Generation stations

Characteristics of electricity
1. Cannot be stored
- extra produced power will be wasted
- it is desirable to generate power that
equals to the connected load
Load curve
 Characteristics of electricity
2. Continuous increase in demand
- existing systems to be used more
heavily and efficiently
 Characteristics of electricity
3. Availability of fuel
- problem of selection location of power
station
- to avoid long transmission distance
- development of gas grids
Power System
 Fig 1.01Electrical Power System
Generation

Power Plant
500 kV Transmission Extra-High-Voltage Substation
(500/230 kV)

Commercial/ 230 kV
Industrial Transmission Transmission
Customer
System
Distribution Substation
Urban (69/12 kV) 69 kV Sub-transmission
Customers Distribution
System
(12kV)
High-Voltage Substation
Distribution Line (230/69 kV)
Overhead
Distribution
Underground Cable Transformer

To Other
High-Voltage
Residential Residential
Underground Substations
Customer Customer
Distribution Transfomer
 Electrical Power Transmission
1) The generating station converts the energy of gas, oil,
coal or nuclear fuel to electric energy. The generator
voltage is around 15-25 kV

2) The main transformer increases the voltage to 230-765

kV. This reduces the current and losses.

3) The high voltage transmission line transports the energy

from the generating station to the large loads, like towns.
 Electrical Power Transmission
4) The high voltage substation reduces the voltage to 120-
69 kV. The substation serves as a node point for several
lines.

5) The sub-transmission lines (69 kV-120 kV) connect the

high voltage substation to the local distribution station.

6) The Distribution lines (12 -15 kV) distribute the energy

along streets or underground. Each line supplies several
step-down transformers distributed along the line.

7) The distribution transformer reduces the voltage to

230/115V, which supplies the houses, shopping centers,
etc..
 Generating Station
Type of Generation stations
 Thermal Power Plant. Large plants (more than 500 MVA) carry
constant load (base load plant). Smaller plants loads are
regulated but they operate continuously. Minimum down time is
20-35 hours.
 Nuclear Power Plant. These plants carry constant load and are
used as base loads plants.
 Hydroelectric Plants. These plants are loaded to the maximum
capacity, because of the low operating cost. (Water is free)
 Combined steam and Gas-Turbine Power Plants. High
efficiency plants for variable load.
 Gas-turbine. Peak load plants, high operating and low
investment cost
 Solar, Wind. Loaded to the maximum capacity when sun or wind
power available.
Fig 1.03 Steam turbine and electric
generator with exciter.(Courtesy Siemens)
Thermal Power Plant
Fig 1.06 Flow diagram of a steam
boiler.
Electrical Power
Superheater
Feedwater High- Low-
Steam Pressure Pressure
Drum Turbine Turbine
Exhaust

Generator
Water
Walls

Reheater

Steam
Condenser

Insulated tube
Downcomers
Burner Feedwater
pump Flue
Fuel gas
Economizer stack
Water heater Fresh Cooling Water

Induced
Air Header
draft fan

Air
Ash handling Precipitator SO2 Scrubber
heater
Fabric filter

Air Air
Fuel
pump Fuel
Forced
draft fan
Feedwater
 Generating Station
Thermal Power Plant

1) The fuel (pulverized coal, atomized oil or gas) is mixed with pre-
heated air and injected into the boiler, where the high temperature
ignites the fuel.
2) The fuel burning produces ashes and sulfur dioxide. The ashes
are filtered out from the exhaust and washed away by water. The
sulfur dioxide is washed by scrubbers. Powerful exhaust fans
drives the smoke out to the atmosphere through the stack.
3) Pre-heated water is pumped through the tubes covering the boiler
walls. The high heat evaporates the water and generates steam,
which is collected in the steam drum.
 Generating Station
Thermal Power Plant

4) The high pressure steam drives the turbine, which has a high
pressure and a low pressure stage. For some turbines the steam
is re-heated between these two stages.
5) The water-cooled condenser condenses the steam into water. The
water is pumped back to the boiler.
6) Both, the air and the water are preheated to increase efficiency.
7) The turbine drives the generator which produces electricity.
 Fig 1.07 Cooling tower.

Vapor Outflow Mechanical Fan

Water Inflow
Vapor
Outflow
Baffling Drift
Eliminators

Air Air
Inflow Inflow Baffling

Water Air Air

Drift Return Inflow Inflow
Eliminators

Water
Return

Water Inflow

Cross-flow induced draft tower

Hyperbolic natural draft tower
 Steam Turbine
 High pressure steam enters
through nozzles.
 The stationary blades direct
the steam flow towards the
moving blades.
 The direction of the steam flow
changes as it flows through the
moving blades.
 The change of flow direction
generates a force on the
moving blades.
 This force drives the turbine.
 Fig 1.11 Steam Turbine Concept

Moving Stationary Moving Stationary

Blade Blade Blade Blade

Nozzle
 Steam Turbine
 The moving blades are
attached to the shaft.
 The stationary blades are
attached to the casing.
 The control valves regulate
the steam flow.
 The turbine often has three
stages: high, medium and
low pressure (right to left).
 The high pressure steam
drives the turbine (3600
rpm).
 The generator is connected
directly to the turbine shaft.
 Fig 1.09 Steam turbine open

Shaft with Low-pressure High-pressure

moving blades turbine turbine

Middle
bearing

Stationary part
Fig 1.10 Steam Turbine Blades
Fig 1.12 Turbine, generator and main
transformer of Kyrene Generation
Station.
(Courtesy Salt River Project).
Fig 1.13 Generator Stator
Fig 1.14 Generator Rotor
Fig 1.15 Salient Pole Rotor

North
Poles

South

Slip
ring
Pole
North winding
Fig 1.16 Generators station connection
diagram

Auxiliary transformer Circuit

breaker
High-voltage bus

Main transformer

Transmission Lines
Current
transformer

Generator
Disconnect
switch Surge
arrester
Voltage
transformer
 Fig 1.17 Combined Cycle Power
Plant
 The plant contains a gas and a steam
turbine.
Gas Turbine (Brayton) Cycle  The hot exhaust gases of the gas turbine
feed a steam generator which supplies a
Gas/Oil Fuel
steam turbine. The gas turbine is similar
Combustion to a large aircraft engine.
Compressor Turbine
Generator
 Both turbines drive a generator and
produce electrical power.
Hot
Air Exhaust
Gases  The plant efficiency is high.
Steam (Rankine) Cycle

Steam Line Generator

Cooling Tower
Heat Recovery Steam
Steam Generator Turbine

Warm
Exhaust
Gases Feedwater Pump Condenser
Nuclear Power Plant
Nuclear Generating Station
 The nuclear reactor is fueled by uranium dioxide and
moderated by water.
 The nuclear reaction produces heat. The reaction is controlled
by boron-based rods.
 The coolant pump drives water through the reactor, where the
nuclear reaction increases the coolant (in most cases water)
temperature.
 The steam is generated in the heat exchanger/boiler.
 The high pressure steam drives the turbine, which in turn drives
the generator. (usually at 1800 rpm)
 The condenser condenses the steam to water, which is pumped
back into the boiler.
Nuclear Power Generation
Fig 1.18 Nuclear fuel assembly
Fig 1.19 Nuclear
Vessel
Fig 1.20 Nuclear Generating Station
Pressurized water reactor