Power generation Flashcards
What are the main types of power generation technologies?
Fossil fuels (coal, natural gas), nuclear, hydropower, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal.
What is the Rankine Cycle?
A thermodynamic cycle used in steam power plants where water is heated to steam, spins a turbine, and is then condensed.
How does a combined cycle power plant improve efficiency?
By using both a gas turbine and a steam turbine, capturing waste heat to generate additional power.
What is a gas turbine?
A turbine where air and fuel are mixed, ignited, and expanded to produce rotational power.
How does nuclear fission generate power?
Energy is released by splitting uranium atoms, heating water into steam to drive turbines.
What is the thermal efficiency of a coal-fired power plant?
Typically around 33-40%, limited by heat loss in the Rankine cycle.
What is a capacity factor?
Ratio of actual energy produced to the maximum possible energy over a period.
How does a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel generate electricity?
Converts sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity through the photovoltaic effect.
What is the Betz limit for wind turbines?
The theoretical maximum efficiency for wind energy capture, 59.3%.
How does a geothermal power plant work?
Uses heat from the Earth’s crust to generate steam and drive turbines.
What is cogeneration (CHP)?
Combined Heat and Power generates electricity and captures waste heat for other uses.
What is the difference between base load and peaking power plants?
Base load plants run continuously (e.g., nuclear), while peaking plants operate during high demand (e.g., gas turbines).
How do tidal power plants generate electricity?
Captures energy from tidal movements using turbines.
What is the typical efficiency of a wind turbine?
Around 35-45%, limited by Betz’s law and mechanical losses.
What is the heat rate in power generation?
The amount of fuel energy required to generate 1 kWh of electricity, often measured in BTU/kWh.
How does a hydroelectric dam generate power?
Water stored in a reservoir flows through turbines, converting gravitational potential energy into electricity.
What is a peaking power plant?
A power plant designed to operate during periods of high electricity demand.
How does a Stirling engine generate power?
Converts heat into mechanical work through the cyclic compression and expansion of a gas.
What is an open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT)?
A gas turbine where exhaust gases are not reused, commonly used for peak power demand.
What is the principle of operation for a biomass power plant?
Organic materials are burned to produce heat, generating steam to drive turbines.
How does the efficiency of a nuclear plant compare to a gas plant?
Nuclear plants have lower thermal efficiency (~33%) but operate at a high capacity factor.
What is the principle of ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC)?
Uses the temperature difference between surface and deep ocean water to generate electricity.
What is the efficiency range for a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT)?
Typically 50-60%, among the most efficient fossil fuel systems.
What limits the efficiency of coal-fired plants?
Heat losses, incomplete combustion, and the Rankine cycle’s thermodynamic limitations.
How does a wave energy converter work?
Captures kinetic and potential energy from ocean waves and converts it to electricity.
