CHE2005W

Electrical Power Generation

A qualitative introduction
(with rough quantitative information on efficiencies)
 Electrical Power Generation
• By what mechanisms is (useful) electrical power
generated?
– Electromagnetic induction
• i.e. rotating a magnet within closed loops of a conducting
material
• e.g. rotating turbine shaft connected to magnet inside
generator coils
– Electrochemistry
• i.e. reaction “releases” electrons into external circuit
• e.g. cell (incl. H2 fuel-cells, microbial cells), battery
– Photovoltaic (PV) effect
• i.e. sunlight “excites” electrons to higher-energy state
• e.g. solar PV cell
 Electrical Power Generation
• A rotating turbine is (by far) the most common method on
power plants

Extracted from: http://img.tfd.com/ggse/a8/gsed_0001_0013_0_img3080.png

 Electrical Power Generation
• How is the turbine forced to rotate, i.e. “driven”?
– Steam (expanding from high to low pressure)
– Gas (expanding from high to low pressure)
– Internal combustion engine (converts reciprocating to
rotational motion)
– Wind
– Water (Hydro-electric)
– Tides

• Steam turbines are (by far) the most common in

power plants
Electrical Power Generation

http://www.mpoweruk.com/steam_turbines.htm
 Electrical Power Generation
• How is steam generated? Water is vaporised
using the energy from:
– burning fuel (coal, oil, natural gas, etc.)
– waste heat (from exothermic reactions in a
process)
– nuclear power
– concentrated solar power (CSP)
– geothermal power (heat from earth’s core)

• Coal combustion is (by far) the most common

method in South Africa [Eskom!]
Electrical Power Generation

https://water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/wateruse/wupt-plantscherer.gif
Electrical Power Generation
• Coal is burnt (in a furnace/boiler).

This is the • The energy generated heats and

Rankine cycle!
vaporises high-pressure water and
superheats the resultant high-
pressure steam (in tubes in the
furnace/boiler).

• The superheated high-pressure

steam drives the turbine then exits
the turbine (at lower pressure) and
is condensed.
Pump should be
shown here! • The water (condensate) is then
pumped back to the furnace/boiler
as high pressure water.

https://water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/wateruse/wupt-plantscherer.gif
Electrical Power Generation
• The turbine drives a generator (magnet
inside coils) which then generates an
alternating current (AC) in the coils.

• The AC then passes to the transformer,

The cooling
where the voltage is increased and the tower
current is decreased (since this reduces provides the
the heat losses during transmission). cooling
water to
condense
• The high-voltage AC is transferred to the steam
users in transmission lines. that leaves
the turbine
in the
• Before the users, the AC passes through Rankine
another transformer to decrease the cycle.
voltage (for safe operation) and increase
the current.

https://water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/wateruse/wupt-plantscherer.gif
 Electrical Power Generation
• What are the inefficiencies in the system (i.e.
where is energy lost)?
– Combustion (in furnace/boiler) [Efficiency ≈ 85%]
• Residual water in fuel is vaporised (which takes heat)
• Flue gas (incl. excess air) leaves at ≈ 200°C [Lost heat]
• Hot ash (incl. unburnt fuel) leaves [Lost fuel]
• Radiation to atmosphere [Lost heat]
– Heat engine (Rankine cycle) [Carnot efficiency ≈ 70%]
– Steam turbine [Mechanical efficiency ≈ 60%]
– Generator [Mechanical to electrical efficiency ≈ 99%]
– Transformer [Efficiency ≈ 97%]
– Transmission (Heat losses) [Efficiency ≈ 90%]
 Electrical Power Generation
• Overall efficiency (from coal-feed to electricity-
user) is all efficiencies combined
≈ (0.85)(0.70)(0.60)(0.99)(0.97)(0.90) ≈ 30%
– For 100 kJ of heat released in combustion, only 30 kJ
reaches destination as electrical energy!
– Look up efficiencies for other fuels, methods

• Implications? Always take efficiency into account

when calculating:
– Fuel costs
– Carbon (CO2) footprint
– Other emissions

More about all of the above in other ESE lectures

 Electrical Power Generation
• Gas (or diesel) turbines (GT)
– Brayton cycle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brayton_cycle

• Flue gas (i.e. “exhaust” gas) is still hot. If it is:

– exhausted to atmosphere: Open Cycle (OCGT) Task 4 Part 3:
biomethane
– used to generate steam (in a Rankine cycle): fuel in an OCGT
Combined Cycle (CCGT)
 Electrical Power Generation
• Gas (or diesel) turbines (GT)
– Brayton cycle
If the generator (connected to the
turbine) is included, there are four
equipment items in the Brayton
cycle – remember that for Task 5!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brayton_cycle

