energy Flashcards
how does the agricultural industry use energy?
-making fertiliser/pesticides
-fossil fuels used to large machinery
-pumping of water for irrigation
-electricity for lighting and refrigeration
how does the fishing industry use energy?
-fossil fuels needed to power boats
-manufacturing of fishing equipment
how does the transportation industry use energy?
-transportation to power vehicles
-machinery to make the vehicles
-infrastructure around making road links
how does the mining industry use energy?
-to blast the overburden and create the mine site
-extraction of the minerals
what is a primary fuel?
-a natural source which can be used without conversion
what is a secondary fuel?
-a fuel made from a primary fuel e.g. electricity
what are the different factors that affect per capita energy consumption?
-relative cost of energy
-affluence
-type of energy
-climate
-social and environmental awareness
properties of coal
-non renewable -easy to store
-high energy density -chemical energy store
-depletable -high abundance
-low intermittency -local constraints
-combusted to release heat
how is coal extracted
-seismic surveys
-magnetometry
-IR spectroscopy
coal technologies
-coal gasification- process that converts coal that is too deep underground to mine into a gas, called syngas (contains methane), through controlled oxidation reaction, creates synthetic gas, no energy wasted
-coal liquification- turns coal into liquid fuels & chemical feedstocks
-smokeless coal- no smog or carbon particles, heat raw coal to burn un useful masses, still releases co2
properties of oil
-non renewable -easy to store
-high energy density -chemical energy store
-depletable -high abundance
-low intermittency -local constraints
-fractional distillation needed
how is oil extracted
-seismic surveys
-gravimetry
-fracking
-viscous, so won’t flow easily along pipes
-trapped in impermeable rocks
oil technologies
-territory oil recovery- makes oil more runny, add steam
-directional drilling- specialist drills horizontal and vertical
-remote operation vehicles- prevent damaging environmental effects
formation of natural gas
forms between 100-2000ºc
properties of natural gas
-non renewable
-more difficult to store
-high energy density
-used mainly in homes
recovery of natural gas
-primary, secondary, tertiary
-fracking (inc. permeability of rocks to extract gas)
environmental impacts of natural gas
-fracking- habitat destruction, water pollution, tremors
-methane hydrate- potential new source of gas, difficult extraction methods may disrupt marine habitats
new technologies of coal, oil & natural gas
-coal: coal gasification & liquefaction. smokeless coal production
-oil: tertiary recovery using steam, solvents, bacteria. directional drilling, ROV inspections.
-natural gas: fracking, methane hydrate extraction techniques. enhanced gas recovery
environmental concerns
-coal: GHG, smoke, ash waste in landfills
-oil: oil spills, CO2 emissions, sulfur & nitrogen oxides causing acid rain
-natural gas: fracking pollution, gas emissions, methane hydrate extraction risks
nuclear fission
-splitting of large atomic nuclei, releasing heat energy
-commercially utilised form of nuclear power today
nuclear fusion
-joining of small atomic nuclei, to release energy
-still in experimental stage & not viable for commercial use
-more environmentally friendly
process and mechanism of nuclear fission
-splitting of unstable isotopes releases substancial amounts of heat
-this heat typically boils water to produce steam, which drives turbines connected to generators, producing electricity
-can deliver consistent energy output
advantages of nuclear power
-high energy density: small amount of uranium can generate energy equivalent to large amounts of fossil fuels
-no GHG emissions: doesnt release GHG
-predictable output: provide stable and controlled power generation
disadvantages of nuclear power
-high initial costs: building & maintenance requires significant financial investment, advanced tech & skilled labour
-public concerns: safety concerns
-radioactive waste: fission produces waste with long half lives
-environmental impact of mining: pollution
advanced technologies in nuclear fission
-breeder reactors: generate more fissile material by converting fertile fuels into fissile fuels, inc fuel efficiency & reduce waste
-molten salt coolants: absorb more heat, enhancing reactor efficiency
-polymer adsorption: polymers in seawater allows uranium extraction from low grade sources to supplement uranium supplies
-coal ash & phosphate mining: explore alt sources of uranium, not cost effective
emerging approaches to nuclear fusion
-toroidal reactors: contain a lithium blanket helps produce tritium, critical fuel for fusion
-laser fusion: lasers to fuse tiny frozen hydrogen spheres, may allow fusion reactions without building large reactors
-fusion conditions: like extremely high temps, magnetic containment, a vacuum, plasma states, making it challenging technology to develop for practical appliances
using transport to conserve energy
-bulk transport: carrying larger loads on less vehicles- reduced fuel consumption & ghg emissions
-end of life design: recyclable materials promotes reuse & reduces waste
-future techs: driverless cars maintain optimum fuel efficiency, smart motorways control traffic speed to prevent congestion
-fuel combustion efficiency: proper exhaust systems prevent exhaust gases from reducing fuel quality
buildings to conserve energy
-building design: maximise passive solar heating by aligning buildings with sun. buildings with lower surface area retain heat better
-materials: high thermal mass materials absorb & release heat to stabilise indoor temps
-insulation: cavity wall insulation reduces conduction & convection losses. double/triple glazed windows with inert gas minimise heat transfer
manufacturing to conserve energy
-insulation: furnaces & hot water tanks benefit from insulation to minimise heat loss
-recycling: limits energy intensive processes & landfill waste
-combined heat & power: reuse waste heat for heating buildings or industrial processes, reduces energy loss & transportation needs
electricity infrastructure to conserve energy
-pumped storage HEP: stores surplus electricity for peak demand periods
-high voltage transmission: reduces resistance and heat loss in electricity cables
-automation: computerised systems minimise human error, adjust supply dynamically, & anticipate demand changes
