SEMESTER: V BRANCH: EEE- A & B

QUESTION BANK
(Odd Semester 2015)

Prepared by
Dr.K.Vimalanathan, Professor,
Mr.S.Ramesh Asst.Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Kingston Engineering College.
 Syllabus

ME 6701 POWER PLANT ENGINEERING LTPC

3003
OBJECTIVES
Providing an overview of Power Plants and detailing the role of Mechanical Engineers in
their operation and maintenance.

UNIT I COAL BASED THERMAL POWER PLANTS 10

Rankine cycle - improvisations, Layout of modern coal power plant, Super Critical
Boilers, FBC Boilers, Turbines, Condensers , Steam & Heat rate, Subsystems of thermal
power plants – Fuel and ash handling, Draught system, Feed water treatment. Binary
Cycles and Cogeneration systems.

UNIT II DIESEL, GAS TURBINE AND COMBINED CYCLE POWER PLANTS 10

Otto, Diesel, Dual & Brayton Cycle - Analysis & Optimisation. Components of
Diesel and Gas Turbine power plants. Combined Cycle Power Plants. Integrated Gasifier
based Combined Cycle systems.

UNIT III NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS 7

Basics of Nuclear Engineering, Layout and subsystems of Nuclear Power Plants,
Working of Nuclear Reactors : Boiling Water Reactor (BWR), Pressurized Water Reactor
(PWR), CANada Deuterium -Uranium reactor (CANDU), Breeder, Gas Cooled and Liquid
Metal Cooled Reactors. Safety measures for Nuclear Power plants.

UNIT IV POWER FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY 10

Hydro Electric Power Plants – Classification, Typical Layout and associated
components including Turbines. Principle, Construction and working of Wind, Tidal,
Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV), Solar Thermal, Geo Thermal, Biogas and Fuel Cell power
systems.

UNIT V ENERGY, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF POWER PLANTS 8

Power tariff types, Load distribution parameters, load curve, Comparison of site
selection criteria, relative merits & demerits, Capital & Operating Cost of different power
plants. Pollution control technologies including Waste Disposal Options for Coal and
Nuclear Power Plants.
TOTAL : 45 PERIODS
OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, the Students can able to understand different types of power
plant, and its functions and their flow lines and issues related to them.
 Analyse and solve energy and economic related issues in power sectors.
TEXT BOOK:
1. P.K. Nag, Power Plant Engineering, Tata McGraw –Hill Publishing Company Ltd., Third
Edition, 2008.
REFERENCES:
1.M.M. El-Wakil, Power Plant Technology, Tata McGraw –Hill Publishing Company Ltd., 2010.
2.Black & Veatch, Springer, Power Plant Engineering, 1996.
3.Thomas C. Elliott, Kao Chen and Robert C. Swanekamp, Standard Handbook of Power Plant
Engineering, Second Edition, McGraw Hill, 1998.
4.Godfrey Boyle, Renewable energy, Open University, Oxford University Press in association with
the Open University, 2004.

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 2 of 16

 UNIT-I Year : 2015-16

COAL BASED THERMAL POWER PLANTS Sem. : ODD

Subject Code : ME 6701 Branch : EEE

Subject Name : Power Plant Engineering Year/Sem./Sec : III/V/A/B

PART -A (2 Marks)

1 List out the factors with which the unit size of the power plant is being decided.
2 What is the use of load curves in power plants?
3 What are the main units in a gas turbine power plant?
4 What is the function of economizer?
5 What is the use of regenerator?
6 Define super critical boilers.
7 What are the methods used for handling of coal?
8 State the advantages and disadvantages of pulverized coal firing.
9 State the advantage of pulverized fuel firing.
10 What is the function of cooling tower?
11 What are the requirements of a modern surface condenser?
12 What is drift? How is the drift eliminated in the cooling towers?
13 What is pulverization?
14 What are the methods used in ash handling system?
15 What is the mechanism of pulverized fuel firing system?
16 What is the principle behind Steam power plant?
17 What are the methods used for handling of coal?
18 Distinguish between fouling and slagging.
19 List the advantages of balanced draft system.
20 State the advantages and disadvantages of pulverized coal firing.
21 State the good characteristic of good ash handling plant.
22 Mention the uses of fly ash.
23 What are the factors to be considered in selecting site for coal storage and piling?
24 What are the factors to be considered in designing in plant handling?
25 State the advantage of pulverized fuel firing.
26 What is the function of cooling tower?
27 What are the requirements of a modern surface condenser?
28 What is drift? How is the drift eliminated in the cooling towers?

