Power Generation

System
Power system:
It consists of all most all electrical equipment and they are placed
at different locations depends on requirement and all of them working
together for the purpose of supplying electrical energy to consumer on
economical basis.

Main components are:

• Generation – production of electricity from primary energy sources.
• Transmission – transport of bulk power over long distance.
• Distribution – supply of electricity to end users.
Types of Generation:
1. Conventional type Ex.: Thermal, Hydel, Steam, Nuclear,
Diesel , Gas etc. These have been the backbone of industrial
development since the 19th century.
 Bulk power generation in terms of MW & kV
 Generate High voltages
 Installation cost is more and running cost is less
 Synchronous generators are used (Constant speed). Ex.:
Alternators
 Transmission of power for long distances and then connected
to distribution system
Types of Generation:
2. Non-conventional type Ex.: Solar, Wind, Tidal, Biomass,
Geothermal etc., which aim to address sustainability and
environmental issues.
 Generation in terms of kW &Volts
 Generate Low voltages
 Installation cost is less and running cost is more
 Asynchronous generators are used (variable speed).
Ex. : Induction generators
 No question of transmission of power and only connected to
distribution of power
The selection of a generation system depends on
factors like:
Fuel availability and cost
Plant efficiency and reliability
Environmental impact
Load demand and location
Initial investment vs. running cost
The IEA provides a data from 1990-2017 and
2020 of the World Total Primary Energy Supply.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

1. Thermal Power Plant (Coal-Fired)

 History: First large coal power plant built in 1882

(Edison’s Pearl Street Station).
 Main Components: Boiler, steam turbine, condenser,
generator, cooling tower.
 Efficiency: 30–40%. Supercritical plants can reach 45–
50%.
 Site Selection Factors: Near coal mines, water availability,
transport facilities, distance from populated areas.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

Working Principle:
• Coal is pulverized and burned in a boiler.
• Heat converts water into high-pressure steam.
• Steam drives a turbine connected to an alternator.
• Exhaust steam is condensed back into water for reuse.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

Advantages:
• Large-scale continuous generation (base load).
• Mature and reliable technology.
Disadvantages:
• Major source of greenhouse gases.
• Requires continuous fuel supply.
• Ash disposal problems.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

2. Hydroelectric Power Plant

 History: First hydroelectric plant in Appleton, Wisconsin

(1882).
 Main Components: Dam, reservoir, penstock, turbine,
generator, tailrace.
 Efficiency: 85–90% (highest among all).
 Site Selection Factors: River with high flow, elevation
difference (head), geology for dam construction
Conventional Power Generation Systems
Working Principle:
• Water stored at height (dam) and flows through penstock.
• Water hits turbine blades (Francis, Kaplan, Pelton).
• Turbine shaft drives alternator and electricity produced.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

Advantages:
• Renewable and clean.
• Provides flood control and irrigation.
Disadvantages:
• Expensive to build.
• Displacement of people and wildlife.
• Depends on rainfall.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

3. Nuclear Power Plant

 History: First nuclear plant was Obninsk, USSR (1954).

 Main Components: Reactor core, control rods, coolant,
steam generator, turbine, containment building.
 Efficiency: 33–37%.
 Site Selection: Away from population, access to water,
stable geology.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

Working Principle:
• Nuclear power plants work on the principle of nuclear fission,
where Uranium or Plutonium atoms are split to release heat
energy.
• The heat is absorbed by a coolant, which transfers it to water,
producing high-pressure steam.
• The steam drives a turbine connected to an alternator, generating
electricity.
• Afterward, the steam is cooled in a condenser and recycled back
into the system.
Conventional Power Generation Systems
Conventional Power Generation Systems

Advantages:
• Huge energy from small fuel quantity.
• Low greenhouse gas emissions.
Disadvantages:
• High construction cost.
• Radioactive waste disposal problem.
• Risk of accidents (Chernobyl, Fukushima).
Conventional Power Generation Systems

4. Diesel Power Plant

 Working Principle:
• Diesel engine drives alternator directly.
• Internal combustion releases energy in cylinders and
crankshaft into generator.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

Efficiency: 35–40%.
Applications: Emergency backup, small towns, remote
areas.
Advantages:
• Quick starting.
• Simple design, less space required.
Disadvantages:
• High fuel cost.
• Air and noise pollution.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

5. Gas Turbine Power Plant

Working Principle:
• Natural gas burned in combustion chamber.
• High-pressure hot gases expand in turbine.
• Shaft rotates generator.
Conventional Power Generation Systems

Efficiency: 25–35% (simple cycle); 55–60% (combined

cycle).
Applications: Peak load plants, aircraft, backup.
Advantages:
• High efficiency (with combined cycle).
• Quick start.
Disadvantages:
• Requires high-quality fuel.
• Expensive equipment.
 Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

1. Solar Power Generation System

We have 2 solar power generation:
1. PV (Photovoltaic) Power Plant
Working Principle:
• Photovoltaic panels are made
of many small photovoltaic
cells.
• Those cells absorb sunlight and
convert it into electrical energy.
• The absurd sunlight excites
electrons in the PV and it
generates direct current.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

2. Solar Thermal (CSP) Power

Plant
 Working Principle:
• Mirrors or lenses focus
sunlight into a receiver,
heating fluid to high
temperature.
• The hot fluid is used to
generate steam.
• The steam drives a turbine
connected to a generator.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

 Efficiency: PV ~15–25%, CSP ~30–35%.

