ELEC1104

Lecture 4:

ELECTRIC POWER
GENERATION
 Primaryy Energy
gy Source

ƒ Fossil Fuel (oil, coal, natual gas…)

ƒ Nuclear
ƒ Hydro
H d
ƒ Geothermal
ƒ Renewables
» Solar, Wind, Biomass, Tidal etc.
 Thermal Power Plants

ƒ The conventional thermal power plants

convert the chemical energy of the fossil
ue s into
fuels to heat
eat through
t oug cocombustion.
bust o .
ƒ The heat energy will then, through the
working fluid and steam/gas turbines,
turbines be
converted into kinetic energy.
ƒ The
Th kikinetic
ti energy off th
the rotating
t ti turbines
t bi
will then drive the generators to produce
electricity.
electricit
Coal Fired Plant
 Combined Cycles
y

ƒ In the combined cycle plant, two heat cycles

are combined to extend the temperature
a ge – a gas tu
range turbine
b e cycle
cyc e aandd a steam
stea
turbine cycle.
ƒ The exhaust gas from a gas-turbine cycle is
used to produce steam in a Heat Recovery
Steam Generator for the steam cycle.
cycle
ƒ Overall efficiency much improved.
Combined-cycle
y Plant
 Black Point Power Station
ƒ Gas Turbine
First stage temp. 1288oC
Exhaust gas temp. 613oC.

ƒ Steam Turbine
HP inlet temp
temp. 534oC
LP inlet temp. 286oC

ƒ Net heat rate 6811 kJ/kWH

ƒ Net efficiency 52.9%
 Nuclear Energy
gy

ƒ Accordingg to Einstein,, matter can be

converted into energy according to the
formula
E = m c2
where, E [energy], m [mass], c [the speed of
light = 3 x 108 m/s]

ƒ Such an energy conversion occurs in a

nuclear reaction.
 Nuclear Reaction

There are two kinds of nuclear reaction:

ƒ Nuclear fission
» The splitting of a heavy nucleus into two or
more fragments.

ƒ Nuclear fusion
» The combination of two light nuclei into one,
one
e.g. 2 hydrogen nuclei (deuterium + tritium) to
form 1 helium nucleus ((+ release of 1 neutron).
 Nuclear Fission: Basics

ƒ When a nucleus fission occurs, there are:

» Two or more main fission products.
» Certain neutrons are emitted
emitted.
» Energy released in the form of gamma rays

ƒ It is noted the sum of the masses of these

fragments is less than the original mass and
the 'missing' mass has been converted into
energy.
 Nuclear Fuel - Uranium
ƒ The common nuclear fuel is Uranium.
ƒ Natural uranium has two main isotopes:
235U and 238U
ƒ When uranium is bombarded by a neutron,
only 235U is likely to undergo fission
fission, and
235U is known as a fissile material.

ƒ The
Th probability fi i off 235U iincreases
b bilit off fission
if the kinetic energy of neutron is low
(th
(thermal l neutrons).
t )
 Fission of Uranium 235U

92 U143 →
n+ 235 U144 → 144
236 89
92 56 Ba 88 36 Kr53 +3n+177MeV
+
 Chain Reaction

ƒ Thus there are a number of neutrons

released during the fission process which
aaree capable
capab e oof inducing
duc g further
u t e fissions
ss o s –
chain reaction.
ƒ If on average just one neutron from the
fission will cause further fission, the chain
reaction can be maintained at a steady rate –
we have controlled fission (reactivity = 1).
 Chain Reaction

ƒ If on average less than one neutron from the

fission will cause further fission, the chain
eact o ca
reaction cannot
ot be maintained
a ta ed anda d will
w
eventually die out (reactivity < 1).
ƒ If on average more than one neutron from
the fission will cause further fission, the
chain reaction will increase beyond control
(reactivity > 1).
 Nuclear Reaction