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 3 of 16

29 What is pulverization?
30 What are the methods used in ash handling system?
31 What is the mechanism of pulverized fuel firing system?
32 What is Stoker? Classify it.
33 State the advantages and disadvantages of pulverized coal firing.
34 What is the function of cooling tower?
35 What are the requirements of a modern surface condenser?
36 Why does cooling water flow inside the tubes and steam condense outside of the
tubes of the surface condenser?
37 What is drift? How is the drift eliminated in the cooling towers?
38 What do you understand by the term “Boiler draught”?
39 List the advantages of balanced draft system
40 List out the major advantages of high pressure boiler in modern thermal power
plants.
41 Draw a near sketch of basic principle of FBC.

PART –B (16 Marks)

1 Explain the different process involved in coal handling? (12)

2 Draw an explanatory line diagram of an ash handling system employed in steam

power plants and also explain the difficulties encountered in the handling of ash
in a thermal power station. (16)

(i) What are the handling systems? Draw a line diagram of hydraulic ash
handling system for modern high capacity plants. Explain its working. (10)

(ii) Explain with the help of neat sketches the working of „forced draft‟ and
„induced draft‟ cooling towers. (6)

3 How does a cooling tower operate? What is an FD cooling tower? Mention its
merits and demerits.(16)

(i) Discuss about pulverized coal handling system (5)

(ii)Explain the working of spreader stoker (5)

(iii) What are the factors affect the performance of electrostatic

precipitator? Explain. (6)

4 (a) Calculate the height of chimney required to produce a draught equivalent to

20mm of water if the flue gas temperature is 260°C and the ambient temperature
is 27°C and the stoichiometric air requirement is 18kg per kg of fuel. Assume
50% excess air for combustion (6)

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 4 of 16

 (b) Write shot notes on the following:

(i) Requirement of surface condensers (5)

(ii) Forced draft and induced draft cooling towers (5)

5 (a) Explain with a sketch the direct pulverized coal firing system. What are the

merits and demerits (10)

(b) Sketch and describe the working principle of the pneumatic system of the ash

handling in the boiler plant (6)

6 (a) Draw a neat sketch of unit system if pulverized fuel firing with various

components in the system and explain. (10)

(b) What are the advantages of pulverized fuel firing? (6)

7 Describe the different types of over feed stokers and discuss the merits and

demerits of each over other. (16)

8 (a) Explain the different types of draught and give a neat sketch for anyone of

them. (8)

(b) A 15 kg of air is supplied per kg of fuel burnt to the combustion chamber of a

boiler using fuel 600kg/hr. The temperature of flue gases and ambient air are

237°C and 32°C. If the minimum draught required to start the fire is 9.5mm of

water and the boiler is to operate on maximum artificial draught of 5cm of water,

find the minimum height of chimney (8)

9 (a) Explain with the help of neat sketch, the working of an electro static

precipitator and give its outstanding features over other collectors. (8)

(b) Explain with the help of neat diagram of evaporative surface condenser and

also explain its advantages. (8)

10 Explain the principle involved in preparation of coal and what are the methods of

preparation? (12)

What are the different types of dust collectors used?

