Energy Sources Flashcards
(113 cards)
The process of Generating electric power from sources of primary energy
Power Generation
An industrial facility that generates electricity from primary energy
Power plant
- A black or brownish-black sedimentary rock
- Can be burned for fuel and used to generate electricity
Coal
It has the highest carbon content, the fewest impurities, and the highest energy density of all types of coal and is the highest ranking of coals.
Anthracite
It is the most abundant rank of coal, with deposits found around the world. It is used primarily for electrical power generation and in the steel industry.
Bituminous
A lower grade of coal that contains 35–45% carbon. The properties of this type are between those of lignite, the lowest grade of coal. It is primarily used as a fuel for steam-electric power generation.
Sub-Bituminous
It has a carbon content around 25–35% and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat content. It contains a very high amount of moisture, which partially explains its low carbon content.
Lignite
Process of Coal Energy Generation
- Coal Transportation
- Coal Combustion
- Boiler and Steam Generation
- Steam Turns the Turbines
- Electricity Generation
- Steam Cooling
- Voltage Adjustment
- Also known as coal fired power stations
- Facilities that burn coal to make steam in order to generate electricity
Coal Fired Power Plant
Coal Power Plant Components
- Coal Supply System
- Furnace
- Boiler
- Turbine
- Generator
- Transformer
- Power Transmission Lines
Advantages of Coal Fired Powerplant
- Abundant supply
- Currently inexpensive to extract
- Reliable and capable of generating large amount of power
Disadvantages of Coal Fired Powerplant
- Emits major greenhouse gases/acid rain
- High environmental impact from mining and burning
- Finite energy source
What is the most abundant source of electricity worldwide
Coal
It is a fossil fuel composed primarily of methane.
Natural Gas
Composition and Properties of Natural Gas
- Methane (CH₄).
- A mixture of hydrocarbon compounds
- Odorless
- High calorific value
- Clean-burning fossil fuels
a fossil fuel that comes from deep underground, formed from the remains of plants and animals over millions of years.
Natural Gas
Found in traditional reservoirs and extracted through drilling wells.
Conventional Natural Gas
Includes shale, tight gas, coalbed methane, requiring specific methods (e.g., hydraulic fracturing).
Unconventional Gas
Extracted alongside oil from oil fields.
Associated Gas
This is the primary machine that burns natural gas to produce mechanical energy, which powers a generator.
Gas Turbine
Draws air into the engine, pressurizes it, and feeds it to the combustion chamber at speeds of hundreds of miles per hour.
Compressor
It is where the actual burning of natural gas takes place. Its purpose is to combine natural gas and compressor-generated compressed air, then burn the combination to create very hot, high-pressure gases.
Combustion Chamber
A machine that converts mechanical energy from both the gas turbine and steam turbine into electrical energy.
Generator
In combined-cycle plants, this system recovers exhaust heat from the gas turbine to generate steam.
Heat Recovery Steam Generator