Powerstation
Power Satations
Most electricity in the UK is generated in Thermal Power Stations.
Power Station
Coal, Oil, Gas, Nuclear power stations are all thermal power stations. The fuel is used to heat water to produce steam. This pressurized steam is used to turn a turbine.
Power Station
The turbine turns a large coil of wire inside powerful electro magnets. This creates the electricity.
Power Station
Transformers are used to increase the voltage of the electricity. It is more efficient if electricity is transported to homes and factories in cables at very high voltages.
Power Station
A transformer near where the electricity will be used reduces the voltages for the customer.
Power Station
About 30% of the energy from the power station is lost in this process.
Power Station
Thermal power stations typically lose a further 30% of the energy from the fuel as waste heat.
Power Station
In a Combined Heat and Power station, after the steam has turned the turbine and condensed to hot water, it is sent through insulated pipes to nearby houses or businesses.
Power Station
Around 50% of the energy used in our homes is used to heat our homes and our water. Using the waste heat from the power station to do this is a more efficient use of the fuel.
Power Station
Coal fired power stations produce around 900g of carbon dioxide for each kWh of electricity produced.
Power Station
Power station operators can reduce this figure by co-firing. This is when biomass, such as peanut shells, even waste from abattoirs can be burnt as fuel with the coal.
Power Station
It is possible to only burn wood in a thermal power station. However land is needed to grow trees, and the trees have to be transported to the power station. It is more efficient to use wood to produce heat in peoples’ homes.
Activities
Activity 1
Find out how a magnet and wires can convert kinetic energy to electricity
Activity 2
Use a text book to find out about transformers.
Activity 3
Here is a Stirling Engine. Download the fact sheet on how it works and find out what it has to do with CHP.
Activity 4
List the ways energy is used in Wales. Find out how much is used as electricity.
Activity 5
Burning wood is said to be carbon neutral. Draw the carbon cycle for a piece of firewood.