11 What are the different types of pulverizing mills? Explain with its neat sketch.(16)

12 How ash is handled in the power plant? Explain the ash handling system. (16)

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 5 of 16

13 What are the methods used for pulverized fuel burning?

14 Explain the various draught systems with a neat sketch.

15 Explain the principle involved in design of chimney.

16 What are the different types of cooling towers? Explain with a neat sketch.

17 Explain the analysis of pollution from thermal power plants.

18 What are the methods used for control the pollutants.

19 Draw the general layout of thermal power plant and explain the working of

different circuits. (16)

20 Differentiate between forced draught and induced draught system in cooling

tower

21 What the advantages are of reheat cycle over simple ranking cycle? (16)

22 Draw a neat line diagram of Benson boiler and discuss its relative merits and

demerits. (16)

23 With a neat sketch explain the working principle of Loeffler boiler. (16)

24 What are the advantages of high pressure boilers? (16)

25 What are the advantages of super critical boiler over critical boilers? (16)

26 Explain with neat sketch the principle of a commercial FBC system. (16)

27 Draw a line diagram of fluidized bed combustion system where steam turbine is

used as a prime mover and explain its working. (16)

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 6 of 16

 UNIT-II Year : 2015-16
DIESEL, GAS TURBINE AND COMBINED
Sem. : ODD
CYCLE POWER PLANTS

Subject Code : ME 6701 Branch : EEE

Subject Name : Power Plant Engineering Year/Sem./Sec : III/V/A/B

PART -A (2 Marks)

1 What are the applications of diesel electric power plants?

2 What are the methods used for starting a diesel engine?
3 What are the components present in the diesel electric power plants
4 What is the commonly used fuel injection system in a diesel power station?
5 What are the methods of cooling in a diesel engine power plant?
6 What are the applications of diesel power plants?
7 Discuss the effect of inter cooling in a gas turbine plant.
8 How gas turbine power plants are classified?
9 What do you understand by closed cycle gas turbine power plant?
10 What is the difference between open cycle and closed cycle gas turbine plant?

11 How the gas turbine blades are cooled?

12 Why is the maximum cycle temperature of gas turbine plant much lower than
that of diesel power plant?
13 Define mean effective pressure as applied to gas power cycles, How it is related to
indicated power of an I.C. engine?
14 Mention the various process of the Brayton cycle.

15 Draw the p-V and T-s diagram of Brayton cycle.

16 What are all the modifications are carried out in Brayton cycle? Why?
17 What are the effects of providing the intercooler in the gas turbine cycle?

18 What are the effects of introducing regeneration in the basic gas turbine cycle?

19 When will be the gas turbine cycle efficiency reaches maximum?

20 Why power generation by gas turbines is attractive these days?

21 What is the principle of operation of simple jet propulsion system?

22 Mention any two drawbacks of a stationary gas turbine power plant for
generation of electricity.
23 What are the applications of diesel engine power plant?

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 7 of 16

24 Why is the maximum cycle temperature of gas turbine plant much lower than
that of diesel power plant?
25 What are the different fields where use of diesel power plant is essential?
26 What is the purpose of air intake system in a diesel engine power plant?
27 What is the basic principle of a magneto hydro dynamic (MHD) generator?
28 List out the inherent advantages of the combined power cycles.
29 Sketch the schematic arrangement of open cycle gas turbine plant and name the
components.

PART –B (16 Marks)

1 Draw and explain the layout of a modern diesel power plant showing the
following systems.

a. Air Intake system

b. Cooling system

c. Fuel supply system

d. Lubrication system and

e. Exhaust system. (16)

2 Describe the auxiliary equipments of a diesel engine power plant. What are the
disadvantages of this plant (16) Hint: Auxiliary equipments are
a). Pneumatic starter
b). Air compressor.
c). Air conditions and
d). coolant circulation pump.
3 a) Explain the various types of cooling system used in diesel power plant (8)
b) Name and explain briefly the various types of fuel injection system (8)
4 a) Give the layout of diesel engine power plant. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of diesel power plants? (10)

b) Describe briefly the commonly used starting system in large and medium size
engines. (6)

5 (a) Derive an expression for air standard efficiency of Brayton cycle in terms of (i)
compression ratio and (ii) the pressure ratio. (10)

(b) Why is the Brayton cycle most suitable for gas turbine power? (6)

6 a) Bring out the difference between the closed cycle and open cycle gas turbine
power plants (6)

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 8 of 16

 b) Draw a neat diagram of a regenerative gas turbine and reheater and also
explain it working with a help of a p-v diagram. (10)

7 (a) What are the methods used for improving the efficiency of a gas turbine plant?

