Thermal power stations produce mechanical power through a heat engine that transforms thermal energy, often from fuel combustion, into rotational energy to power a generator. Most thermal power stations produce steam to drive turbines, but not all thermal energy can be converted due to thermodynamic laws, resulting in heat lost to the environment. Some power plants capture waste heat for industrial processes or district heating, making them cogeneration plants. Thermal power plants are classified based on their fuel source and the type of prime mover or turbine used to power the generator.
Thermal power stations produce mechanical power through a heat engine that transforms thermal energy, often from fuel combustion, into rotational energy to power a generator. Most thermal power stations produce steam to drive turbines, but not all thermal energy can be converted due to thermodynamic laws, resulting in heat lost to the environment. Some power plants capture waste heat for industrial processes or district heating, making them cogeneration plants. Thermal power plants are classified based on their fuel source and the type of prime mover or turbine used to power the generator.
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Thermal power stations produce mechanical power through a heat engine that transforms thermal energy, often from fuel combustion, into rotational energy to power a generator. Most thermal power stations produce steam to drive turbines, but not all thermal energy can be converted due to thermodynamic laws, resulting in heat lost to the environment. Some power plants capture waste heat for industrial processes or district heating, making them cogeneration plants. Thermal power plants are classified based on their fuel source and the type of prime mover or turbine used to power the generator.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Rotor of a modern steam turbine, used in power station
In thermal power stations, mechanical power is produced
by a heat engine that transforms thermal energy, often from combustion of a fuel, into rotational energy. Most thermal power stations produce steam, and these are sometimes called steam power stations. Not all thermal energy can be transformed into mechanical power, according to the second law of thermodynamics. Therefore, there is always heat lost to the environment. If this loss is employed as useful heat, for industrial processes or district heating, the power plant is referred to as a cogeneration power plant or CHP (combined heat-and-power) plant. In countries where district heating is common, there are dedicated heat plants called heat-only boiler stations. An important class of power stations in the Middle East uses by-product heat for the desalination of water.
Classification
CHP plant in Warsaw, Poland Geothermal power station in Iceland
Coal Power Station in Tampa FL
480 megawatt GE H series power generation gas turbine
Thermal power plants are classified by the type of fuel and the type of prime mover installed.
Cogeneration or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Is The Use of A Power (CCHP) Refers To The Simultaneous Generation of Electricity and Useful Heating and Cooling