ME 4115

Power Plant Engineering

Credit: 3.00
Course outline
• Introduction
• Power Plant Economics
• Hydro-power plants
• Steam power plant
• Diesel Engine power plant
• Gas turbine power plant
• Power Plant Accessories
 Syllabus
• Introduction: Features, types, components, general
layouts, criteria for comparison and selection of power
plant; Energy sources and their availability; overview of
power sector in Bangladesh, present status and future
trends.
• Power Plant Economics: Load curves, load factor,
diversity factor, load management, number and size of
generating unit, effect of load on power plant design,
load forecasting, performance and operating
characteristics of power plants, economic scheduling
principle; cost of electrical energy, peak load pricing,
tariff.
• Hydro Power Plants: Essential feature of hydroelectric
power plant; present situation of hydro power
generation; site selection, plant layout and various
components, power plant safety reservoir, dams &
tunnels etc.; hydrology: precipitation, run-off,
hydrograph, flow duration curve, mass curve; pumped
storage power plant; design, construction and operation
of different components of hydro plant like dam,
spillways, canals, penstocks, surge tank, draft tubes;
types and selection of turbines, governing of turbine;
construction and working principles of various types of
valves and pumps and hydraulic system.
• Steam Power Plants: Fields of use, site selection, general layout,
operation and performance, binary vapor cycle power plant.
• Diesel Power Plants: Fields of use, layout, working principle of
diesel engine, fuel handling and storage, diesel engine power
plant auxiliaries, starting and stopping, performance of diesel
engines, heat balance.
• Gas Turbine Power Plants: Fields of use, components, layout;
thermodynamic analysis of gas turbine cycles, cycle
improvements, intercoolers, reheaters, regenerators; operation
and performance of gas turbine power plants; combined cycle
power plant with simple thermodynamic analysis.
• Power Plant Accessories: Water treatment plant, cooling tower,
draught systems, chimney and foundation design.
What is energy?
• Energy is possessed of the ability to produce a
dynamic , vital effect.
• Power: Power is defined as the rate of flow of
energy.
• Power Plant: A machine or assemblage of
equipment that produces and delivers a flow
of mechanical and electrical energy is a power
plant.
 Power Plant Engineering
• It is the art of selecting and placing the
necessary power generating equipment so
that a maximum of return will result from a
minimum of expenditure over the working life
of the plants, and the operation of the
completed plant in a manner to provide
cheap, reliable and continuous service.
Sources of energy to make power

1. Fuel
2. Flowing streams of water
3. Ocean tides and waves
4. Winds
5. Solar rays
6. Terrestrial heat
7. Atomic nuclei
Sources of Energy to make power
Power transmission to house
 Types
 Steam or thermal Power Plant
 Diesel Power Plant
 Gas Turbine Power Plant
 Hydro-Electric Power Plant
 Nuclear Power Plant
 Geothermal power plant
 Tidal power plat
 Wind power plant
 Solar power plant
Layout of steam or thermal
Layout Layout of diesel engine power of
diesel engine power plant
Layout of diesel engine power
Layout of gas turbine power
Gas turbines
Layout of nuclear power
Layout of geothermal power
Layout of tidal power plant
Layout of wind power plant
Layout of solar power plant
Hydro-Electric Power Plant
Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant
Types of power plants:
1. On the basis of fuel used
(i) Steam power plant
(ii) Diesel power Plant
(iii) Nuclear power plant
(iv) Hydro electric power plant
(v) Gas turbine power plant

2. On the basis of nature of load

(i) Base load power plant
(ii) Peak load power plant

3. On the basis of location

(i) Central power plant
(ii) Isolated power plant

4. On the basis of service rendered

(i) Stationary
(ii) Locomotive
Load Curve:
Load curve or chronological curve is the graphical
representation of load (in kW or MW) in proper time sequence
and the time in hours. It shows the variation of load on the
power station.When the load curve is plotted for 24 hours a
day, then it is called daily load curve. If the one year is
considered then, it is called annual load curve.
Utility of Load Curve
The following are the utility of the load curve.
1. Load curve decides the installed capacity of a power station.
2. It is helpful in choosing the most economical sizes of the various
generating units.
3. The load curve estimates the generating cost.
4. It decides the operating schedules of the power station, i.e., the
sequence in which the different generating units should run.
Ideal Load Curve and Realized Load Curve

The ideal load curve is flat, but practically it is far from flat. For a flat
load curve, the load factor will be higher. Higher load factor means the
more uniform load pattern with fewer variations in load.
Load Duration Curve

The load duration curve is defined as the curve between the load and time in which
the ordinates representing the load, plotted in the order of decreasing magnitude,
i.e., with the greatest load at the left, lesser loads towards the rights and the lowest
loads at the time extreme right. The load duration curve is shown in the figure
below.

This curve represents the same data as that of the load curve. The load duration
curve is constructed by selecting the maximum peak points and connecting them
by a curve.The load duration curve plotting for 24 hours of a day is called the
daily load duration curve. Similarly, the load duration curve plotted for a year is
called the annual load curve.
Terms and Definition:

Connected load: It is the sum of ratings in Kilowatts (kW) of

equipment installed in the consumer's presmises.

Maximum Demand: It is the maximum load which a consuumer uses

at any time.

Demand factor: It is defines as the ratio of maximum demand to

connected load.
Types of Load:

The various types of loads on the power system are:

Domestic load: Domestic load consists of lights, fans, refrigerators,
heaters, television, small motors for pumping water etc.
Commercial load: Commercial load consists of lighting for shops, fans
and electric appliances used in restaurants etc. This class of load occurs
for more hours during the day as compared to the domestic load. The
commercial load has seasonal variations due to the extensive use of air-
conditioners and space heaters.
Industrial load: Industrial load consists of load demand by industries.
The magnitude of industrial load depends upon the type of industry. Thus
small scale industry requires load up to 25 kW, medium scale industry
between 25kW and 100 kW and large-scale industry requires load above
500 kW. Industrial loads are generally not weather dependent.
Municipal load: Municipal load consists of street lighting, power required for
water supply and drainage purposes. Street lighting load is practically constant
throughout the hours of the night. For water supply, water is pumped to overhead
tanks by pumps driven by electric motors.
Pumping is carried out during the off-peak period, usually occurring during the
night. This helps to improve the load factor of the power system.

Irrigation load: This type of load is the electric power needed for pumps driven
by motors to supply water to fields. Generally this type of load is supplied for 12
hours during night.

Traction load: This type of load includes tram cars, trolley buses, railways etc.
This class of load has wide variation. During the morning hour, it reaches peak
value because people have to go to their work place. After morning hours, the
load starts decreasing and again rises during evening since the people start
coming to their home.