(b) Explain the working of any one type of combustion chamber used in gas
turbine plant? (12)

8 Sketch the Brayton cycle. Air enters the compressor of the cycle at 1 bar and
25°C. Pressure after compression is 3 bar. Temperature at turbine inlet is 650°C.
Determine per kg of air the (i) cycle efficiency (ii) heat supplied to air, (iii) work
available (iv) heat rejected in the cooler and (v) Temperature of air leaving the
turbine. (16)

9 a) With PV and TS diagram explain the effect of intercooling, reheating and

regeneration in a gas turbine plant (10)

b) Discuss the materials which are used for gas turbine and compressors. What
properties should the blade materials posses? (6)

10 A gas turbine working on theoretical air cycle draws air initially at 25°C and 1
bar. The maximum pressure and temperature is 3 bar and 650°C. Calculate air
standard efficiency, heat supplied, heat rejected, work output per kg of air
exhaust temperature. (16)

11 In an air standard Brayton cycle, the air enters the compressor at 1 bar and
15°C. The pressure leaving the compressor is 5bar, the maximum temperature in
the cycle 900°C. Find the following a. Compressor and expander work per kg of
air b. The cycle efficiency. If an ideal regenerator is incorporated into the cycle,
determine the % change in efficiency. (16)

12 Consider a stationary power plant operating on an ideal Brayton cycle. The

pressure ratio of the cycle is 8 and the gas temperature at the compressor inlet
and turbine inlet are 27°C & 1027°C respectively. Determine the following: a. Gas
temperature at the compressor and turbine exit b. Back work ratio and c.
Thermal efficiency. Assume pr1 = 1.386 and pr3 = 330.9. Where, pr is the relative
pressure. (16)

13 a) A gas turbine draws in air from atmosphere at 1 bar and 300K and compresses
it to 6.5bar. The air is heated to 1350K at constant pressure and then expanded
through two stages in series back to 1 bar. The high pressure turbine is
connected to the compressor and produces enough power to drive it. Assume ɣ=
ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 9 of 16
 1.4 and R = 0.287kJ/kg/K for both the turbines and compressor. Neglect the
increase in mass due to the addition of fuel for burning. Calculate the following
for a mass 1kg.s, inter stage pressure, the net power output and the thermal
efficiency of the cycle (12)

b) What are the methods to improve the efficiency of gas turbine power plants? (4)

14 a) What are the different fuels that are used in gas turbine power plants? What
are the most suitable fuels for gas turbine plants in a country like India? (6)

b) a gas turbine has a pressure ratio of 6:1 and maximum cycle temperature of
610°C. The isentropic efficiencies of the compressor and turbine are 0.80 and
0.82 respectively. Calculate the power output in kilowatts of an electric generator
geared to turbine when the air enters the compressor at 15°Cat the rate
of 16 kg/s. Take Cp = 1.005kJ/kg/K and ɣ= 1.4 for the compression process and
take Cp = 1.11kJ/kg/K and ɣ= 1.333 for the expansion process (6)

15 Draw the layout MHD open cycle generator and explain its functions of
components. (16)

16 Sketch the layout of hydroelectric power plant and explain the functions of
each component in it. Discuss the advantages and limitations of this plant. (16)

17 What are the factors to be considered while selecting a site for hydroelectric
power plant? (16)

18 Explain the Gas turbine power plant with neat sketch. Discuss the
advantages of gas turbine power plant (16)

19 Draw the layout of Diesel power plant. (16)

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 10 of 16

 UNIT-III Year : 2015-16

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS Sem. : ODD

Subject Code : ME 6701 Branch : EEE

Subject Name : Power Plant Engineering Year/Sem./Sec : III/V/A/B

PART -A (2 Marks)
1 How the nuclear reactors are classified?
2 What are the advantages of nuclear power plant?
3 What do you understand by moderation?
4 Explain the function of moderator?
5 What are the desired properties required for good moderator?
6 Explain the function of nuclear reactor?
7 What are the functions of control rods?
8 What factors control the selection of a particular type of a reactor?
9 What are the components of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant?
10 List down the basic factors those are to be considered for the design of a
nuclear power reactor.
11 What is “half life” of nuclear fuels?
12 What is a nuclear fission?
13 List down the nuclear waste disposal method.
14 Define the term “Breeding”
15 What are the advantages and disadvantages of breeder reactor?
16 What factors control the selection of a particular type of a reactor?
17 What is the function of Pressurize in a PWR?
18 What are the components of pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant?
19 What is chain reaction?
20 How will you maintain chain reaction?
21 What is CANDU?
22 What are gas cooled reactor ?
23 What are metal cooled reactor?
24 What are the safety measure in NPP?
25 What are the advantages of Breeder reactor ?
26 What is meant by FBT reactor?
27 What are the moderators used in reactors?
ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 11 of 16
 PART –B (16 Marks)

1 What is chain reaction? How it is maintained? What is the difference between

controlled and uncontrolled chain reaction? Explain with neat sketches and with
examples. (16)

2 Describes the boiling water reactor with the help of neat sketch and explain its
chief characteristics. (10)

3 Discuss the salient features of the nuclear waste disposal. (6)

4 What is a chain reaction? How it is controlled? Explain with a neat sketch a

boiling water reactor. (16)

5 Explain the working of a typical fast breeder nuclear reactor power plant, with
the help of neat diagram (10)

6 Write short notes on Nuclear waste disposal (6)

7 Explain how solid nuclear waste materials are disposed (6)

8 What are the difference between a pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant
and boiling water reactor nuclear power plant? (10)

9 What are the desirable properties of a good moderator? (6)

10 Explain the construction and working of CANDU reactor and Fast breeder reactor
with a neat sketch (12)

11 What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power plant? (8)

12 Explain with a neat sketch the indirect gas cooled reactor (8)

13 Explain the principle of operation of sodium graphite reactor. (8)

14 Sketch a layout of a hydraulic power plant suitable for high head. Indicate the
essential elements in that power plant and explain their functions. (10)

15 What is the difference between a Pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant
and Boiling water reactor nuclear power plant? (10)

16 Explain the construction and working of Nuclear power plant with a layout. (16)

17 Discuss the various factors to be considered while selecting the site for nuclear
power station. (16)

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 12 of 16

 UNIT-IV Year : 2015-16

POWER FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY Sem. : ODD

Subject Code : ME 6701 Branch : EEE

Subject Name : Power Plant Engineering Year/Sem./Sec : III/V/A/B

PART -A (2 Marks)

1 What is the purpose of surge tank in a hydroelectric power plant?

2 What are the three main factors for power output of hydroelectric plant?
3 Discuss the essential factors which should be considered while selecting a
site for a hydroelectric power plant?
4 State the advantages and disadvantages of the hydroelectric power plants.
5 What are the micro hydel plants? Why are they important now days?
6 What is the function of a surge tank in a hydro electric power plant?
7 What is hydraulic turbine?
8 What is the significance of specific speed of hydraulic turbines?
9 What do you mean by „specific speed‟ of a turbine?
10 Give an example for a low head turbine a medium head turbine and a high
head turbine.
11 List out the important parameters of a turbine.
12 What are reaction turbines? Give example.
13 Differentiate the impulse and reaction turbine.
14 Define unit speed of turbine.
15 Write the function of draft tube in turbine outlet?
16 What is a draft tube? In which type of turbine it is mostly used?
17 What is the function of governing mechanism in Pelton wheel?
18 What is the function of guide vanes or wicket gates in Francis turbine?
19 What is meant by surge tank?
20 What is meant by wind Power plant?
21 How wind turbines generate the power?
22 What is meant by Tidal Power plant?
23 How tidal turbines generate the power?
24 What is meant by Solar Power plant?
25 What is SPV?
26 Define Geo thermal Power plant.

