POWER PLANT ENGINEERING

1 – MARK Q&A’s

UNIT - 3
Level of
Marks
Q. No Short answer Questions Bloom CO
(1 M)
Taxonomy
1 What is a run-of-river plant? Level 1 CO 3 1M
Run-of-river hydroelectricity (ROR) or run-of-the-river
hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby
little or no water storage is provided. Run-of-the-river power
plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amount of
storage, in which case the storage reservoir is referred to as
pondage.
2 What is the function of surge tank? Level 2 CO 3 1M
A surge tank (or surge drum or surge pool) is a standpipe or
storage reservoir at the downstream end of a closed aqueduct,
feeder, dam, barrage pipe to absorb sudden rises of pressure, as
well as to quickly provide extra water during a brief drop in
pressure.
3 Which is the first hydro power plant in India? Level 3 CO 3 1M
Sidrapong Hydroelectric Power Station
Sidrapong Hydroelectric Power Station ( a.k.a. Sidrapong
Hydel Power Station), located at the foothills of Arya Tea Estate
12 km (7.5 mi) from Darjeeling town, is the oldest hydel power
station or hydroelectric power plant in India.
4 How are hydroelectric power plants classified? Level 2 CO 3 1M
According to the extent of water flow regulation available the
hydroelectric power plants may be classified into: (1) Run-off river
power plants without pondage. (2) Run-off river power plants with
pondage. (3) Reservoir power plants.
5 What is mass curve? Level 2 CO 3 1M
A mass diagram is the plot of accumulated inflow (i.e. supply) or
outflow (i.e. demand) versus time. The mass curve of supply (i.e.
supply line) is, therefore, first drawn and is superimposed by the
demand curve.
What is the function of hydraulic turbine? How are the Level 3 CO 3 1M
6
turbines classified?
A hydraulic Turbine is a device that converts the energy in a
stream of fluid into mechanical energy by passing the extreme
through a system of fixed and moving blades and causing the
wheel to rotate. Reaction turbines are classified as Francis (mixed
flow) or axial flow. Axial flow turbines are available with both
fixed blades (Propeller) and variable pitch blades (Kaplan).
7 What is the function of draft tube? Level 1 CO 3 1M
The primary function of the draft tube is to reduce the velocity of
the discharged water to minimize the loss of kinetic energy at the
outlet.
8 Draw the neat diagram of restricted orifice surge tank? Level 2 CO 3 1M
 9 Compare hydro and thermal power stations? Level 2 CO 3 1M

What safety measures need to be taken for the safe operation Level 2 CO 3 1M
10
of a hydroelectric plant?
Some safety Operations need the be taken are:
➢ Safety and health organization
➢ Health and safety policy
➢ Safety inspection
➢ Hazard identification and control
➢ Safety operations and procedures

UNIT – 4

Level of mark
Q. No Short answer Questions Bloom CO s
Taxonomy (1 M)
1 What is a nuclear reactor? Level 1 CO 4 1M
A nuclear reactor, formerly known as an atomic pile, is a device used
to initiate and control a fission nuclear chain reaction or nuclear
fusion reactions.
2 What is a moderator? Name the common moderators. Level 1 CO 4 1M
Water (sometimes called "light water" in this context) is the most
 commonly used moderator (roughly 75% of the world's reactors).
Solid graphite (20% of reactors) and heavy water (5% of reactors) are
the main alternatives.
3 Enumerate the essential components of a nuclear reactor Level 2 CO 4 1M
The essential components of a nuclear reactor :
➢ Moderator
➢ Reflector
➢ Shielding
➢ Steam Generator
➢ Coolant
➢ Control Rods
4 How are nuclear reactors classified? Level 1 CO 4 1M