 Advantages:
• Uses renewable and abundant sunlight as fuel.
• Environmentally friendly, produces no air pollution or greenhouse
gases.
• Low operating cost once installed, since sunlight is free.
• Can be installed on small or large scales, from rooftops to solar farms.
• Simple maintenance compared to conventional plants.
 Disadvantages:
• High initial cost for installation of panels and equipment.
• Intermittent supply since it depends on sunlight and weather.
• Energy storage (batteries) is expensive if power is needed at night.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

2. Wind Power System

Working Principle:
• The kinetic energy of moving air (wind) rotates the blades of a wind
turbine.
• The blades turn a shaft connected to a generator.
• The generator converts the rotational motion into electricity.
.

Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

Efficiency: ~30–45%.
Advantages:
• Renewable and clean, produces no air pollution or greenhouse
gases.
• Low operating cost once turbines are installed.
• Can be built on farmland or coastal areas, allowing dual land use.
• Helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Disadvantages:
• Intermittent source, depends on wind availability and speed.
• Requires large land area for wind farms.
• Can cause noise and visual impact on nearby communities.
• May pose risks to birds and bats flying near turbines
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

3. Tidal Power System

Working Principle: Uses rise and fall of

ocean tides to spin turbines.
Types: Barrage, tidal stream.
Efficiency: 70–80%.
Advantages: Predictable, renewable.
Disadvantages: Few suitable sites, costly.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

Barrage Working Principle:

• A dam-like structure (barrage)
is built across an estuary or
tidal river.
• When the tide rises, water
flows into the reservoir
behind the barrage.
• During low tide, the stored
water is released through
turbines, generating
electricity.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

 Tidal Stream Working

Principle:
• Uses the natural flow of tidal
currents in the ocean or sea.
• Underwater turbines (like
underwater wind turbines) are
placed in fast tidal streams.
• The moving water directly
rotates the turbine blades,
driving a generator to produce
electricity.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

4. Biomass Power System

 Sources: Agricultural waste, wood, municipal solid

waste.
 Conversion Methods: Direct combustion,
anaerobic digestion, gasification.
 Efficiency: 20–30%.
 Advantages: Waste management, renewable.
 Disadvantages: Needs large land, emissions if
uncontrolled.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems
Direct Combustion Method:
• Biomass materials such as wood,
crop residues, or municipal waste
are burned directly in a furnace or
boiler.
• The heat from combustion
produces steam, which is used to
rotate a turbine connected to a
generator.
• This is the simplest and most
common biomass to electricity
method.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

Anaerobic Digestion Method:

• Organic waste such as animal
manure, sewage, or food waste
is placed in an airtight digester.
• Microorganisms break down
the material in the absence of
oxygen, producing biogas
(mainly methane and carbon
dioxide).
• The biogas is then burned in an
engine or turbine to generate
electricity.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

Gasification Method:
• Biomass is heated to high
temperatures with a limited
supply of oxygen or steam.
• Instead of burning
completely, the biomass
converts into a syngas
(mixture of carbon monoxide,
hydrogen, and methane).
• The syngas is cleaned and
then used to fuel a gas turbine
or engine to produce
electricity.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

5. Geothermal Power Plant

 Working Principle:
• Heat from the Earth’s interior is
accessed through wells drilled deep
into hot rock or geothermal
reservoirs.
• Hot water or steam is brought to the
surface and directed to a turbine.
• The turbine rotates a generator,
producing electricity.
• After use, the cooled water is re-
injected back underground to sustain
the resource.
Non-Conventional (Renewable) Power Generation Systems

 Efficiency: 10–20% (low, but constant).

 Advantages:
• Provides a renewable and sustainable source of energy.
• Delivers a continuous and reliable power supply (not weather-dependent).
• Produces low greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels.
• Requires less land area than solar or wind farms.
 Disadvantages:
• Can only be built in geologically active areas with high geothermal resources.
• High initial drilling and construction costs.
• May cause land subsidence and release of small amounts of harmful gases
from underground.
• Resource locations are often far from major cities, requiring long
transmission lines.
 Comparison Table

Aspect Conventional Non-Conventional

Coal, oil, gas, nuclear, water (large Sun, wind, tides, biomass,
Source
dams) geothermal
Fuel Supply Limited, exhaustible Infinite, renewable
High (Carbon dioxide, Sulfur
Pollution Very low
dioxide, nitrogen oxides, radiation)
Efficiency 30–45% 10–90% (varies widely)

Initial Cost Moderate (except nuclear/hydro) High

Running Cost High (fuel cost) Low (mainly maintenance)

Reliability High, base load capable Variable, weather-dependent

Sustainability Not sustainable Sustainable, eco-friendly

 Conventional power plants like thermal, hydro, and nuclear remain the backbone
of electricity generation, but they face challenges such as pollution, high running
costs, and limited resources. Non-conventional power sources, though costly to
set up and location-dependent, are vital for sustainable development.

The future of power generation will rely on a hybrid mix:

• Renewable energy (solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biomass) integrated into the
grid.
• Improved storage systems (batteries, pumped hydro).
• Smart grids for balancing demand and supply.
• Gradual phase-out of coal and diesel plants.
• Sustainable power generation is no longer optional—it is a necessity for energy
security and environmental protection.