![]() ![]() Renewable energy power plants get their energy directly from their respective flows in order to generate electricity. This limits their efficiencies, which can be read about on the Carnot efficiency and entropy pages. Thermal power plants are all limited by the second law of thermodynamics, which means they cannot transform all of their heat energy into electricity. Solar thermal power plants use heat from the sun’s rays to create the steam that is needed to rotate the turbine.įigure 2.Some types of reactors include pressurized water reactors, CANDU reactors, RBMK reactors, and boiling water reactors. The power plants require the use of nuclear reactors to carry out these fission processes. It then works just like fossil fuel power plants where the steam spins a turbine, generating electricity. In these plants, uranium nuclei are split which creates the thermal energy needed to create steam. Nuclear power plants use fission processes to generate electricity. ![]() Types of fossil fuel plants include coal-fired power plants and natural gas power plants-accounting for the largest producers of electricity around the world (see data visualization below). Combined cycle gas plants use both the heat and steam as well. A simple cycle gas plant does not use steam like the others: it works similar to a jet engine where natural gas is ignited and burned and the heat creates pressure that turns the turbine.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |