L.D.

College of Engineering Ahmedabad

Mechanical Engineering Department

Practical No.3
Aim: To classify the prime movers.

Introduction to prime mover:

In earlier days when there was no technological advancement or no inventions in the field of the
mechanical machines, human being had to depend on his own physical strength and on the animals
for various tasks to carry out.

But Now with the development of engines and many energy sources to produce power from the
engines, it became possible to meet different needs in our day to day life and working.

Definition of prime mover:

"Prime mover is device, which use the energy from natural sources and convert it into the
Mechanical work.”

Various sources of energy used by prime movers:

Prime movers use the different sources of energy.

Burning of fuels:

This is a most important source of energy. When any fuel is burnt, it releases the heat energy. The
energy given out by fuel depends on the type of the fuel burnt. Different fuels have different calorific
values and based on that heat is liberated by fuel. Then this heat energy is converted into the
mechanical work by engine.
River water:

It is another useful and widely used source of energy. Water flowing from certain height contains the
potential energy. This potential energy is converted into kinetic energy when it flows through pipe
and reaches to the prime mover. The prime mover is hydraulic turbine through which hydraulic to
electric power is generated. The another use of river water is to produce steam in a boiler. Steam is
used to drive th steam turbines and steam engines to produce the mechanical power.
Atoms:
Now a days with recent development atoms are used as a good and rich source of energy. Heat energy
is produced by fission or fusion of processes. This heat energy is converted into mechanical work.

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BME (3110006)
 L.D. College of Engineering Ahmedabad
Mechanical Engineering Department

Wind Energy:
This source of energy is widely used now a days because it is available freely everywhere.

It is a renewable source of energy.

Solar energy:
The source of energy is freely available also falling in the category of renewable source of energy. it
is trapped to make its proper use to generate power.

Types of prime movers:

The prime movers are classified based on the sources of energy utilized by them.

[1] Thermal prime movers:

These are the prime movers which use the thermal energy of source to generate power.

Various thermal prime movers are given below:

[1.1] Heat engines: These prime movers use various fuels like petrol, diesel, oil, gas to generate
mechanical power.
Heat engines are two types:

-External combustion engines:

1)Reciprocating steam engines
2)Steam turbine
3)Closed cycle gas turbine
-Internal combustion engines:
1)Reciprocating I.C. engines
2)Open cycle gas turbine

[1.2] Nuclear (nuclear power plant):

This prime mover uses the heat energy of atoms by fission or fusion process to develop the mechanical
power. It is mainly used in nuclear power plants. Various radioactive elements like uranium, thorium
are used for these fission or fusion process in a nuclear reactor.
[1.3] Geothermal: In this type of prime mover the heat energy is obtained from a certain depth or the
hot part of the earth below earth surface then it is converted into mechanical by proper engine.
[1.4] Bio gas: Bio gas is mainly produced from a garbage or any other waste which is used to produce
power by prime mover in a biogas plant.
[1.5] Solar energy: The solar energy come to the earth in the form of radiation or electromagnetic
waves. This energy trapped in with the help of solar panel made up of semiconductor material. This
heat energy is then converted into power.

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BME (3110006)
 L.D. College of Engineering Ahmedabad
Mechanical Engineering Department

[2] Non-thermal prime movers:

These kind of prime movers does not use the heat energy to convert it into the mechanical power.
The following are the nonthermal prime movers:

[2.1] Hydraulic turbines: This type of the prime mover uses the stored potential energy of water to
generate power.

[2.2] Wind power: With the help of wind turbine the wind energy is converted into the power.
[2.3] Tidal power: The energy of tides from ocean is converted into the power by the use of turbine
which is known as tidal power

Fig. Thermal Power Plant

QUIZ
1. Identify the prime movers in above layout of thermal power plant.
2. List the prime movers installed in our laboratory. Also state the type of them.
3. Draw neat sketches of any three prime movers.

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BME (3110006)