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 13 of 16

27 What is OTEC?
28 What is fuel cell?
29 How biogas plant works?
30 What are renewable energy resources?
31 Mention the advantages and disadvantages of geo – thermal power plant.
32 What are the components of tidal power plant?
33 What is Heliostats?
34 List out the advantages of tidal power plants over hydel power plant?
35 Mention the advantages and disadvantages of the OTEC power plant.
36 What is principle of OTEC?

PART –B (16 Marks)

1. Discuss the factors to be considered in selecting the turbines for hydro

electric power plants. (16)

2. How do you govern Francis turbine? (16)

3. Explain the features of pumped storage power plants, Discuss it merits and
demerits. What are the applications of Hydro electric power plants? (16)

4. Derive an expression for the maximum hydraulic efficiency in a impulse

turbine (8)

5. Differentiate Pelton wheel turbine with Francis turbine. (8)

6. Compare radial flow and axial flow turbo machines. (8)

7. Define specific speed of a turbine. Derive an expression for the specific

speed. (10)

8. Explain the term unit power, unit speed and unit discharge with reference
to a turbine (6)

9. Function of draft tube in turbines and the various types of draft tubes. (16)

10. Draw a layout of a typical micro hydro scheme and explain its working in
detail. (16)

a) Sketch and explain the two pool tidal power plant (16)

b) b). Describe with help of neat sketch the working of a solar thermal receiver
system plant and enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of concentrating
collectors over flat plate collectors. (16)

11. Discuss the different system used for generating power using geothermal
energy. (16)

12 a) Explain working of hybrid OTEC system and what are the advantages? (8)

b). Enumerate and explain the various types of prime movers used in
geothermal energy conversion systems. (8)

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 14 of 16

 UNIT-V Year : 2015-16

ENERGY, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL

ISSUES OF POWER PLANTS Sem. : ODD

Subject Code : ME 6701 Branch : EEE

Subject Name : Power Plant Engineering Year/Sem./Sec : III/V/A/B

PART -A (2 Marks)

1. What is the significance of incremental rate of a power plant?

2. What are the various operating cost of coal fired steam power plant?

3. Define “Diversity factor”

4. What is fixed cost and operating cost?

5. Write the power tariff types?

6. What is meant by power tariff?

7. How the load distributed?

8. What are the factors involved in load distribution?

9. What is load factor?

10. What do you understand by power plant economics?

11. What is fixed cost?

12. What is variable cost?

13. What is operating cost?

14. What is capital cost?

15. What is load curve?

16. Write the selection site for power plant.

17. What are merits and demerits of site selection?

18. What are pollution occur due to Power plants?

19. How to control the pollution?

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 15 of 16

20. Write waste disposal technique.

21. What is the significance of two part tariff and three part tariff?

22. What are the major factors that decide the economics of power plants?

PART –B (16 Marks)

1. Find the cost of generation per kW-hr from the following data. Capacity of the
plant - 120MW Capital cost - Rs.1,200 per kW installed Interest and depreciation
- 10 %on capital Fuel consumption - 1.2 kg / kW-hr. Fuel cost - Rs. 40 tone
Salaries, wages, repairs and maintenance - 6, 00,000 / year The maximum
demand is 80 MW and load factor is 40 %. (16)

2. A central power station has annual factors as follows: Load factor = 60% Capacity
factor = 40% Use factor = 45% Power station has a maximum demand of
15,000kW.Determine; Annual energy production, Reserve capacity over and
above peak load, Hours per year not in service. (16)

3. A power station has two 60MW units each running for 1500hours a year. The
energy produced per year is 700 x 106 kW-hr. Calculate the plant load factor and
plant use factor. (16)

4. What do you understand by power plant economics? Explain the fixed costs and
operating costs of a power station. (16)

5. What is meant by load factor and diversity factor? (16)

6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of pumped storage system? (16) .

7. What are the elements which contribute to the cost of the electricity? and how
can the cost power generation be reduced?

ME 6701 Power Plant Engineering – Question Bank – Page 16 of 16