Characteristics of a Good Fuel

1.The fuel selected must be suitable for the purpose.

2.The fuel should have high calorific value.
3.The fuel should be cheap and readily available.
4.It should possess a moderate ignition temperature. Too high
temperature causes difficulty in kindling while too low ignition
temperatures may cause safety problems during storage,
transport and usage.
5.The supply position of the fuel must be reliable.
6.The velocity of combustion should be moderate.
7.The fuel should have reasonable flexibility and control.
8.The fuel should be such that safe and clean operation is
ensured. Too much smoke and obnoxious odors are not
desirable.
9.It should be safe, convenient and economical for storage and
transport.
10.It should have low moisture content.
11.In case of solid fuel, the ash content should be less and the
size should be uniform.
12.It should be easy to store and transport.

Characteristics of a Good Fuel

→ Subsurface Fuels include roots, peat, and other decomposed
organic matter.
→ Surface Fuels include needles, twigs, brush, leaves, small
trees, and logging slash. Flashy fuels would be twigs, needles,
and grasses the ignite and burn rapidly. Ladder fuels are tree
boughs, brush or limbs that are touching the ground. This
allows the fire to reach aerial fuels above.
→ Aerial Fuels include brush over 6 feet, leaves/needles on
trees, etc. Air is able to circulate between the fuel and the
ground. This allows the fire to burn at a rapid rate. The rate is
dependent on the proximity to other aerial fuels, winds, and
environment.
→ Fuel Size is classified at light, medium, or heavy. This is
important to know to determine what type of heat transfer and
possible change in moisture content. This will influence the
forward spread of the fire.
→ Light Fuels (Fine fuels, flashy fuels, or flash fuels). Short
grasses and light brush up to 2 feet that burn rapidly. Moisture
levels can change substantially in this category.
→ Medium Fuels are brush up to 6 feet and often include
patchy fuels with grass. The rate of spread is usually slower
but it can burn at a moderate to very high intensity.
→ Heavy Fuels are continuous brush more than 6 feet and
includes slash. The rate of spread is low to moderate but it is a
high intensity type of burn.

Conventional Energy Research and Education

Providing balanced, scientifically grounded information to

communities, corporations and government on the
environmental, social and economic impacts of conventional
sources of energy.

Conventional energy sources include oil, gas and coal. The

pace and scale of conventional energy development has
increased dramatically in Canada over the past decade,
particularly in Alberta due to the booming oil sands industry.
Developing these resources responsibly requires that the
negative environmental, social and economic impacts be
minimized.
The Pembina Foundation supports research on the potential
impacts of conventional energy development and strategies to
minimize the negative effects of development on eco- and
climate- systems, as well as our society. Research funded by
the foundation addresses a range of conventional energy
developments, from oil sands to coalbed methane. The
objective of this program is to provide the public, landowners
and other affected stakeholders with an understanding of the
potential implications of conventional energy development —
as well as information on what responsible management of
these resources may entail — to enable them to make
informed decisions and participate in the management of these
resources.

THERMAL POWER PLANTS

A thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime

mover is steam driven. Water is heated, turns into steam and
spins a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator.
After it passes through the turbine, the steam is condensed in
a condenser and recycled to where it was heated; this is
known as a Rankine cycle. The greatest variation in the design
of thermal power stations is due to the different fuel sources.
Some prefer to use the termenergy center because such
facilities convert forms of heat energy into electricity. Some
thermal power plants also deliver heat energy for industrial
purposes, for district heating, or for desalination of water as
well as delivering electrical power. A large part of human
CO2emissions comes from fossil fueled thermal power plants;
efforts to reduce these outputs are various and widespread.

