Answer:
The primary fuel utilized in a thermal power plant is coal.
Combustion of coal releases noxious gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂), sulfur oxides (SOₓ), and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) which pollute the environment.
Particulate matter (soot) and toxic gases from burning coal cause respiratory illnesses and other health complications.
Coal is a finite, non-renewable energy source with limited global supply, necessitating cautious consumption to prevent future shortages.
CO₂ emissions contribute to global warming and climate change through the enhanced greenhouse effect.
Answer:
Thermal Energy Production: Nuclear energy is created when uranium-235 atoms undergo fission after being struck by neutrons. This process splits the uranium atoms into smaller atoms, releasing substantial nuclear energy, which is then converted into thermal energy.
Electricity Generation: The kinetic energy of the resulting high-pressure steam drives a turbine, converting it into electrical energy.
Thermal Energy Production: These facilities capture heat energy from sunlight using mirrors or lenses to concentrate solar radiation onto a receiver.
Electricity Generation: The collected thermal energy is used to boil water or heat a fluid, generating steam. The mechanical energy of the steam then turns a turbine to produce electricity.
Answer:
- Fuel: Coal, natural gas, or oil
- Process: Combustion (burning) of fossil fuels
- Heat Source: Chemical energy from fuel
- Emissions: CO₂, SOₓ, NOₓ, particulate matter
- Waste: Ash, flue gases
- Resource: Non-renewable (finite)
- Efficiency: 30-40% typically
- Fuel: Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239
- Process: Nuclear fission (splitting atoms)
- Heat Source: Nuclear energy from atoms
- Emissions: No greenhouse gases during operation
- Waste: Radioactive spent fuel
- Resource: Limited uranium reserves
- Efficiency: 30-35% typically
Answer:
Wind Energy Systems (Wind Turbines) use the kinetic energy of wind for electrical power generation.
This method is highly environmentally friendly because:
- Zero Air Pollution: No fuel combustion means no CO₂, SO₂, or NOₓ emissions.
- Renewable Source: Utilizes perpetual wind energy which is naturally replenished.
- No Hazardous Waste: Produces no radioactive or toxic byproducts.
- Low Water Usage: Unlike thermal plants, requires minimal water for operation.
- Land Multi-Use: Wind farms can coexist with agriculture (farming between turbines).
Bird/bat collisions, visual impact, and noise are minimal concerns compared to fossil fuel alternatives.
Answer:
- Clean Energy: No fuel combustion means zero air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Renewable Source: Utilizes perpetual water cycle energy from rainfall and snowmelt.
- Water Management: Dams help in flood control and provide reservoirs for water supply and irrigation.
- Reliable & Controllable: Can quickly adjust output to meet demand fluctuations.
- Long Lifespan: Hydro plants can operate for 50-100 years with proper maintenance.
- Low Operating Costs: Once built, fuel (water) is free.
- Ecosystem Destruction: Large dams submerge vast areas, destroying forests and agricultural land.
- Displacement of Population: Requires relocation of communities in submerged regions.
- Impact on Aquatic Life: Restricts natural water flow, affecting fish migration and river ecosystems.
- High Initial Costs: Massive investment required for dam construction.
- Sedimentation: Reservoirs gradually fill with silt, reducing capacity over time.
- Methane Emissions: Decomposing vegetation in reservoirs can produce methane.
Answer:
(Light/Radiant)
(Heat)
(of steam)
(Turbine rotation)
(Electricity)
- Solar concentrators (mirrors/lenses) focus sunlight onto a receiver
- Receiver absorbs solar radiation and converts it to heat
- Heat transfer fluid (or water) is heated to high temperatures
- Hot fluid produces high-pressure steam
- Steam drives a turbine connected to a generator
- Generator converts mechanical rotation into electricity
- Steam is condensed back to water and recycled
Answer:
- Uses fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas)
- These are finite, non-renewable resources
- Formed over millions of years; cannot be replaced quickly
- Global reserves are being depleted rapidly
- Leads to energy security concerns and price volatility
- Example: Coal reserves may last 150-200 years at current consumption
- Uses sunlight as energy source
- Sun is a perpetual, inexhaustible resource
- Delivers 173,000 terawatts to Earth continuously
- Will continue for ~5 billion years (sun's lifespan)
- Provides long-term energy security
- Example: One hour of sunlight could power the world for one year
Solar energy ensures the energy source will never be exhausted, providing a permanent solution to the problem of limited energy resources that plague conventional power generation methods.
Diagram Instructions:
Labels to include in your diagram:
- Solar Concentrators (Mirrors/Heliostats)
- Absorber/Receiver
- Steam Turbine
- Generator
- Water Pump
- Condenser (Cooling Tower)
- Steam Pipes/Lines
- Heat Transfer Fluid System
Labels to include in your diagram:
- Wind Vane (for direction)
- Rotor Blades
- Gearbox
- Generator
- Tower
- Foundation
- Nacelle (housing)
- Transformer
- Electrical Cables
Labels to include in your diagram:
- Reservoir/Dam
- Water Gate/Penstock
- Water Turbine (Kaplan/Francis/Pelton)
- Generator
- Transformer
- Power House
- Transmission Lines
- Tailrace (outflow)
- Spillway
Answer:
The generation of electricity, especially using traditional methods, often poses significant hazards to the environment due to reliance on finite resources:
Burning fossil fuels releases toxic gases (SOₓ, NOₓ) and particulate matter, causing respiratory problems and environmental damage.
Incomplete combustion generates carbon monoxide (CO), which is extremely lethal to human health.
Increased atmospheric CO₂ accelerates the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate disruption.
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) are finite and non-renewable; once consumed, they cannot be replaced.
Radioactive waste from nuclear power poses long-term threats to ecosystems and human health for thousands of years.
Large power projects (dams, mines) destroy forests, agricultural land, and displace communities.
To mitigate these issues, we must adopt sustainable, eco-friendly power generation methods utilizing perpetual energy sources:
- Hydropower: Uses flowing water (renewable)
- Solar Energy: Harnesses sunlight (inexhaustible)
- Wind Power: Captures wind energy (clean)
- Geothermal: Uses Earth's internal heat
- Biomass: Converts organic waste to energy
Transitioning to these green energy sources is crucial to avoid the limitations and harmful consequences of non-renewable methods.
Answer:
(Potential in atoms)
(Heat from fission)
(in high-pressure steam)
(Turbine rotation)
(Electricity output)
Detailed Process: Nuclear fission in reactor core → Heat transferred to coolant → Steam generation in heat exchanger → Steam drives turbine → Turbine rotates generator → Electricity produced.
Answer:
Given: Voltage per coil (Vcoil) = 18 V
Formula for series connection:
Vtotal = V1 + V2 + V3 + V4
Vtotal = N × Vcoil
Vtotal = 4 × 18 V
Vtotal = 72 V
In a series connection, voltages add up. This is different from parallel connections where voltage remains the same but current adds up. This principle is used in generators to achieve desired output voltages by connecting multiple coils in series.