What is Power plant: Definition and 119 Discussions

A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid.
Many power stations contain one or more generators, a rotating machine that converts mechanical power into three-phase electric power. The relative motion between a magnetic field and a conductor creates an electric current.
The energy source harnessed to turn the generator varies widely. Most power stations in the world burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas to generate electricity. Clean energy sources include nuclear power, and an increasing use of renewables such as solar, wind, wave, geothermal, and hydroelectric.

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  1. C

    Thermo, heat transfer rate, power plant

    Homework Statement A power plant generates 1300MW and operates at 315 °C a 20°C heat sink is available. what is the minimum rate at which heat must be discarded? Homework Equations not really sure how to begin this one, have a feeling it is related to dq=Tds at constant pressure giving...
  2. N

    Why did Plymouth Pilgrim power plant shut down

    The Plymouth Pilgrim [Mass] nuclear power plant apparently shut down and stayed down during the nasty northeaster of last night: Since when is a nuclear POWER PLANT subject to 'offsite power' losses?? And even if it shut down temporarily, can't a nuclear power plant be operated via on site...
  3. A

    Design a condenser of a steam power plant

    This question is from my textbook: Thermodynamics an Engineering Approach 7ed SI Units, cengel. It is problem 10-129 and I can't seem to figure it out. Design the condenser of a steam power plant that has a thermal efficiency of 40 percent and generates 10 MW of net electric power. Steam...
  4. L

    Generator from a power plant delivering electric power

    Homework Statement a generator of a large power plant delivers an electric power of 130mW at 22 kv AC. for transmission, this power is stepped up to 500kv by a transformer. what is the rms curret delivered by the generator? what is the rms current in the trnasmission line? by what factor...
  5. S

    Power output of a coal burning power plant

    Homework Statement A coal power plant with 30% efficiency burns 10 kilograms of coal per day. (Take the heat of combustion of coal to be 30 MJ/kg) a) what is the power output of the plant? b) At what rate is thermal energy being discarded by this plant? c) If the thermal energy is carried...
  6. R

    Query about Power Factor Change in a Power Plant

    I have a query about the power factor change in a power plant. There are 8 gas engines in parallel. When 1 engine runs with a set p.f of .8 the output at the delivery after transformer (11/132kv, step up Ynd1) is almost same. But when all generators are running with each having .80 p.f the p.f...
  7. I

    Power Plant Generators: Regulating Output Voltage

    Do power plant generators regulate the output voltage the same way a car alternator regulates its output voltage. Or do power plant regulators control the output by regulating the rotation speed of the generator.
  8. V

    Engineering Mechanical Engineer at a Nuclear Power Plant

    Can anyone tell me who is a Mechanical Engineer and works in a Nuclear Power Plant, just what their daily duties include? How they like the work environment and such. I'm interested in knowing because as a student, my university has a Co-op program. Recently, I sent out my resume to FirstEnergy...
  9. I

    What Are Typical Impedance Values for Power Plant Transformers?

    When it comes to power plant transformers, What is the typical inductance and impedance on the primary winding?
  10. R

    Where can I buy a nuclear power plant section plan?

    where can I buy a nuclear power plant section plan? Thank you !
  11. W

    Designing of a steam power plant

    Homework Statement electric power = one million kW working fluid = steam maximum steam temperature = 550°C river mean speed = 10m/min river,8m deep,60 meter wide Homework Equations It is proposed to build a one million kW electric power plant with steam as the working fluid...
  12. S

    Patternship of power plant based on lightnig

    hey friends i am new to this forum, yes i want help for applying for a patent . i have an idea about harvesting the lightining, so to conduct I need patent isn't it .
  13. A

    Nuclear Power Plant Spent Fuel Types

    nuclear engineers it does seem like it requires types of current nuclear power plants. so what are they and what are the spent fuels? Have A Nice Day!
  14. D

    Gravity Power Plant Feasibility: Explained

    Is this really feasible? http://www.indianexpress.com/video/national/6/a-power-plant-running-on-gravity/7117 and if so, can anyone please explain to me how?
  15. E

    Daily output of NO from power plant.

    Homework Statement : Q.If a power plant burning 10,000 metric tons of coal per day with 10% excess air emits stack gas containing 100 ppm by volume of NO, what is the daily output of NO? (Assume coal is pure C). The attempt at a solution: A. C + O2 → CO2 (10000 metric tons of C)...
  16. M

    Modeling Power Plant Components

    Is there any website that already has 3-D models of steam generators, turbines, reactor vessels, cooling towers, or containment vessels? I am trying to develop some models so that I can rapid prototype scale model nuclear power plant components. The reactor will hold water and will be pumped...
  17. S

    What if a nuclear power plant loses outside electricity?

    Nuclear power plants as well as power plants in general are not self-sufficient in terms of electricity. If a nuclear power plant loses outside electrical power, the plant must then be powered with emergency diesel generators which typically have about 10-12 hours worth of fuel, and then...
  18. R

    How to design a nuclear power plant reactor power control system ?