Almost all coal, nuclear, geothermal, solar thermal electric,

and waste incineration plants, as well as many natural gas
power plants are thermal. Natural gas is
frequently combusted in gas turbines as well as boilers.
The waste heat from a gas turbine can be used to raise steam,
in a combined cycle plant that improves overall efficiency.
Power plants burning coal ,fuel oil, or natural gas are often
called fossil-fuel power plants. Some biomass-fueled thermal
power plants have appeared also. Non-nuclear thermal power
plants, particularly fossil-fueled plants, which do not use co-
generation are sometimes referred to as conventional power
plants.
Commercial electric utility power stations are usually
constructed on a large scale and designed for continuous
operation. Electric power plants typically use three-
phase electrical generators to produce alternating current (AC)
electric power at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Large
companies or institutions may have their own power plants to
supply heating or electricity to their facilities, especially if
steam is created anyway for other purposes. Steam-driven
power plants have been used in various large ships, but are
now usually used in large naval ships. Shipboard power plants
usually directly couple the turbine to the ship's propellers
through gearboxes. Power plants in such ships also provide
steam to smaller turbines driving electric generators to supply
electricity. Shipboard steam power plants can be either fossil
fuel or nuclear. Nuclear marine propulsion is, with few
exceptions, used only in naval vessels. There have been
perhaps about a dozen turbo-electricships in which a steam-
driven turbine drives an electric generator which powers
an electric motor for propulsion.
Combined heat and power (CH&P) plants, often called co-
generation plants, produce both electric power and heat for
process heat, space heating, or process heat. Steam and hot
water lose energy when piped over substantial distance, so
carrying heat energy by steam or hot water is often only
worthwhile within a local area, such as a ship, industrial plant,
or district heating of nearby buildings.
HYDROELECTRICITY

Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated

by hydropower the production of electrical power through the
use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is
the most widely used form of renewable energy. Once a
hydroelectric complex is constructed, the project produces no
direct waste, and has a considerably lower output level of
the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) than fossil
fuel powered energy plants.

hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants produce electricity in

a similar way. In both cases a power source is used to turn a
propeller-like piece called a turbine, which then turns a metal
shaft in an electric generator, which is the motor that produces
electricity. A coal-fired power plant uses steam to turn the
turbine blades; whereas a hydroelectric plant uses falling
water to turn the turbine. The results are the same.

he theory is to build a dam on a large river that has a large

drop in elevation (there are not many hydroelectric plants in
Kansas or Florida). The dam stores lots of water behind it in
the reservoir. Near the bottom of the dam wall there is the
water intake. Gravity causes it to fall through the penstock
inside the dam. At the end of the penstock there is a turbine
propeller, which is turned by the moving water. The shaft from
the turbine goes up into the generator, which produces the
power. Power lines are connected to the generator that carry
electricity to your home and mine. The water continues past
the propeller through the tailrace into the river past the dam.
By the way, it is not a good idea to be playing in the water
right below a dam when water is released!
ALTERNATE SOURCES OF ENERGY

 Biofuels
 Natural Gas
 Wind Energy
 Hydroelectric Power
 Solar Energy
 Hydrogen
 Nuclear Energy

Biofuels
Any kind of fuels made from plants or animals. These include
wood, wood chippings, methane from animal excrement or as
a result of bacterial action and ethanol from plant materials.
Lately it is ethanol that has become synonymous with the term
biofuel and is in wide use in combination with gasoline in the
transportation industry.

Natural Gas
Although a fossil fuel, Natural Gas is cleaner burning than
gasoline, but does produce Carbon Dioxide, the main
greenhouse gas. Like gasoline natural gas is a finite source,
but unlike it, there is still a very plentiful supply still available.
The EIA, in conjunction with the Oil and Gas Journal and World
Oil publications, “estimates world proved natural gas reserves
to be around 5,210.8 Tcf (Trillion cubic feet)”.

Wind Energy
One of the oldest and cleanest forms of energy and the most
developed of the renewable energy sources. There is the
potential for a large amount of energy to be produced from
wind. The Global Wind Energy Council is forecasting that "the
global wind market will grow by over 155% to reach 240 GW
of total installed capacity by 2012." Unfortunately wind farms,
whether onshore or off shores are unsightly, noisy and
generate a lot of opposition.
Hydroelectric Power
Like wind energy, a very old and well developed energy
source, but unlike wind energy its capacity for expansion is
limited. Over development and unrestricted harnessing of
water power can have devastating effect on the local
environment and habitation areas.

