fusion
Two light nuclei merge to form a single heavier nucleus
What are some features of nuclear fuel
- high predictability
- low intermittency
- non-renewable + finite
- easy to store
- easy to convert to electricity
What are some advantages of using nuclear power
- high predictability
- high energy density
- it’s reliable
- low greenhouse gas emissions
- low intermittency
What are some disadvantages of using nuclear power
- Many environmental impacts
- High radioactive waste
- Risks of accidents
- High levels of technological developments
Explain how a molten salt reactor differs from a more traditional nuclear reactor
- Molten salt is used as the coolant
- Operate at a higher temperatures
- Operate at a lower pressure
- Salt is corrosive
Explain how plutonium can be used in nuclear reactors and why this may be better solution than using uranium 235
- plutonium has a high energy density compared to uranium 235
- plutonium is more efficient in terms of fuel usage
- plutonium reactors can help reduce the amount of nuclear waste generated - as they can consume some of the waste generated by uranium reactors
Explain how thorium can be used in nuclear reactors and why this may be more advantageous than traditional uranium 235
- thorium is abundant
- we bombarded thorium with neutrons to create U233
- thorium can be used in the fuel rods and ‘breeding’ can take place in the reactor
Advantages of thorium reactors
- have mined it in the past and we’ve stored it
- production of nuclear weapons this way is harder to produce
- less nuclear waste is produced and it’s less harmful than uranium
Disadvantages of thorium reactors
- expensive
- current reactors would need redesigning
What is nuclear fusion
- fusing two heavy atoms of hydrogen together to create heat energy
- happens in the sun and stars naturally
(need high pressure and high temperatures)
Conditions required for nuclear fusion to take place
- very high temperatures
- atoms with heavy nuclei
- form of a plasma
- magnetic field
- a vacuum
Reason for very high temperatures
^ temps = ^ kinetic energy - atoms moving around faster = more likely to collide
Reason for atoms with heavy nuclei
- heavy atoms = faster momentum
Reason for form of a plasma
- Turns to plasma at temps above 15,000°c
- Needs H+ to be concentrated in one place
Reason for magnetic field
- Holds plasma in place or else it would damage machinery
Reason for a vacuum
- Air would increase the rate of transfer of energy - would cool it down
What is a tordial reactors
- donut shape
- requires the 5 conditions
- most common type being tested
- for success - will need to maintain fusion for long period of time. And it needs to produce more energy than it uses
What is laser fusion
- doesn’t require a plasma
- works by directing laser beams at small spheres of heavy hydrogens
- solid H+ heats up and expands in all directions
- potential to be carried out as small scale
Overview of three mile island
- partial meltdown of a reactor occurred in 1979, led to concerns about nuclear safety
What were the human, environmental and economic impacts of three mile island
Human
- increased concern about health effects of radiation exposure on local pop
- psychological impacts
Environmental
- contamination of surrounding area
- radioactive materials released
Economic
- costs of cleanup
- compensation for affected individuals
Overview of Chernobyl
- occurred on April 26th 1986, at a nuclear plant power plant. During a safety test, led to a series of explosions causing release of radioactive materials
What were the human, environmental and economic impacts of chernobyl
Human
- deaths of plant workers
- increase in thyroid cancers
Environmental
- release of radioactive materials = pollution
- mutations in plants and species observed
Economic
- costs of cleanup
- loss of agricultural land
Overview of Fukushima
- Japan 2011, triggered by a powerful earthquake and tsunami, led by a series of meltdowns and hydrogen explosions
What were the human, environmental and economic impacts of fukushima
Human
- evacuations
- health concerns
Environmental
- release of radioactive materials
- water pollution
Economic
- high cleanup costs
- decrease in property values in region
Overview of Windscale
- windscale fire, October 1957 - was a fire in 1 of the 2 reactors that released radioactive material to surrounding areas
What were the human, environmental and economic impacts of windscale
Human
- potential health effects
- impacts on local pop
Environmental
- land, air and water contamination
- radioactive waste released
Economic
- cleanup costs
- financial burdens on government
