Steam Power, Hydroelectric, and Diesel Power Plant Lecture Notes

Flashcards based on lecture notes about the components, operation, and terminology related to steam power plants, hydroelectric power plants, and diesel power plants.

What is the primary working fluid in a steam power plant?

Steam

What is the main function of a boiler in a steam power plant?

To heat water to generate steam

List four factors affecting boiler performance?

Periodical cleaning, soot blowing, water treatment, draft control, excess air control, percentage loading, steam pressure/temperature, boiler insulation, fuel quality

What does MCR stand for in boiler terminology?

Maximum Continuous Rating

Define boiler rating in terms of equivalent evaporation.

Capacity to generate steam specified as kg of steam / hour at 100°C.

Name four common definitions of efficiency in the boiler industry.

Combustion efficiency, thermal efficiency, boiler efficiency, and fuel to steam efficiency

What is boiler turndown?

Ratio between full boiler output and output at low fire (typically 4:1)

Define stoichiometric air.

Theoretically needed air to burn a unit quantity of fuel completely

What is balanced draught?

Furnace gas pressure is at or slightly below atmospheric pressure.

Explain the difference between Gross Calorific Value (GCV) and Net Calorific Value (NCV).

GCV assumes water produced by combustion is condensed, NCV assumes it remains as vapor.

What is the purpose of blow down in boiler operations?

Removal of water to control the concentration of dissolved and suspended solids.

Differentiate between wet, dry, and superheated steam.

Wet steam contains moisture; dry steam contains no moisture; superheated steam is heated above its saturation temperature.

What does oxygen trim do?

Sensor measures flue gas oxygen and a closed loop controller compares the actual oxygen level to the desired oxygen level.

What are common heat transfer mediums?

Steam and Hot water

What are the advantages of using steam as a heat transfer medium?

As a gas, it is compressible. At high pressure it can carry larger quantities of heat with relatively small volume

When the high-pressure steam from the boilers is directed into a turbine, what happens?

The turbine blades are turned by the force of the steam’s high- speed flow; steam’s high-pressure energy is converted into rotational mechanical energy

Write a brief description of a generator?

Consists of coils of wire within a magnetic field and produces electrical energy

What happens to the steam after passing through the turbine?

It is directed to the condenser.

What are the two main types of steam power plants?

Conventional (fossil fuels) and Nuclear

Provide 2 advantages of steam power plants.

Low initial cost, Less Land Required, Fuel Flexibility, Easy Installation, Scalability

Provide 2 disadvantages of steam power plants.

Low Efficiency, Environmental Impact, High Running Costs, Water Requirements, Noise Pollution

List the major components of a hydroelectric plant.

Forebay, Intake structure, Penstock, Surge chamber, Hydraulic turbines, Power house, Draft tube, Tailrace

What are hydraulic turbines used for?

For the production of power are known as hydraulic turbines.

Name the main types of hydraulic turbines?

Impulse turbines and Reaction turbines

What are the three main turbines named after their inventors?

Pelton, Francis, and Kaplan.

What different headings can turbines be classified under?

Action of water, Direction of flow, Available Head, Specific Speed

List the different turbine efficiencies?

Hydraulic efficiency, Turbine efficiency, Mechanical efficiency, Generator efficiency, Overall efficiency, Volumetric efficiency

What type of turbine is the Pelton turbine (or Pelton wheel)?

Tangential flow impulse turbine.

What is the function of Diesel Fuel?

A combustible liquid that powers diesel engines.

Name three types of Diesel Fuel?

Petro diesel, Biodiesel, Cetane

List four Diesel Engine Accessories.

Turbochargers, Intercoolers, Programmer, Water methanol injector, Class V Hitch

Give three components of Diesel Engines.

Cylinder block, Cylinders, Cylinder head, Head gasket, Piston, Connecting rods, Crankshaft, Flywheel, Intake manifold, Intake valves, Exhaust manifold, Exhaust valves, Camshafts, Fuel injector, Fuel filter, Fuel pump, Fuel lines, Fuel pressure regulator, Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, Timing belt, Glow plugs, Governor, Compressor, Compressor inducer, Compressor exducer

Name four Diesel Engine Systems.

Cooling system, Lubrication system, Exhaust system, Fuel system, Common-rail fuel injection system, Air intake system, Accessory drive

Provide 3 examples of Diesel Engine Performance indicators

Horsepower, Torque, Thermal efficiency, Compression ratio, Displacement, Transient response time, Drive pressure, Turbo lag

List four examples of Diesel Technology used today.

Diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC), Selective catalyst reduction systems (SCR), Diesel particulate filter (DPF), Engine Control Module (ECM)

Describe key details about pistons.

A component that moves up and down inside the cylinder, converts combustion energy into mechanical force, and is connected to the crankshaft via connecting rods.

What is the purpose of the thermostat in a Diesel Engine Cooling System?

Regulates engine temperature

What components are typical of the Diesel Engine Fuel Flowpath?

Fuel Injectors, Fuel Filter, Fuel Pump, Oil Cooler