Solar Energy
Apart from Nuclear Energy, all other forms of energy result
from solar energy. Fossil fuels, biofuels and natural gas are in
effect “bottled” solar energy. The wind and rivers which
provide renewable energy are the result of solar energy
reacting with the earth’s atmosphere. It is also possible to
harness this inexhaustible supply of energy directly through
photoelectric cells or using Thermal Power plants.

Hydrogen
Hydrogen could be a very environmentally friendly fuel, and
with the advent of the fuel cell it has been proved a viable fuel
source for vehicles. But there are serious questions on its
production, storage and distribution. There are also questions
on its energy efficiency, as so far, it takes more energy to
manufacture than it produces.

Nuclear Energy
Once thought to be the “Jewel in the Crown” of alternatives to
fossil fuels, Nuclear Energy received a very bad press after the
“Three Mile Island” incident and the Chernobyl accident.
Nonetheless it had enjoyed a comeback of sorts in the earlier
years of the new millennium, but now after the nuclear
disaster at the Fukushema power plant, caused by the
Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011, there is a question
mark over nuclear power as an alternative source of energy.
Although nuclear fission is now a mature and very well
understood source of energy it generates a lot of opposition
because of safety concerns. It is very costly and produces
difficult to handle toxic waste. Nuclear fusion, which would
have no such safety or waste problems, remains the “Holy
Grail” of alternative energy, but so far science has failed to
come up with a working solution.

No one alternative source will solve the problems posed by

global warming. Wind energy does have potential, biofuels
and hydrogen are possibilities, but all these have associated
problems as well. Coupled with more investment and better
technology, the solution should come from a combination of all
these sources.

NON-CONVENTIONAL SOURCES OF ENERGY

Energy generated by using wind, tides, solar, geothermal heat,

and biomass including farm and animal waste as well as
human excreta is known as non-conventional energy. All these
sources are renewable or inexhaustible and do not cause
environmental pollution. More over they do not require heavy
expenditure.

1. Wind Energy:

Wind power is harnessed by setting up a windmill which is

used for pumping water, grinding grain and generating
electricity. The gross wind power potential of India is
estimated to be about 20,000 MW, wind power projects of 970
MW capacities were installed till March. 1998. Areas with
constantly high speed preferably above 20 km per hour are
well-suited for harnessing wind energy.

2. Tidal Energy:

Sea water keeps on rising and falling alternatively twice a day

under the influence of gravitational pull of moon and sun. This
phenomenon is known as tides. It is estimated that India
possesses 8000-9000 MW of tidal energy potential. The Gulf of
Kuchchh is best suited for tidal energy.
3. Solar Energy:

Sun is the source of all energy on the earth. It is most

abundant, inexhaustible and universal source of energy. AH
other sources of energy draw their strength from the sun.
India is blessed with plenty of solar energy because most parts
of the country receive bright sunshine throughout the year
except a brief monsoon period. India has developed
technology to use solar energy for cooking, water heating,
water dissimilation, space heating, crop drying etc.

4. Geo-Thermal Energy:

Geo-thermal energy is the heat of the earth's interior. This

energy is manifested in the hot springs. India is not very rich
in this source,

5. Energy from Biomass:

Biomass refers to all plant material and animal excreta when

considered as an energy source. Some important kinds of
biomass are inferior wood, urban waste, bagasse, farm animal
and human waste.

Importance of non-conventional sources of energy:

1. The non-conventional sources of energy are abundant in

nature. According to energy experts the non-conventional
energy potential of India is estimated at about 95,000 MW.

2. These are renewable resources. The non-conventional

sources of energy can be renewed with minimum effort and
money.

3. Non-conventional sources of energy are pollution-free and

eco-friendly
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