INTRODUCTION TO

POWER GENERATION

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 DESCRIBES THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF POWER PLANTS
 KNOW THE TYPES OF FUELS,
 UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF POWER PLANT,AND
 UNDERSTAND THE TYPES OF POWER PLANTS,

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 6.0 INTRODUCTION

ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS ARE

• MOST COMPLEX SYSTEMS BUILT BY MANKIND.
• LARGE
• VERY EXPENSIVE.
• COMPLEX - PHYSICAL SIZE - NUMBER OF INTERACTING VARIABLES.

A power system comes in to existence considering the energy

requirements of modern society.

Modern societies have load centers at

• Cities - air-conditioning and lighting load,
• Industries in industrial towns - induction motor loads and
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• Other large electrical power consumers.
• SOURCES OF ENERGY ARE
• FOSSIL FUELS LIKE COAL,
• NATURAL GAS AND DIESEL,
• NUCLEAR POWER
• HYDEL (HYDRO ELECTRIC) POWER.

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 GENERATING STATIONS

• Use sources of energy (fossil / hydro nuclear)

• Built to generate power up to several thousands of
MW.
• Location of generating plants away from towns and
load centers
• Accessibility to hydel power / coal at mines or shipping
ports
• Due to environmental concerns of coal ash
• Dangers of nuclear power plant 5
Electric transmission systems are created to transport power from large
generating stations to load centers

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Complete modeling of a power system is a complicated,
challenging and difficult task.
In pursuit of understanding, building mathematical models
and managing these complex power systems, this chapter
shall:

(i) discuss various types of elements of a power system.

(Ii) create simple models of these power system elements.
(Iii) develop an overall representation scheme.

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6.1 COMPONENTS OF A POWER SYSTEM

The components of typical power system are listed below:

(a) Generator.

(b) Transmission system comprising of the following:

-Main transmission system.
-Distribution system.
-Inter-system tie lines.
-Transformer.

(c) Loads.
(d) Main energy control center.
(e) Protective devices.
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COMPONENTS OF POWER SYSTEM

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6.2 GENERATION
Generators are the hearts of a power system.
They develop electric power and supply to the power system.

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6.2.1TYPES OF CONVENTIONAL GENERATING
STATIONS:
A) THERMAL POWER STATIONS
-Thermal generating stations produce most of the electrical energy.
-They produce electricity from the heat released by the
combustion of coal, oil, or natural gas.
-Most of the stations have ratings between 200mw and
1500mw
-such a station has to be seen to appreciate its enormous
complexity and size.
-Thermal stations are usually located near a river or lake
-the efficiency of thermal generating stations is always low

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MAKEUP OF A THERMAL GENERATING
STATION

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ADVANTAGES
• The fuel (i.e. Coal) used is quite cheap.
• Less initial cost as compared to other generating stations.
• It can be installed at any place irrespective of the
existence of coal. The coal can be transported to the site
of the plant by rail or road.
• It requires less space as compared to the hydro-electric
power station.
• The cost of generation is lesser than that of the diesel
power station.

DISADVANTAGES
• It pollutes the atmosphere due to the production of large
amount of smoke and fumes.
• It is costlier in running cost as compared to hydro-electric
plant.
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B) NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION

Nuclear stations produce electricity from the heat released by a

nuclear reaction.
When the nucleus of an atom splits in two (a process called atomic
fission), a considerable amount of energy is released.
A nuclear station is identical to a thermal station except that the
boiler is replaced by a nuclear reactor.
The reactor contains the fissile material that generates the heat.
A nuclear station contains a synchronous generator, steam turbine,
condenser and so on.
Similar to those found in conventional thermal station. A cooling
system must be provided; therefore, nuclear stations are located
close to river and lakes.
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Energy released by atomic fission:
When the nucleus of an atom fissions, it splits in two. The
total mass of the two atoms formed in this way is usually less
than that of the original atom.
There is a loss in mass, energy is released according to
Einstein’ equation:

Where,
E = energy released [J]
m= loss of mass [kg]
c = speed of light [3x108 m/s]
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Nuclear power provides the world with around 11% of its
total electricity, with the largest producers being the United
States and France.[1]

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TYPES OF A NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION

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• More than 65% of the commercial reactors in the united
states are pressurized-water reactors or pwrs. These
reactors pump water into the reactor core under high
pressure to prevent the water from boiling.
• The water in the core is heated by nuclear fission and then
pumped into tubes inside a heat exchanger. Those tubes
heat a separate water source to create steam. The steam
then turns an electric generator to produce electricity.
• The core water cycles back to the reactor to be reheated
and the process is repeated.
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• BWRs heat water and produce steam directly inside
the reactor vessel. Water is pumped up through the
reactor core and heated by fission. Pipes then feed
the steam directly to a turbine to produce
electricity.
• The unused steam is then condensed back to water
and reused in the heating process.

