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Energy and its transformation (Energy sources (Classification (By origin,…
Energy and its
transformation
Energy sources
Natural resources from which we obtain different forms of energy that can be transformed for a specific use
Uses
Household uses
the operating of electrical appliances, heating systems, hot water systems, heat for cooking and for means of transport
Industrial uses
the operating of factories and companies
Classification
By origin
secondary
primary
By use in each country
conventional
non-conventional
By availability in nature and capacity for regeneration
renewable
non-renewable
By environmental impact
clean or non-polluting
pollutants
Electricity
Electric power plants
Electrical power plants use an external source of energy to produce electricity. To do this, they rely on a turbine-alternator system.
An alternator has a fixed part, called a stator, and a moving part, called a rotor, connected to the turbine shaft
The turbine converts mechanical energy into the rotating movement of a shaft
they'rere facilities where pnmary or secondary energy is transformed into electricity, Once electricity is generated, it must be transported to towns, cities or industrial parks
Conventional electric power plants
Fossil fuel thermal power plants
At this type of power plant, water is heated in a boiler by the heat generated from the combustion of a fossil fuel, usually natural gas or coal
Hidroelectric power plants
This type of power plant uses the potential energy provided by the height of the stored water in a dam, converting it into kinetic energy
Nuclear power plants
this type of plant includes a nuclear fusion reactor that produces the pressurised steam needed to move the turbine rotor
Non-conventional electric power plants
solar power plants
These plants use the energy from the sun.
There are two main types of installations
photo-thermal power plant
photovoltaic power plant
Geothermal power plants
These plants use the heat found at deep levels in the earth. This heat may reach the surface in the form of steam, gases or hot water.
Wind power plants and wind farms
These power plants use the kinetic enery of the wind to move the blades of a rotor at the top of a tower; this is referred to as the wind turbine
Biomass thermal power plants
Biomass consists of all organic compounds that are produced through natural processes
This type of fuel is burnt at biomass power plants. The steam that is generated moves the turbine.
Ocean power plants
These power plants use the energy from the seas and the oceans.
They use three types of energy from the sea
the mechanical energy from the tides
the mechanical energy from the waves
the energy from the ocean's thermal gradient
it's the most widely used form of energy in industrialised societies because
it can be easily transformed
it can be transported long distances
Environmental impact
As part of a technical project, it's mandatory to carry out an environmental impact assessment to find out what changes it would provoke in the environment.
Environmental impacts
Fuel transport
Oil tankers can have accidents at sea, with the risk of oil spills.
Electricity generation
Large hyfroelectric power plants require water reservoirs covering large areas, which profoundly change the natural cycle of rivers, flood large land areas and destroy ecosystems, in addition to increasing the risk of accidents
Conventional thermal power plants
they produce air pollution
they emit large ammounts of CO2, which increases the greenhouse effect
They emit sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that cause acid rain, which is very harmful to the environment
the water used in the cooling system is returned to the environment while it's still warm, which affects both animal and plant life
Nuclear thermal power plants are accompained by the risk of nuclear accidents and the problem of nuclear waste
Extraction of natural resources
Final energy use
the fuels we use in vehicles and heating systems emit gases and particles similar to those generated by conventional thermal power plants
Waste treatment
To reduce the waste in thermal power plants
Use coal with a low sulphur content, to reduce acid rain
Maintain and increase the size of large forested areas, since they absorb carbon dioxide
Install special filtrers on the pipes to capture some of the gas pollutants
Waste from nuclear plants is stored in drums with thick sides that do not let the nuclear radiation escape