• Flue gas (i.e. “exhaust” gas) is still hot. If it is:

– exhausted to atmosphere: Open Cycle (OCGT)
– used to generate steam (in a Rankine cycle):
Combined Cycle (CCGT)
 Generate Electricity or use Steam directly?
• Why use steam to generate electricity rather than
using steam directly?
– Combustion (in furnace/boiler) [Efficiency ≈ 85%]
Generation of • Water in fuel is vaporised
steam has ≈ 85%
• Flue gas (incl. excess air) leaves at ≈ 200°C
efficiency
• Hot ash (incl. unburnt fuel) leaves
• Radiation to atmosphere

– Heat engine (Rankine cycle) [Carnot efficiency ≈ 70%]

Other steps – Steam turbine [Mechanical efficiency ≈ 60%]
(generation and – Generator [Mechanical to electrical efficiency ≈ 99%]
distribution of
electricity) – Transformer [Efficiency ≈ 97%]
combined have – Transmission (Heat losses) [Efficiency ≈ 90%]
≈ 35% efficiency
 Generate Electricity or use Steam directly?
• Why use steam to generate electricity rather than
using steam directly?
– Combustion (in furnace/boiler) [Efficiency ≈ 85%]
Generation of • Water in fuel is vaporised
steam has ≈ 85%
• Flue gas (incl. excess air) leaves at ≈ 200°C
efficiency
• Hot ash (incl. unburnt fuel) leaves
• Radiation to atmosphere

Question: why do
we generate and
distribute
electricity?

– Heat engine (Rankine cycle) [Carnot efficiency ≈ 70%]

Other steps – Steam turbine [Mechanical efficiency ≈ 60%]
(generation and – Generator [Mechanical to electrical efficiency ≈ 99%]
distribution of
electricity) – Transformer [Efficiency ≈ 97%]
combined have – Transmission (Heat losses) [Efficiency ≈ 90%]
≈ 35% efficiency
 Generate Electricity or use Steam directly?
• Why use steam to generate electricity rather than
using steam directly?
– Combustion (in furnace/boiler) [Efficiency ≈ 85%]
Generation of • Water in fuel is vaporised
steam has ≈ 85%
• Flue gas (incl. excess air) leaves at ≈ 200°C
efficiency
• Hot ash (incl. unburnt fuel) leaves
• Radiation to atmosphere

Question: why do Answer: Over long distances (i.e. more than a few km), it is much easier and cheaper to
we generate and distribute electricity than it would be to distribute steam, i.e. electricity can be distributed
distribute in cables (across thousands of km), whereas the distribution of high pressure/temperature
electricity? steam would require bulky, expensive piping (and expensive insulation)

– Heat engine (Rankine cycle) [Carnot efficiency ≈ 70%]

Other steps – Steam turbine [Mechanical efficiency ≈ 60%]
(generation and – Generator [Mechanical to electrical efficiency ≈ 99%]
distribution of
electricity) – Transformer [Efficiency ≈ 97%]
combined have – Transmission (Heat losses) [Efficiency ≈ 90%]
≈ 35% efficiency
Process plant utilities: Electricity or Steam?
• From previous slide: electricity better than steam over
long distances
• What about over short distances, e.g. on a typical
process plant?
– Heating process streams or vessel contents: electrical
or steam heating?
• Because of inefficiencies noted previously, for 100 kJ of heat released
in combustion:
− Electrical: ≈ 30 kJ can be used for heating [≈ 70 kJ lost]
− Steam: ≈ 85 kJ can be used for heating [≈ 15 kJ lost]
• If possible, rather use steam for heating on process plants
– Other functions/purposes?
• Electricity very easy to distribute/control so still used for many other
purposes on plant (e.g. for motors to drive compressors, fans, pumps,
etc.; lighting; instrumentation; etc.)
• Steam turbines sometimes used to drive compressors, fans, pumps,
etc. (especially if loadshedding is common!)
Steam as heating utility
Steam goes directly to heat exchangers (where it
condenses) then returns to boiler as condensate

Steam supply

Various
users

Condensate return
 The Wider View: Energy in SA

https://www.gsb.uct.ac.za/files/NPCEnergyPlan.pdf
 The Wider View: Energy Worldwide
• https://yearbook.enerdata.net/
 Miscellaneous tip
• If design/size/specify electrical power user
(e.g. compressor, pump, etc.), does your
answer make sense?
-Typical SA power station: 3.6-4.8 GW
-Wind turbine: 2-4 MW
-Tesla vehicle motor: 300 kW
-Typical domestic light bulb: 5-20 W
-Use common sense!
But also note: Project 1 Anaerobic Digestion is very
small scale, so power-ratings are unusually small