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 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• The amount of fuel required is • Waste is radioactive and safe
quite small. Therefore, there is a disposal is very difficult and
considerable saving in the cost of expensive.
fuel transportation.
• Local thermal pollution from
• Produces no polluting gases.
wastewater affects marine life.
• Very low fuel costs.
• Large-scale accidents can be
• Low fuel quantity reduces mining catastrophic.
and transportation effects on
environment. • Costs of building and safely
decommissioning are very high.
• Does not contribute to global
warming. • Cannot react quickly to changes
in electricity demand.
• Power station has very long
lifetime. 23
 B) HYDROPOWER GENERATING STATIONS
• Hydropower generating stations convert the energy of
moving water into electrical energy by means of a
hydraulic turbine coupled to synchronous generator.
• The power that can be extracted from a waterfall
depends upon its height and rate of flow.
•The size and physical location of a hydropower station
depends, therefore, on these two factors.

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• Hydropower is the world’s biggest source of renewable power
generation with a total installed capacity of more than 1,307GW.
It is expected to remain the biggest source during the period
between 2019 and 2024, according to a report of the
international energy agency (IEA).
• World’s biggest hydroelectric power plants: top ten by capacity
1. THREE GORGES DAM – 22.5GW
2. ITAIPU DAM – 14GW
3. XILUODU – 13.86GW
Https://[Link]/features/worlds-biggest-hydroelectric-
power-plants/
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Types of hydropower stations

Hydropower stations are divided into three groups depending

on the head of water.
i. High-head development. (More than 300m)
ii. Medium-head development. (Between 30m to 300m)
[Link]-head development. (Less than 30m)

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ADVANTAGES
• It requires no fuel as water is used for the
generation of electrical energy.
• It is quite neat and clean as no smoke or ash is
produced.
• It requires very small running charges because
water is the source of energy which is available
free of cost.
• It is comparatively simple in construction and
requires less maintenance.
• It does not require a long starting time like a
steam power station. In fact, such plants can be
put into service instantly.
• They also help in irrigation and controlling
floods.
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DISADVANTAGES
• It involves high capital cost due to construction of
dam.
• There is uncertainty about the availability of huge
amount of water due to dependence on weather
conditions.
• Skilled and experienced hands are required to
build the plant.
• It requires high cost of transmission lines as the plant
is located in hilly areas which are quite away from
the consumers. 29
 6.2.2 NON-CONVENTIONAL GENERATION
PLANTS
a) SOLAR ENERGY
• There are two distinct applications, (a) space and
water heating on a domestic scale, and (b)
central station, large-scale heat collection, used
for steam raising to generate electricity; both
influence power systems.
• In large-scale (central station) installations the
sun's rays may be concentrated by lenses or
mirrors. Both require accurately curved surfaces
and steering mechanisms to follow the motion of
the sun. Concentrators may be designed to follow
the sun’s seasonal movement, or additionally to
track the sun throughout the day.
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ACTIVE SOLAR SYSTEMS ARE:
• Flat solar collectors - serve to generate hot water or hot air
where the solar radiation is captured by an absorber in
which the heat is conveyed to the liquid or air. They may
cover as high as 60% of the annual household hot water
consumption or can also be the source of complementary
low-potential heating.

• Concentric collectors - serve to prepare hot water with

higher efficiency. Reflection channels with a parabolic
profile concentrate the sunrays to the tubes located in the
focal point with heat carrying liquid.

• Solar (photovoltaic) cells - work on the principle of the

photoelectric phenomenon and directly convert the light into
dc electric current. The basic types are:
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(b) TIDAL POWER
• Tidal power, sometimes called tidal energy, is a
form of hydropower that exploits the movement of
water caused by tidal currents or the rise and fall in
sea levels due to the tides.
• The tidal power is generated by the gravitational
pull of the moon on water. Due to these
gravitational forces the water level follows a
periodic high and low.
• The height of the tide produced at a given location
is the result of the changing positions of the moon
and sun relative to the earth coupled with the
effects of earth rotation and the local shape of the
sea floor.
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Tidal power can be classified into two main types:
• Tidal stream systems make use of the kinetic energy
from the moving water currents to power turbines, in
a similar way to wind mills use moving air. This
method is gaining in popularity because of the
lower cost and lower ecological impact.
• Barrages make use of the potential energy from the
difference in height (or head) between high and
low tides. Barrages suffer from the problems of
very high civil infrastructure costs, few viable sites
globally and environmental issues.