    Can you give me some advice of this topic? Thank you!
  19. Y

    Where can I find examples of binary power plants for analysis and study?

    Hi, I'm looking for binary power plant example problems to work out. Does anybody know of any websites or links to books, or books in general which has some? Currently, I am trying to analyze a binary PP using propane, and for some damn reason the numbers keep blowing up when i get fairly...
  20. C

    Solar power plant: steam quality questions

    Hey guys, I'm an engineer working on the design of a small start up solar power plant. The solar power plant will operate using "solar troughs" instead of the traditional photovoltaic cells. In these systems water is the working fluid and sunlight is focused from a solar reflector onto a pipe...
  21. U

    Power Plant Control and monitoring

    Hi, I'm doing 2nd year (sophomore year) in Mechanical Engineering. I'm going to do a summer internship on 'Power Plant Control and monitoring' (this subject was assigned to me)...but as you all know, I've got to do an Engineering Project (Final Year Project) later on...so I was wondering if...
  22. A

    Questions on nuclear power plant

    After reading news of the Japan nuclear power plant, I have some questions: (1) If the fuel rod heats up on their own to the point of melting, how were they created to begin with, and how were they transported, or stored? (2) What is the source of the fuel rods? If the radioactive...
  23. C

    Calculating the Input Energy for Leaf Battery Pack from a Power Plant

    if the electrical energy stored in the leaf's battery pack came from a standard power plant and was delivered by a utility company ( like United Illuminated or Connecticut light and power) it was generated, transmitted, and transformed to the DC electricity that a battery can store at no more...
  24. M

    Rate of emission of particulates from a power plant

    Homework Statement What is the rate of emission (kg/h) of particulates from a power plant with a thermal output of 3000MW that burns coal with and ash content of 2%? How much is emitted if an electrostatic precipitator of 95% efficiency is used? if the ash contains 1ppM of mercury, how many...
  25. Z

    Nuclear Power Plant criticallity question?

    Hi, I needed to know some things about reactivity and how it is changed by different factors while making a reactor critical? Control Rods, Booster Rods, Boron, Moderator Level, Xenon etc are affecting the reactivity of the reactor, but how to find out their contribution at certain point and...
  26. Z

    Need help with solving nuclear power plant problem

    How to calculate for any nuclear power plant 1. Thermal efficiency 2. power plant load factor 3. availability factor 4. capacity factor 5. core power density 6. specific power 7. linear power density 8. fissile loading 9. fuel enrichment 10. fuel burn-up 11. fuel residence time
  27. M

    Efficiency of a power plant

    Homework Statement For a gasification project being planned, 26000tons of coal per day will be used to produce 250000000 cubic ft per day of natural gas. if the coal is rated at 8700btu/lb and the gas at 950btu/cu ft. what will the efficiency will be? Homework Equations efficiency =...
  28. D

    Energy calculation and interpretation of a power plant

    My friend asked me what does a 540 MW power plant mean and how to interpret, I said it can lift a 1 Kilo Ton object to a height of 1 KM in about 3 Mins. My calculation is based on the equation of potential energy to the time taken by the power plant to produce that energy. Is this the...
  29. M

    Thermodynamics: Steam Power Plant

    This is not homework question, I'm just curious. Question: What is the purpose of a condenser in a steam power plant? I read that a condenser increases efficiency, but how? Since steam from the turbine exit ideally reduce only in temperature (but maintain the same entropy) why is there a...
  30. M

    Simple vapor power plant (thermo I)

    I have a simple vapor power plant with a boiler, turbine, condenser and pump. I have the pressures leaving the boiler, entering the turbine, leaving the turbine and entering the condenser, leaving the condenser and entering the pump. I also have the temps for the above except I have the quality...
  31. E

    News How much for a nuclear power plant?

    http://counterpunch.com/wasserman09142010.html Why Atomic Energy Can't Compete Is the Nuclear Renaissance Dead Yet? By HARVEY WASSERMAN Soaring costs at Vogtle, the US's one active new reactor project, have stuck Georgia ratepayers with $108 million in unplanned overcharges Currently...
  32. J

    Optimizing Energy Input for Power Plant Efficiency

    Power Plant - Will it Work? I updated my idea today! Please let me know what you think, good or bad, I don't get offended. Thanks for your input! It might be a little clunky but please see attachment. Thanks everyone for your thoughts, good or bad, doesn't matter!
  33. J

    Thermal Efficiency of a power plant

    Homework Statement The electric output of a power plant is 750 MW. Cooling water flows through the power plant at the rate 1.0*10^8 L/hr. The cooling water enters the plant at 16 degrees C and exits at 27 degrees C. What is the poer plant's thermal efficiency? Homework Equations W =...
  34. K

    How Efficient Is a Steam-Electric Power Plant That Delivers 900 MW?

