Power Sources -- All Cards

What is Wind Power?

Wind propels blades attached to a turbine; rotation converts to electrical energy via an electric generator.

Pros of Wind Power

No pollution since no chemical process takes place, renewable and won’t run out, can be installed offshore.

Cons of Wind Power

Aesthetically unpleasing to some (ugly and bad scenery), inconsistent due to wind variability causing the turbine to slow and less electricity is produced.

What is Solar Power?

Solar power is when the sun's rays are trapped in solar cells and converted into electricity; can also be used to heat water for steam to drive turbines.

Pros of Solar Power

Renewable, no water or air pollution, practical-can also be used for heat and light.

Cons of Solar Power

Limited production at night and on cloudy days, expensive to build power stations.

What is Geothermal Energy?

Geothermal energy or “Earth Heat” is heat energy from inside the earth underground used to create steam and drive turbines. Holes are drilled into the earth to tap into the steam pressure. As it shoots upward it drives turbines to power electric generators.

Pros of Geothermal Energy

Small plant size, minor impact on landscape, potentially minor pollution if done correctly.

Cons of Geothermal Energy

Potential for pollution if done incorrectly and release hazardous materials and gases, plant locations are prone to running out of steam.

What is Hydroelectric Energy?

Hydroelectric Energy is the potential energy of dammed water that drives a water turbine and generator.

Pros of Hydroelectric Energy

Quickly increases to full or maximum capacity, constant generation, no waste or pollution and no chemical reaction, reusable.

Cons of Hydroelectric Energy

Expensive to build dams, environmental disruption, requires sufficient and powerful water supply in the area.

What is Biomass Energy?

Biomass energy is a plant or animal material used as fuel to produce electricity and heat.

What are examples of Biomass energy?

Examples of biomass energy are wood, waste from forests, yards, or farms, food waste, and energy crops.

How do living organisms, plants or animals, create biomass energy?

Living organisms create biomass energy by absorbing energy from the sun and converting organic matter and water into carbohydrates that can be used to make energy (photosynthesis).

Pros of Biomass Energy

Only renewable energy source converted to liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel to power vehicles, it is plentiful and sustainable (can’t grow plants and can’t squeeze dinos), helps lessen the effect of waste products.

Cons of Biomass Energy

Pollution similar to burning fossil fuels (ash and carbon dioxide emissions), water usage and pollution, requires a lot of space, less efficient than other fuels.

What is Nuclear Energy?

Use of nuclear reactions (fission, decay, fusion) to produce electricity, mainly from nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear plants. Nuclear energy accounts for 10% of the world’s energy production.

Pros of Nuclear Energy

Provides efficient, predictable, large quantities of power, reliable.

Cons of Nuclear Energy

Initially very expensive, high long term cost, nuclear waste is expensive and difficult to store and transport, vulnerable to terrorist attacks cyber attacks and war, six legged deer and three eyed squirrels.

What is Wave Energy?

Wave energy converters (WEC) capture and convert the up and down motion of ocean waves.

Pros of Wave Energy

Sustainable and renewable.

Cons of Wave Energy

Very expensive, not developed well enough.

What are examples of things that make or need torque or move to make energy/work happen and require energy?

Generators, Induction Motors, Armatures, Shafts, and Rotors

What is Torque?

A twisting force that causes rotation.

What is a Turbine?

A machine for producing power in which a wheel or rotor is made to revolve by a fast-moving flow of water, steam, gas, air, or other fluid; converts kinetic energy of a fluid, air, water, steam, or other gasses into mechanical energy.

Turbines can convert different energies into rotation. What can turbines move?

Turbines can move ships, airplanes, and generators.

How does a spinning turbine work?

A spinning turbine is connected to a rod in a generator that turns a large magnet surrounded by coils of copper wire inducing voltage.

What can be used to move the turbine and generate electricity?

Many different energy sources can be used to move a turbine and gerenrate electricity such as wind, water, steam and gas.

Brush

A carbon mechanism used to supply power to the rotating part of a machine called a rotor.

Brushes

Slide across the commutator, making and breaking contact with the armature windings.

Brushed motors

Motors that are noisy but cheaper than brushless motors.

Commutator

A rotary electric switch in certain types of electric motors and electric generators that periodically reverses current direction.

Rotor

The rotating part in an AC motor, electric generator, or alternator. The rotor is the rotating or moving part of an electric machine.

What are the three major parts of a typical rotor found in an electric machine?

(1) rotor core, (2) rotor shaft, and (3) rotor winding

Rotor rotation movement

Interaction between the windings and magnetic fields producing torque around the rotor axis.

Alternator

Any AC electrical generator, but usually the term refers to small rotating machines driven by automotive and other internal combustion engines.

Magneto

An alternator that uses a permanent magnet for its magnetic field.

Generator

A device that uses mechanical energy to create electrical energy.

What are some sources of mechanical energy used to create electrical energy

Wind turbines, water turbines, gas turbines, internal combustion engines and even hand cranking are sources of mechanic energy used to create electrical energy

Michael Faraday

A scientist, physicist, and chemist who created the first electromagnetic generator in 1831.

What is the Faraday Disc is know for?

The Faraday Disc is considered the first electromagnetic generator.

How does the Faraday Disc generator work?

The Faraday Disc generator works by producing a small amount of direct current (DC) as the copper disc rotates between the poles of a magnet shaped like a horseshoe.

What is Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction (EMI)

The fundamental principle behind the operation of any electrical generator.

Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction or simply Induction predicts what?

The interaction between a magnetic field and an electric circuit that produces an electromotive force (EMF). This is the definition of induction.

What is induction?

Induction is a process by which an electrical conductor becomes electrified when near a charged body. Induction is also a process by which an electromagnetic force (EMF) is produced in a circuit by varying the magnetic field linked with the circuit.

Electromotive Force (EMF)

A difference in potential that gives rise to an electric current.

Magnets

Pieces of metal with attraction to other metal objects, producing invisible magnetic fields.

Magnetic Field

The invisible area around a magnet that attracts certain materials such as iron, steel, and cobalt. Magnetic fields are a force exerted on objects.

Permanent Magnet

A magnet that retains its magnetism without an external force or electrical current.

Electromagnet

A magnet that creates a magnetic field when electricity flows through a coil of wire. The magnetic field disappears when the current is turned off.

AC Generator

Converts mechanical energy into alternating current (AC) power. AC generators work on the same principle as induction motors using electromagnetic induction.

Induction Motors

Convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. Induction motors are the most common type of motor in the world.

Induction Generator

Turns mechanical energy into electrical energy, opposite of a motor.

AC Motor/Generator Main Part 1

A shaft mounted wire wound armature (rotor) “rotating”.

AC Motor/Generator Main Part 2

A magnetic field system, (stator field) “stationary”.

AC Motor/Generator Main Part 3

Brushes and commutators (brush assembly).

Armature

The rotating coil or coils of a dynamo or electric motor that carries the AC current. The armature windings conduct AC even on DC direct current machines.

Stator

The stationary part of a rotating system where energy flows to or from the rotating component. The stator provides the rotating electric field that drives the rotating armature.