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(c) WIND POWER

• wind power is the world's fastest growing electricity

generation technology. wind is a renewable
resource because it is inexhaustible. it is a result of
the sun shining unevenly on the earth. the
corresponding daily and seasonal changes in
temperature consistently generate wind, producing
a fuel source that can never be depleted.
• there are two basic designs of wind electric
turbines: vertical-axis, or "egg-beater" style, and
horizontal-axis (propeller-style) machines.
horizontal-axis wind turbines are most common
today, constituting nearly all of the "utility-scale"
(100 kilowatts, kw, capacity and larger) turbines in
the global market.
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• WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS?
• WIND PLANTS PRODUCE NO AIR POLLUTION. THEY USE NO WATER,
AND THERE IS NO NEED TO TEAR UP THE LAND TO EXTRACT THE WIND
RESOURCE THAT PRODUCES WIND POWER.
• WIND POWER GENERATES THREE CATEGORIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS: VISUAL IMPACTS; NOISE POLLUTION; WILDLIFE IMPACTS .

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(d) GEOTHERMAL
• The heat from the earth's own molten core can be
converted into electricity. This core consists primarily of
extremely high temperature liquid rock known as
magma. This "geothermal" heat circulates within the
rock or is transferred to underground reservoirs of
water, which also circulate under the earth's crust.
Because of the near limitless ability of the earth to
produce magma, and the continuous transfer of heat
between subsurface rock and water, geothermal energy
is considered a renewable resource.
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• The geothermal resources tapped to generate electricity are
far more intense than those used for space heating and can
reside as deep as 10,000 feet below the earth's surface.
Capital costs for the construction of geothermal power
plants are much higher than for large coal-fired plants or
new natural gas turbine technologies
• Geothermal electricity generation technologies consist of
either "flash" technology or "binary" technology. With flash
technology, water from 300 to 700 degrees fahrenheit, but
still in liquid form, is piped from its highly pressurized
underground reservoir into a geothermal facility. Once this
super-heated water is released, it flashes into steam that
then drives a conventional turbine generator.
• With binary technology, underground reservoir waters of
lower temperatures are used for flashing. Heat from
geothermal water is transferred to a second (binary) liquid,
which flashes into vapor upon heating, and that vapor is
used to drive turbines. 39
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WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS?
• Flash technologies allow the geothermal fluid to expand and
release gases into the atmosphere when the steam is
created.
• Binary technology keeps the geothermal fluid contained,
using heat exchangers to capture heat to provide steam.
• Though these air emissions represent tiny quantities and
generally do not pose any serious environmental threat, the
chemical characteristics of geothermal resources are highly
site-specific. Dissolved gases usually include carbon dioxide
(CO2), methane, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, nitrogen and
hydrogen.
• Groundwater contamination, which can be easily prevented,
is the principal pollution concern.
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CONVENTIONAL
Convert the native forms of energy - Energy stored in fossil fuel
(coal / petroleum) - Nuclear energy
To electric energy.
They use up the energy content of the medium
Non-renewable.
High Pollution
Supply 80 % of energy requirement

NON- CONVENTIONAL
Do -not deplete natural resources
Cause no pollution and less impact on environment.
Renewable
They contribute to 0.5 % or lesser of the total power requirement.
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NON-CONVENTIONAL/ RENEWABLE GENERATION

No. Name Source of energy

1 Solar Sunlight

2 Wind turbine Wind

3 Tidal power Ocean tide

4 Geothermal Heat from earth’s crust (hot spring)

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World Electricity production by source 2018

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ELECTRICITY DEMAND

Demand curve during

summer and winter day

Demand curve during

one year

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G.S. LOAD-BASED CLASSIFICATION

• BASE GENERATING STATIONS GENERATE THROUGHOUT THE

YEAR EXCLUDING SHUT DOWN DURING MAINTENANCE.

• THE PEAKING UNITS SWITCH ON AND OFF IN A DAY TO MEET

THE PEAKING LOADS

• BASE LOAD GENERATORS, CATER TO THE BASE LOAD AND MOST

OF THE INTERMEDIATE LOAD

• THE PEAKING GENERATORS MANAGE THE PEAKING LOADS.

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Load duration curve of a large electric utility system.