ƒ Chain reaction

ƒ Uncontrolled chain reaction results in atomic

bombs
b b
ƒ Commercial use of nuclear energy requires
controlled nuclear reaction
reaction.
 Nuclear Reactor
ƒ In a nuclear power plant, the fission process
takes place in a nuclear reactor.
ƒ In the reactor core are the fuel rods.
ƒ There are coolants to carry away the heat
generated by the nuclear reaction.
reaction
ƒ A moderator would also be needed to slow
down the neutrons to the thermal level.
level
ƒ There are also control rods (neutron
absorbers)
b b ) tto controlt l the
th reaction
ti rate.
t
 Nuclear Power Plant

ƒ Most nuclear power plants adopts the

pressurized water reactor (PWR) with light
water used as the
wate t e coolant
coo a t as well
we as the
t e
moderator.
ƒ Steam is produced in a heat exchanger such
that the steam and reactor coolant operates
in two separate circuits
circuits.
ƒ The steam produced would drive the steam
t rbine as in a conventional
turbine con entional power
po er plant.
plant
Nuclear Power Plant
 Uranium Fuel

ƒ Natural uranium consists mainly the isotope

U-238, with only about 0.7% of U-235.
ƒ In some reactor design,
design the percentage of U-
235 has to be increased (i.e. fuel enriched)
to maintain the chain reaction.
reaction
ƒ The U-238 in the nuclear fuel can absorb a
neutron
t to
t form
f plutonium
l t i 239,
239 a fifissile
il
material that can be readily fissioned by fast
ne trons
neutrons.
 Hydro
y Power Plants

ƒ There is usually a storage reservoir and the

primary energy source is the potential
eenergy
e gy of
o the
t e water.
wate .

ƒ Potential energy →(water flow)→

Linear kinetic energy →(turbine)→
Rotary kinetic energy →(generator)→
Electrical energy.
gy
 Hydro
y Power Plants

ƒ Hydro
Hydro-power
power plants do not have a
generation cost in the sense of the thermal
power pplants.
powe a ts.
ƒ However, it normally involves significant
capital investment.
investment
ƒ The amount of energy it can supply depends
on the
th watert in
i store
t andd this
thi could
ld be
b
seriously affected by seasonal factors.
Hydroelectric Plant
Hydroelectric Plant
 Pumped-hydro
p y Plants

ƒ Pumped
Pumped-hydro
hydro plants release water to
generate electricity during peak loads and
pumped
pu ped wate
water from
o lower
owe reservoir
ese vo to upper
uppe
reservoir during light load.
ƒ The overall efficiency of a full ‘pump-
pump-
turbine’ cycle is around 60~70%
ƒ Its
It operation
ti makesk use off the
th differential
diff ti l
cost of thermal generation during peak load
and base load periods.
periods
Pumped
p Storage
g Hydro-plant
y p
 Power Systems
y in Hongg Kong
g

ƒ Installed capacity >10,000

>10 000 MW
ƒ Hong Kong Electric
» Lamma
L Power
P Plant
Pl t (Coal)
(C l) 3,350
3 350 MW
ƒ China Light and Power
» Castle Peak (Coal) 4100 MW
» Black Point (Natural gas) 2500 MW
» Penny’s Bay (Gas turbines) 300 MW
» Daya Bay (Nuclear, in Guandong) 1800 MW
Generator

ƒ Generators are
driven mechanically
by so
somee so
sortt oof
prime movers, such
s,
as,
» Waterwheel
» Steam turbine
Generator – steam turbines
Hydroelectric
y ggenerator – water turbine
 References

ƒ “Electric
Electric Utility Systems and Practices
Practices”,, Ed.
H.M. Rustebrakke, John Wiley, 4th ed..
983.
1983.
ƒ “Electric Power Systems”, B.M. Weedy and
B J Cory
B.J. Wiley, 4th ed.,
Cory, John Wiley ed 1998.
1998
ƒ “Electric Energy Systems”, S.A. Nasar,
P ti Hall,
Prentice H ll 1996.
1996
 References

ƒ “Electric Power Engineering”,

g g , O.I. Elgerd
g
and P.D. van der Puiji, Chapman & Hall,
2nd ed., 1998.
ƒ “Transmission and Distribution Electrical
Engineering”, C. Bayliss, Newnes, 2nd ed.,
1999.
ƒ “Basics of Electric Power Transmission”,
A.J. Pansini and K.D. Smalling, Pennwell,
1998.