Question

Explain with diagram step-by-step energy conversion in
a. Thermal power plant
b. Nuclear Power Plant.
c. Solar thermal power plant
d. Hydroelectric power plant

Answer 1

a. Water is heated in a boiler. Using the thermal energy released due to burning of coal, steam of very high temperature and pressure
is generated. The energy in the steam drives the turbine. Thus, the generator connected to the turbine rotates and electrical energy is produced.
$\mathrm{Chemical}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{coal}\to \mathrm{Thermal}\mathrm{energy}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{steam}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{turbine}\to \mathrm{Electrical}\mathrm{energy}$


b. Nuclear power plants consist of nuclear reactors. These reactors use uranium rods as fuel and heat is generated by the process of nuclear fission. Neutrons smash into the nucleus of the uranium atoms, which roughly split into half and release energy in the form of heat. Carbon dioxide gas is pumped through the reactor to take the heat away. The hot gas then heats water to form steam. This steam drives the turbines of generators to produce electricity. Thus, the steps of energy conversion are:
$\mathrm{Nuclear}\mathrm{energy}\to \mathrm{Thermal}\mathrm{energy}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{steam}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{turbine}\to \mathrm{Electrical}\mathrm{energy}$

c. Following energy conversion takes place in the solar thermal power plant:


$\mathrm{Thermal}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{radiation}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{steam}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{turbine}\to \mathrm{Electrical}\mathrm{energy}$

d. In hydroelectric power plant, the potential energy in water stored in dam is converted into kinetic energy of water. Fast flowing water is brought from the dam to the turbine at the bottom of the dam. The kinetic energy of the flowing water drives the turbine. The turbine
in turn drives the generator to generate electricity.
$\mathrm{Potential}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{water}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{flowing}\mathrm{water}\to \mathrm{Kinetic}\mathrm{energy}\mathrm{in}\mathrm{turbine}\to \mathrm{Electrical}\mathrm{energy}$