What is ‘ nuclear fusion’ ? How does it differ from ‘ nuclear Level 3 CO 4 1M

5
fission’ ?
Nuclear fusion is a reaction through which two or more light nuclei
collide with each other to form a heavier nucleus.
Nuclear fission When the nucleus of an atom splits into lighter nuclei
through a nuclear reaction the process is termed nuclear fission.
6 Write a short note on ‘ Fertile materials’ Level 2 CO 4 1M
A material, which is not itself fissile (fissionable by thermal
neutrons), that can be converted into a fissile material by irradiation
in a reactor. There are two basic fertile materials: uranium-238 and
thorium-232.
7 What is the function of Control rod. Level 2 CO 4 1M
Control rods absorb neutrons in the fission process to allow scientists
to control the rate of the reaction.
8 List the advantages of nuclear power plants. Level 1 CO 4 1M
Advantages of Nuclear Power Plant :
➢ Low-cost energy.
➢ Reliable
➢ Zero carbon emissions
➢ Promising future energy supply
➢ High energy density
9 List down some safety measures for nuclear power plants. Level 2 CO 4 1M
Some safety measures for nuclear power plant :
➢ Proper design, plant layout and adequate shielding
➢ Limits of air contamination levels in different zones of the
plant
➢ Source control by proper selection of materials/components
➢ Design limit for collective dose
10 Write the disadvantages of nuclear power plants Level 3 CO 4 1M
Disadvantages of nuclear power plant:
➢ Waste is radioactive and safe disposal is very difficult and
expensive.
➢ Local thermal pollution from wastewater affects marine life.
11 Give the application of nuclear power plants. Level 2 CO 4 1M
Nuclear energy can be used for various industrial applications, such
as seawater desalination, hydrogen production, district heating or
cooling, the extraction of tertiary oil resources and process heat
applications such as cogeneration, coal to liquids conversion and
assistance in the synthesis of chemical.
What are the factors which must be considered while selecting a CO 4 1M
12
site for a nuclear power plant? Level 2
Important considerations in site selection of nuclear power plants
(NPP) are topography, accessibility, infrastructure, construction
facilities, township for staff, availability of power supply,
transmission lines and cooling water along with other important
safety aspects related to geology, seismology ,..etc
Why is shielding of a reactor necessary? What do you Level 2 CO 4 1M
13
understand by thermal shielding?
Shields are also used in some reactors to reduce the intensity of
gamma rays or neutrons incident on the reactor vessel. This radiation
shielding protects the reactor vessel and its internals (e.g.,, the core
support barrel) from excessive heating due to gamma-ray absorption
fast neutron moderation.
A layer, or layers, of high-density material located within a reactor
pressure vessel or between the vessel and the biological shield to
reduce radiation heating in the vessel and the biological shield.
14 Explain the desirable properties of good moderator. Level 3 CO 4 1M
Desirable properties of Good Moderator :
➢ high cross-section for neutron scattering.
➢ high energy loss per collision.
➢ low cross-section for absorption.
➢ high melting and boiling point.
➢ high thermal conductivity.
➢ high specific heat capacity.
➢ low viscosity.
➢ low activity
15 What is interconnected system? Level 2 CO 4 1M
The Interconnected system network is an interconnected network.
It means all generators are connected with the grid. Therefore, if one
generator is overloaded the load can be transferred on other
generators.
What are the desirable properties of coolants used in nuclear Level 3 CO 4 1M
16
reactor?
Desirable properties of coolants used in nuclear reactor :
➢ High heat carrying capacity.
➢ Low neutron absorption.
➢ Chemically stable at high temperatures and intense
radiation.
➢ Does not significantly erode any part of the reactor.
➢ Has a wide liquid temperature range AT LOW
PRESSURE.
 17 List advantages of combined working power plants. Level 1 CO 4 1M
Electrical yields of more than 40% are quite common in heating or
industrial power plants with a back pressure turbine. Large output
combined with high cycle efficiency, low emission level and low
investment cost are the main attractive features of the CC power
generation.
18 What are requirements of a plant supplying the ‘Base load’? Level 2 CO 4 1M
A base load power plant is a power station that usually provides
a continuous supply of electricity throughout the year with some
minimum power generation requirement. Base load power plants will
only be turned off during periodic maintenance, upgrading, overhaul
or service.
19 What is breeding in nuclear power plant? Level 2 CO 4 1M
Ordinary motors need to be filled with fuel to produce energy.
Nuclear Energy has a remarkable property: some nuclear reactors are
designed to produce more fuel than it consumes. This extraordinary
technique is known as 'breeding'.
20 What are requirements of a plant supplying the ‘Peak load’? Level 2 CO 4 1M
The power plants to be employed as peak load plant should only have
the capability of quick start, synchronization and taking up of system
load and quick response to load variations.

UNIT-5

Level of mark
Q. No Short answer Questions Bloom CO s
Taxonomy (1 M)
List the functions which the various types of instruments in a Level 1 CO 5 1M
1
power plant have to perform.

