Heat Balance Diagram for Thermal Power Stations By Sonal Kulshreshtha

What is Heat Balance Diagram?

Heat Balance Diagram or HBD for Thermal Power Station is the basically schematic representation of the whole steam cycle from Boiler to High Pressure (HP) Turbines Intermediate Pressure (IP) Turbines and Low Pressure (LP) Turbines to condenser to pumps to re-heaters and again to boiler.

This diagram also contains some information of steam properties like Pressure Temperature, enthalpy and mass of the steam at every junction of the line.

What information the HBD has?

As mentioned above, Heat Balance Diagram or HBD has the heat equation at points before and after every component. Considering the first point after the boiler, knowing the steam properties, pressure and temperatures, other properties like enthalpy of the steam can also be determined. Knowing the efficiencies and considerations like pressure drop across the control valves, these properties along the cycle can be determined, thus the heat rate of the system. With help of heat rate, the mass of steam required can be determined.

Why it is important?

Heat Balance Diagram is generally one of the first produced diagrams and part of Process Control Diagrams(PCDs), by an engineering wing or consultancy while working on the specifications of the project (power plant). HBD helps to engineer the plant by way of providing the steam properties at different point across the steam cycle, thus providing vital information, helpful to design the whole system and supporting systems. In a way this diagram is critical to finalize the specifications of different components before initiating the bidding procedures by the consultants, especially working on EPC assignments.

HBD, in fact also helps in estimating the cost of the plant as well as it provides the heat rate, operational cost can also be estimated. Knowing the both costs, it is easier to decide on refining the specifications of components (comparing initial investments as well as the operational costs), before bidding process, as mentioned above.

Usually there has been no ways for the project owner to comment on the consultants decision about the specifications. Mostly it has to be dependent on individual discretion and experience and expertise. However, recently some software solutions have come to provide support to engineers, which can simulate the Heat Balance Diagram for engineers to understand the process in a better way and not only to comment over the design provided by consultants, but also provide an opportunity to increase the operating efficiencies, resulting into significant saving in operational costs. Some of such commercial software which are based on Rankine cycle are "Simple Heat Balance", Thermoflow, FCycle (All from different vendors) are now available which are quite accurate and affordable.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sonal_Kulshreshtha/1161455

Why We Must Quit Using Coal to Generate Electric Power

By Simon Lamberton

It is a fact that that coal and oil reserves are running out. Oil and coal reserves are discovered in large deposits deep underground or under the sea floor, but the largest of these oil and coal supplies have been completely tapped and it is becoming harder and harder to find new sources. The most important thing about fossil fuels is that they are finite. Once we've taken all of the oil and coal we can from the ground then there isn't any more.

Oil and coal are getting increasingly difficult to uncover, and eventually it is going to get to the point where the price of extracting it will become prohibitively high. It will not be long before oil and coal shall no longer be a practical method for powering our society.

Society is slowly but surely recognizing the very real likelihood of running out of fossil fuel within the century. As well as this, the release of hydrocarbons into the atmosphere is thought to be causing climate change. Obviously relying on classic fuels is not an option.

The cost of extracting coal and oil is showing up in increasing energy prices, both in the cost of refined fuels like gas and diesel, but additionally in the costs of electric power. A large proportion of power is produced by burning coal, which is used to create the steam to drive the generators that produce electricity.

There are many alternative ways of producing energy, and these power sources are infinite. Some of the most well-known ones are wind and solar.

Solar energy, coming straight from the sun, is among the most practical energy sources. The energy might be utilized directly as heat, or via the usage of photovoltaic cells it can be transformed into power. The technology behind solar energy is improving continuously and it is starting to become a viable alternative.

Wind power has been captured for 100's of years and put to use by man. For 100's of years we explored the seas making use of nothing but wind power. Our ancestors also learned how to utilize the wind to power windmills, and make use of that direct motion to smash grain or pump water among other varied uses. Recently, since the breakthrough discovery of magnetic induction by Michael Faraday in the early 19th century, wind power is able to be converted into electrical power.

Wind energy is genuinely a practical source of electrical power. Proof of this is found in the massive amount of money being invested in windfarms by power utilities and governments around the globe.

However, making use of alternative sources of energy does not need to take place on a massive scale. A lot of people are employing alternate energy technology in their own homes. Probably the most frequent method seen today are solar power panels being put into use for heating water and providing electrical energy.

More people today are looking to home windmills to create their own electric power. Even though there are a lot of really expensive choices when it comes to building home windmills, there are also d-i-y options that can help you to generate electrical power and lessen your reliance on the power grid.

Simon Lamberton is a bit of a greenie, and loves assisting individuals bust out of the norm. It is possible to reduce your dependence on fossil fuel, and start making your own electric power, and home windmills are a truly excellent method to achieve this.

Learn more about how to build a home windmill.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Simon_Lamberton/710967

Interesting Wind Power Facts - Compare to Coal and Oil Facts

By S. G. Fegan

One of the reasons wind power is being pushed by the environmentalists as one of the best substitutes for petroleum products is that you can find it everywhere, just walk outdoors and you have wind. It is an instant renewable resource at your fingertips. Other interesting wind power facts that provide even better reasons are that it is clean, no by-products, fewer green house emissions.

For some reason people would prefer to have thousands of tons of coal being burned sending carbon emissions into the atmosphere and buying even thousands of barrels of oil mostly from foreign countries who can jack up the price at will. They would prefer this than to having windmill farms in open areas nearby. They claim they are worried about the effect on the environment! The energy used to build these thing is minimal compared to what is being burned each day!

In that vein, here are some interesting wind power facts that demonstrate how much:

• A kilowatt-hour is how much electrical energy is used in one hour at the constant rate of one kilowatt. An average home in the United States will use about 8,900 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. A 1 megawatt (1 million kW) wind turbine, will provides energy to 650 households.
• In order to get the same 1MW of power that a giant wind turbine produces over 20 years it would take 92,000 barrels of oil, or 29,000 tons of coal.
• Another example of would be the fact that in 2006 in the U.S. as a whole, the wind energy capacity was just shy of 12,000MW. In order to get the same amount of electricity you would be burning 15 million tons of coal!
• You can see why it is surprising anyone would prefer using all that oil and coal when 1 wind turbine on a wind farm can give you the same amount for only the initial cost of installation.
• To make it seem real, wind power can also be used by individuals in the home with smaller wind turbines that range from 5 kW to 15kW. These can be bought through professional renewable energy companies or do-it-yourself kits can be bought to make it a fun project to try at home.
• Most power companies are even willing to buy back any extra electrical energy that was produced by a wind turbine, which can create an even greater savings and contribute to their use of renewable energy.

These are just a few of the interesting wind power facts that might interest anyone looking to add renewable energy resources to their home. Several states, like California and Texas have made great stride in reducing their need of coal and petroleum by producing a capacity of 7000+ MW by wind, and increasing these number each year.

S. G. Fegan maintains a website Cool Energy Projects where you can read more interesting wind power facts, and details on how to bring other sources of renewable energy into your home. Be sure to find access to the Free Renewable Energy and Other Money Saving Secrets For Your Home. Visit http://www.coolenergyprojects.com/ to learn about fun diy projects you could start this weekend!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/S._G._Fegan/756495