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6.3 TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY

• SOME BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSMISSION AND

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM:
a. Provide, at all times, the power that consumers
need.
b. Maintain a stable, nominal voltage that dose not
vary by more than  10%.
c. Maintain a stable frequency that dose not vary by
more than  0.1 %.
d. Supply energy at an acceptable price.
e. Meet standards of safety.
f. Respect environmental standards 48
Electrical power utilities divide their power distribution systems
into two major categories:
i. Transmission system in which the line voltage is roughly
between 115 kV and 800 kV.
ii. Distribution systems in which the voltage generally lies
between 120V and 69kV.
Distribution system in turn are divided into medium-voltage
distribution systems (2.4 kV to 69 kV) and low-voltage distribution
systems (120V to 600V)

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CONT…

Types of power lines

The design of a power line depends upon the following criteria:
a. The amount of active power it has to transmit.
b. The distance over which the power must be carried.
c. The cost of power line.
d. Esthetic considerations, urban congestion, ease of installation, and expected
load growth.

Therefore, they can be broadly classified into four types according

to their voltage class;
Low-voltage (LV) lines. Medium-voltage (MV) lines.

High-voltage (HV) lines. Extra-high-voltage lines

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DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Substations
Substations are used throughout an electrical system. Starting with the
generating station,
Substation raises the medium-voltage generated by the synchronous
generators to the high-voltage needed to transmit the energy
economically.
The high transmission-line voltage is then reduced in those
substations located close to the power consuming centers.

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Single-line diagram of a generation, transmission, and distribution
system.

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 6.3.1 HIGH VOLTAGE POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

• NEED FOR HIGHER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM VOLTAGES?

• EVALUATE THE CASES WITH SOURCES OF TWO
DIFFERENT VOLTAGES:

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COMPARISON BETWEEN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
WITH DIFFERENT VOLTAGE LEVELS

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CASE 1, AS COMPARED TO THE CASE 2:
• VOLTAGE DROP IS ONE TENTH,
• VOLTAGE REGULATION IS HUNDRED TIMES BETTER AND
• POWER LOSS IN TRANSMISSION LINE IN ONE
HUNDREDTH.
• LESSER RECURRING COSTS

• HIGH VOLTAGE LINES - HIGH CAPITAL COSTS -

LESSER RECURRING COSTS
(BULK POWER TRANSFER - LONG DISTANCE)
• LOW VOLTAGE LINES - LOW CAPITAL COSTS - HIGH
RECURRING COSTS
(LOW POWER TRANSFER - SHORT DISTANCE)
• THE POWER SYSTEM PLANNER SHALL CHOOSE AN
APPROPRIATE COMPROMISE
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6.3.2 INTER-SYSTEM TIES

•Stability
•Continuity of service
•Economy
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•Long term - power purchase / sale agreement
 6.3.3 TRANSFORMERS

Transformers categories - based upon their application:

Power transformer ( up to 500 MW) -Connects transmission

grid to sub-transmission grid

Generating transformer (up to 500 MW) -Connects a generator at

30 kV to 60 kV to Transmission grid or sub-transmission grid at
400 kV / 230 kV / 110 kV.

Distribution transformers (up to 5 MW) -Connects the

distribution system to low voltage customers.
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 6.4 LOADS

Loads on the power system may be categorized in several ways.

First categorization breaks them to

(a) Domestic / house loads - household appliances.

(b) Industrial loads - mainly induction motor loads, lighting

loads, air conditioners, resistive heating loads and other
appliances.
Domestic load is cyclic and seasonal (winter / summer)
Agricultural load - based on rains.
Industrial loads mostly exist throughout 24 hours
Different growth patterns based on the demand of the society .

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 6.5 ENERGY CONTROL CENTER
• POWER SYSTEM HAS NUMEROUS ELEMENTS:
I) GENERATING STATIONS,
II) TRANSMISSION NETWORK - TRANSMISSION LINES
– TRANSFORMERS AND OTHERS
III) LOADS. (RANDOM)
• ITEMS (I) AND (II) MAY BE CONTROLLED TO ACHIEVE HIGH
DEGREE OF EFFICIENCY, PROFITABILITY AND GOOD
QUALITY OF SERVICE.
• THE PERSON IN-CHARGE - “LOAD DISPATCHER”.
• SCHEDULES - GENERATING STATIONS’ POWER OUTPUT -
OTHER CONTROLS LIKE TRANSFORMER TAPS, ETC.
• MONITORS THRO' SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA
ACQUISITION (SCADA)
• THE OFFICE OF THE LOAD DISPATCHER IS REFERRED TO AS
THE ENERGY CONTROL CENTER OR LOAD DISPATCH 64
CENTER (LDC).
6.6 PROTECTIVE DEVICES

• SURGE ARRESTERS
• DISCONNECT SWITCHES
• CIRCUIT BREAKERS
• CURRENT LIMITING REACTOR
• RELAYS AND PROTECTIVE DEVICES
• HORN-GAP SWITCHES
• GROUNDING SWITCHES
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