Energy

TargetTo know how electricity is generated in

power stations.

Monday, May 1, 2023

Starter

• This is a picture of the cooling towers of a power station-

• How you think the power station works to make electricity?

An electrical generator

• To make an electrical current move the magnet around the coil of wire

• The movement energy becomes electrical energy

coal train

cooling towers

CO2

The parts of a power station

1. The furnace – Fossil fuels burn in the air and boil water and make steam

The parts of a power station

2. The turbine – steam from the furnace blows onto the fins and turns the turbine axle.

The fins a real turbine

The turbine

The parts of a power station

3. The generator creates an electric current in the wires that lead out of the power station when it spins

Cooling towers

The gases escaping from the cooling towers are water vapour – these gases do not pollute the air – unlike carbon dioxide which is released from the furnaces.

The parts of a power station

4. Cooling towers release the excess steam to the air – the cooled water is recycled to the furnace.

The parts of a power station

1. The furnace – Fossil fuels burn in air, the heat boils water and makes steam2. The turbine – steam from the furnace blows onto the fins and turns the turbine axle.3. The generator creates an electric current in the wires that lead out of the power station when it spins4. Cooling towers release the excess steam to the air – the cooled water is recycled to the furnace.

The parts of a power station

Questions – Core Science 1 – page 240 to 241

turbine

generatorsteam

steamshaft

spinning

wirescarry

electricity

Furnace : fuel burning

Boiling water

3. The turbine shaft turns the generator: kinetic energy changes to electricity.

CO2 into the air

1.The fuel burns. Chemical energy changes to heat (which is used to make steam).

( the turbine is driven indirectly by the steam made from the fossil fuel)

2. Steam drives turbine : heat energy changes to kinetic

The pressure of the steam drives the turbine blades

which, in turn drive the generator.

Here you can see the scale of the generating hall producing

many millions of watts of power

Fossil fuel power stationsPower stations convert c__________ energy into h_______energy

then into k_________ and finally into e______ energy which is sold to

the consumer.

What are the different parts of a power station called?

________________________In what order does energy pass through a power station?

Boiler GeneratorTurbine

turbine

boiler

generator

Parts of power station

Device DescriptionInput

energyOutput energy

Boiler

Turbine

Generator

chemical heat

heat kinetic

kinetic electrical

Burns fuel to change water into steam

Steam turns the turbine

Turbine connected to generator makes electricity

Where is most of the energy lost? In the turbines

In what form is the energy lost? Heat energy

Plenary Questions

• 1a Name two other fossil fuels used in power stations.

b Why does the water need to be turned into steam? c What energy transfer takes place in the generator? d What are condensers used for at a power station?• 2 Draw an energy flow diagram for a coal-fired

power station.• 3 What greenhouse gas is produced by the furnaces?