What is a Power Plant?

A power plant (also known as a power station or power generating station), is an industrial location that
is utilized for the generation and distribution of electric power on a mass scale. Many power stations
contain one or more generators, a rotating machine that converts mechanical power into three-phase
electric power (these are also known as an alternator). The relative motion between a magnetic field
and an electrical conductor creates an electric current.

Power plants are usually located in suburban areas or far from cities due to their need for large amounts
of land and water, as well as requirements for waste disposal.

For this reason, a power generating station has to not only concern itself with the efficient generation of
power, but also in the transmission of this power. This is why power plants are often closely
accompanied by transformer switchyards. These switchyards increase the transmission voltage of the
power, which allows it to be more efficiently transmitted over long distances.

The energy source used to turn the generator shaft varies and depends on the type of fuel. This fuel
choice determines the type of power plant, classifying them accordingly.

Types Of Power Plants

Types of Power Plants

The different types of power plants are classified depending on the type of fuel used. For the purpose of
bulk power generation, thermal, nuclear, and hydropower are the most efficient. A power generating
station can be broadly classified into the three above-mentioned types. Let us have a look at these types
of power stations in detail.

Thermal Power Station

A thermal power station or a coal fired thermal power plant is by far, the most conventional method of
generating electric power with reasonably high efficiency. It uses coal as the primary fuel to boil the
water available to superheated steam for driving the steam turbine.
The steam turbine is then mechanically coupled to an alternator rotor, the rotation of which results in
the generation of electric power. Generally in India, bituminous coal or brown coal are used as fuel of
boiler which has volatile content ranging from 8 to 33% and ash content 5 to 16 %. To enhance the
thermal efficiency of the plant, the coal is used in the boiler in its pulverized form.

In coal fired thermal power plant, steam is obtained in very high pressure inside the steam boiler by
burning the pulverized coal. This steam is then super heated in the super heater to extreme high
temperature. This super heated steam is then allowed to enter into the turbine, as the turbine blades
are rotated by the pressure of the steam.

The turbine is mechanically coupled with alternator in a way that its rotor will rotate with the rotation of
turbine blades. After entering into the turbine, the steam pressure suddenly falls leading to
corresponding increase in the steam volume.

After having imparted energy into the turbine rotors, the steam is made to pass out of the turbine
blades into the steam condenser of the turbine. In the condenser, cold water at ambient temperature is
circulated with the help of a pump which leads to the condensation of the low-pressure wet steam.

Then this condensed water is further supplied to low pressure water heater where the low pressure
steam increases the temperature of this feed water, it is again heated in high pressure. This outlines the
basic working methodology of a thermal power plant.

Advantages of Thermal Power Plants

Fuel used i.e coal is quite cheaper.

Initial cost is less as compared to other generating stations.

It requires less space as compared to hydro-electric power stations.

Disadvantages of Thermal Power Plants

It pollutes atmosphere due to production of smoke and fumes.

Running cost of the power plant is more than hydro electric plant.

Nuclear Power Station

Nuclear power plants are similar to thermal stations in more ways than one. However, the exception
here is that radioactive elements like uranium and thorium are used as the primary fuel in place of coal.
Also in a Nuclear station, the furnace and the boiler are replaced by the nuclear reactor and the heat
exchanger tubes.

For the process of nuclear power generation, the radioactive fuels are made to undergo fission reaction
within the nuclear reactors. The fission reaction, propagates like a controlled chain reaction and is
accompanied by unprecedented amount of energy produced, which is manifested in the form of heat.

This heat is then transferred to the water present in the heat exchanger tubes. As a result, super heated
steam at very high temperature is produced. Once the process of steam formation is accomplished, the
remaining process is exactly similar to a thermal power plant, as this steam will further drive the turbine
blades to generate electricity.

Hydro-Electric Power Station

In Hydroelectric plants, the energy of the falling water is utilized to drive the turbine which in turn runs
the generator to produce electricity. Rain falling upon the earth’s surface has potential energy relative
to the oceans towards which it flows. This energy is converted to shaft work where the waterfalls
through an appreciable vertical distance. The hydraulic power is, therefore, a naturally available
renewable energy given by the equation:

P = gρ QH

Where, g = acceleration due to gravity = 9.81 m/sec 2

ρ = density of water = 1000 kg/m3

H = height of fall of water.

This power is used to rotate the alternator shaft, converting it into electrical energy.

An important point to be noted is that the hydro-electric plants are of much lower capacity compared to
their thermal or nuclear counterpart.

For this reason, hydro plants are generally used in scheduling with thermal stations, to serve the load
during peak hours. They in a way assist the thermal or the nuclear plant to deliver power efficiently
during periods of peak hours.
Advantages of Hydro Electric Power Station

It requires no fuel, water is used for generation of electrical energy.

It is neat and clean energy generation.

Construction is simple, less maintenance is required.

It helps in irrigation and flood control also.

Disadvantages Hydro Electric Power Station

It involves high capital cost due to dam construction.

Availability of water depends upon weather conditions.

It requires high transmission cost as the plant is located in hilly areas.

Types of Power Generation

As mentioned above, depending on the type of fuel used, the power generating stations as well as the
types of power generation are classified. Therefore the 3 major classifications for power production in
reasonably large scale are:

Thermal power generation

Nuclear power generation

Hydro-electric power generation

Apart from these major types of power generations, we can resort to small scale generation techniques
as well, to serve the discrete demands. These are often referred to as the alternative methods or non
conventional energy of power generation and can be classified as :-

Solar power generation. (making use of the available solar energy)

Geo-thermal power generation. (Energy available in the Earth’s crust)

Tidal power generation.

Wind power generation (energy available from the wind turbines)

These alternative sources of generation has been given due importance in the last few decades owing to
the depleting amount of the natural fuels available to us. In the centuries to come, a stage might be
reached when several countries across the globe would run out of their entire reserve for fossil fuels.

The only way forward would then lie in the mercy of these alternative sources of energy which might
play an instrumental role in shaping the energy supplies of the future. For this reason, these might
rightfully be referred to as the energy of the future.