Mass flowmeter is used for measurement of oil flow which is

used for initial light up of plant. Mostly used of Endress Hauser
make.
Pressure transmitters used are of HARP technology
(Differential pressure High accuracy resonant-silicon pressure).
For vibration measurement in turbine a TQ412 proximity
sensor (Inductive) type is used. It is high quality, high reliability
sensor.
Opacity measurement is done by using opacity dust monitoring
system which uses Ametek MKIII 4500 system. It uses a light
transmitting technique.
Acaustic instruments are used to measure the boiler tube
leakage. It uses sensors and microphones to detect high
frequency noises emitted from the leaking boiler.
These are some of the instruments used in modern power plants.
2 What are the commonly used instruments in power plants? Level 2 CO 5 1M
In power plant so many instruments are used like different
transmitters for measurement of pressure, flow, level etc. Along
with this different kind of switches are used. RTD's,
Thermocouples are used for temperature measurement.
Vibration sensors are used for vibration measurement. Different
sort of pressure, flow and level gauges are used for local
 measurements.
What is the importance of measurement and instrumentation in Level 2 CO 5 1M
3
power plant
Instrumentation and control systems play an important role in nuclear
power plant uprating projects. There are three categories of power
uprates. (1) Measurement uncertainty recapture power uprates cover
uprates smaller than 2 percent and are achieved by implementing
enhanced techniques for calculating reactor power.
List the various costs which go to form the total cost of a power Level 3 CO 5 1M
4
system
The total cost of electrical energy generated can be divided into three
parts, namely ; (i) Fixed cost ; (ii) Semi-fixed cost ; (iii) Running or
operating cost.
5 Difference between demand and diversity factor Level 2 CO 5 1M
Diversity factor = sum individual maximum demands / maximum
demand of the entire system. The demand factor is the ratio between
the sum of the maximum demand of a system (or part of a system)
and the total load connected to the system (or part of the system)
under consideration.
6 What is the importance of load factor Level 1 CO 5 1M
As the load factor represents the actual energy usage versus the peak
demand, consumers can use the same amount of electricity from one
month to the next and still reduce the average cost per unit (kWh) by
reducing the peak demand.
7 What is utilization factor and plant capacity factor? Level 1 CO 5 1M
Utilization Factor : The utilization factor or use factor is the ratio of
the time that a piece of equipment is in use to the total time that it
could be in use. It is often averaged over time in the definition such
that the ratio becomes the amount of energy used divided by the
maximum possible to be used.
Plant capacity factor : A plant's capacity factor is equal to the
amount of electricity it produces over a specified period divided by
the amount of electricity that would have been produced if the plant
had been running at its installed capacity during that same period.
8 What is maximum demand and demand factor? Level 1 CO 5 1M
Maximum Demand : Maximum demand is the highest level of
electrical demand monitored in a particular period usually for a
month period.
Demand Factor : Maximum demand is the highest level of electrical
demand monitored in a particular period usually for a month period.
9 How measurement of water purity is done? Level 2 CO 5 1M
Scientists measure a variety of properties to determine water quality.
These include temperature, acidity (pH), dissolved solids (specific
conductance), particulate matter (turbidity), dissolved oxygen,
hardness and suspended sediment.
10 How the load duration curve is constructed. Level 2 CO 5 1M
The load duration curve is constructed by selecting maximum peak
points and connecting them by a curve. The load duration curve
plotting for 24 hours of a day is called the daily load duration curve.
Similarly, the load duration curve plotted for a year is called the
annual load curve.
11 What do you mean by diversity factor? Level 1 CO 5 1M
The diversity factor is the ratio of the sum of the individual maximum
demands of the various subdivisions of a system to the maximum
demand of the whole system.
12 What is the significance of load curves? Level 2 CO 5 1M
The significance of Load Curve
Observe the variation of load on the power system during
different hours of the day. The area under this curve gives the
number of units generated in a day. The highest point on that curve
indicates the maximum demand on the power station on that day.
13 What are fixed and operating costs? Level 3 CO 5 1M
Fixed costs are the cost of equipment, land, financing, project
management, grid connection, and construction of the power plant.
These are usually expressed per unit of installed capacity (per kW or
per MW).
Operating costs for power plants include fuel, labor, and maintenance
costs. Unlike capital costs which are "fixed" (don't vary with the level
of output), a plant's total operating cost depends on how much
electricity the plant produces.
14 What is photocell? Draw the line diagram of smoke meter Level 2 CO 5 1M
A photocell is a resistor that changes resistance depending on the
amount of light incident on it.

15 Define load duration curve. Level 3 CO 5 1M

A load duration curve (LDC) is used in electric power generation to
illustrate the relationship between generating capacity requirements
and capacity utilization. A LDC is similar to a load curve but the
demand data is ordered in descending order of magnitude, rather than
chronologically.
16 What is paramagnetic affect? Level 2 CO 5 1M
Paramagnetism is a form of magnetism whereby some materials are
weakly attracted by an externally applied magnetic field, and form
internal, induced magnetic fields in the direction of the applied
magnetic field. In contrast with this behavior, diamagnetic materials
are repelled by magnetic fields and form induced magnetic fields in
the direction opposite to that of the applied magnetic field.
17 Explain the magnetic wind? Level 3 CO 5 1M
The magnetic field experiment on WIND will provide data for studies
of a broad range of scales of structures and fluctuation characteristics
of the interplanetary magnetic field throughout the mission, and,
where appropriate, relate them to the statics and dynamics of the
magnetosphere.
18 What do you mean by depreciation? Level 3 CO 5 1M
Extensive usage of the equipment in power plants take its toll over
time. Hence, over time, the value of the power plant equipment as
well as the building decreases. This decrease in the value is termed as
 'depreciation'.
Explain the effects of effluents on the environment and human Level 2 CO 5 1M
19
health.
➢ Effects of effluents(Liquid Waste) on the Environment:
Waterways are generally most at risk to the harmful effects of
wastewater. Toxic compounds in the effluent disrupt aquatic
ecosystems. When a large amount of biodegradable substances
end up in the water, organisms will start to break them down, and
they use a lot of dissolved oxygen.
➢ Effects of effluents(Liquid Waste) on Human Beings:
The quality of wastewater effluents is responsible for
the degradation of the receiving water bodies with the impacts of
such degradation resulting in the spread of various waterborne
diseases, decreased levels of dissolved oxygen, decreased water
quality, release of toxic substances, bioaccumulation in aquatic
life,.. etc