    Homework Statement (c13p30) A steam-electric power plant delivers 900 MW of electric power. The surplus heat is exhausted into a river with a flow of 6.29×10^5 kg/s, causing a change in temperature of 1.03 oC. What is the efficiency of the power plant (in % Don't enter a unit.)? Homework...
  35. A

    Nuclear Power plant calculation

    If a 1 GW nuclear power plant runs continuously for 18 months, determine the mass of U 235 consumed by the plant, assuming an average fission energy yield of 202 MeV. Any help would be appreciated.
  36. H

    How can I improve the design of my steam power plant for optimal efficiency?

    Hi professionals, I am a student from philippines and im about to design a steam power plant with 74000 KW load. Our professor gave us a 3 steps at first chapter the first is that we assume the pressures needed from P2 to P8 where P2 = 8 MPa assume T2 at centigrade, and get the enthalpies up to...
  37. P

    Gas fired cogeneration power plant

    Homework Statement A small gas-fired power plant which operates between temperatures of 900 K and 300 K generates 30 MW of electrical power. Some of the waste heat from the generation process is used to heat water for space heating. The Carnot Efficiency for this plant is 66.7%...
  38. Mk

    Japan building space-based power plant

    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aF3XI.TvlsJk http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=why-not-spend-21-billion-on-solar-p-2009-09-02 Well this should be interesting. Japan is one of the leading nations in nuclear power and is not afraid to make...
  39. A

    Efficiency of electrical power plant

    Homework Statement An electrical power plant manages to transfer 88 percent of the heat produced in the burning of fossil fuel to convert water to steam. Of the heat carried by the steam, 40 percent is converted to the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine. Which best describes the...
  40. S

    Power and Energy - energy in a tidal power plant

    Homework Statement A tidal power plant generates 10 MW of electricity during a period of 12.5h. Assume that the water is collected behind a dam 6.0m high and is allowed to pass through a turbine twice to generate electricity, once as the tide comes in and once as the tide goes out. What mass...
  41. D

    Does working in a nuclear power plant cause cancer?

    hello everybody, I have the opportunity to study nuclear engineering in the us and i'll be sponsored by a corporation in my country and i need to sign a contract which will force me to work in their power plant, so my question is does it cause cancer or it is safe? am i going to bre...
  42. F

    Non nuclear part of a nuclear power plant

    Hi there, I have a simple question about nuclear power plant. There are two parts to it, which are the nuclear island (where the magic happens) and the non-nuclear part where the heat is transformed to electricity. Having to many languages in my head at the moment, could someone help me...
  43. S

    How is this Bio-mass power plant plausible?

    How is this Bio-mass [basicaly just a steam power plant] power plant plausible? It says it is going to supply 29 MW of electricity by burning biomass to heat some fluid (I suppose an ammonia-water mixture, but I really do not know) and turn a turbine (Something like a Rankine cycle I guess)...
  44. E

    Temporarily communicating vessel isolated hydroelectric power plant

    Temporarily communicating vessel isolated hydroelectric power plant with swimming piston, driven through hydrostatic pressure One fixes to the bottom of a pool filled with water a cylinder also filled with water. On the bottom of the cylinder there is an initially closed valve, referred to as...
  45. W

    How did the first electric power plant work?

    Two sentences or so in a general American history book I was reading last night got me thinking. The book I was reading said that the first American electric power plant opened in New York City. I believe the book said that the first American electric power plant opened in 1887. My guess is...
  46. B

    Steam power plant cycle design, Mollier Diagram help

    Hi posted the question/cry for help in a regular thread but thought it might fit in here as well. Hello All, I am currently trying to optimize a steam power plant cycle and I am stuck... What I am unable to figure out is how to use a Mollier chart/diagram in order to determine the amount of...
  47. N

    Finding the Right Generator for a Steam Power Plant

    I'm stuck on the calculations concerning the sizing of the shell and tube condenser, about the equations to use..is the log mean temperature difference equation needed? what is the best type of generator to use in a steam power plant?
  48. T

    An 800 MW electric power plant

    An 800 MW electric power plant has an efficiency of 30%. It loses its waste heat in large cooling towers. Approximately how much waste heat is discharged per second?"
  49. F

    Thermodynamics - efficiency of power plant

    Homework Statement a power plant generates 2000MW of heat energy from nuclear reactions in the reactors core. this energy is used to boil water and produce hight pressure steam at 300degreeC. the steam spins a turbine, which produces 700MW of electric power, then the steam is condensed and...
  50. W

    Xcel Energy's Comanche 3 Power Plant in Pueblo, CO

    Homework Statement The Comanche 3 power plant currently being constructed in Pueblo, CO, by Xcel Energy will produce 750 MW of power. This plant uses supercritical boiler technology which will boost the thermal efficiency to 42%. The plant uses Powder River Basin coal from Gillette, WY, that...
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