University of Engineering and Technology , Taxila

Department of Electrical Engineering

Name : Muhammad Faisal Shaheen

Reg No : 20-EE-085

Section : A

Subject : Power Generation – Lab (PG-L)

 LAB NO .1

To study different power generation methods and the softwares used for different
power generation methods

Objectives:

❖ To
❖ To

Tasks:

1. Explain different types of Power Generation methods.

➢ Power Stations:
Power stations, also known as power plants or generating stations, are
facilities designed to generate electricity on a large scale. They play a crucial role in
supplying the energy needed to power homes, businesses, industries, and various
other applications. Power stations use various methods to convert different forms of
energy into electrical energy. Here are some common types of power stations and
their generation methods:

❖ Thermal Power Plants:

Coal Power Plants: These plants burn coal to heat water and produce steam,
which drives a turbine connected to a generator.

Natural Gas Power Plants: Natural gas is burned to produce high-pressure steam
that drives a turbine.

Oil Power Plants: Similar to coal and natural gas plants, but they burn oil as the
fuel source.
❖ Nuclear Power Plants:

Nuclear Reactors: These plants utilize nuclear fission to release energy from
uranium or plutonium. The heat generated is used to produce steam, which drives
a turbine.

❖ Hydroelectric Power Plants:

Hydroelectric Dams: Water is stored in a reservoir behind a dam. It's then

released, and the flowing water turns turbines connected to generators.

❖ Wind Power Plants:

Wind Turbines: Wind energy turns the blades of turbines, which then
generate electricity through a generator.

❖ Solar Power Plants:

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Plants: Solar panels convert sunlight directly into
electricity through the photovoltaic effect.

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Plants: Mirrors or lenses concentrate

sunlight onto a central receiver, generating heat that drives a turbine.

❖ Geothermal Power Plants:

Geothermal Heat: Steam or hot water from beneath the Earth's surface is used
to drive turbines and generate electricity.

❖ Biomass Power Plants:

Biomass Combustion: Organic materials like wood, agricultural waste, or

municipal solid waste are burned to produce heat, which is used to generate
steam and drive turbines.
 ❖ Tidal Power Plants:

Tidal Turbines: Similar to wind turbines, these are placed underwater in

areas with strong tidal currents to harness kinetic energy from the moving
water.

❖ Wave Power Plants:

Wave Energy Converters: Devices capture the energy from the up-and-
down motion of ocean waves and convert it into electricity.

➢ Hydro-Electric Stations:
Hydroelectric power stations, also known as hydroelectric plants or hydroelectric
dams, generate electricity by harnessing the energy of flowing water. These stations
are built near natural water sources like rivers, where the gravitational potential
energy of water is converted into mechanical energy and then electrical energy
through turbines and generators.
➢ Steam Power Plants:
A steam power plant consists of a boiler, steam turbine and generator, and other
auxiliaries. The boiler generates steam at high pressure and high temperature. The
steam turbine converts the heat energy of steam into mechanical energy. The generator
then converts the mechanical energy into electric power. Our highly efficient and
environmental friendly power plants will contribute to the stable supply of electrical
power and reduction of environmental impact.

➢ Gas Turbines:
Gas turbine power plants operate on the Brayton cycle. Compressed air and fuel
are mixed and burned in a combustion chamber. The resulting hot gases expand
through a turbine, driving it and a connected generator to produce electricity.
➢ Diesel Electric Stations:
Diesel electric power plants use diesel engines to drive generators. Diesel
fuel is burned in the engines, and the generated mechanical energy is converted into
electricity.

➢ Nuclear Power Plants:

Nuclear power plants use nuclear reactors to initiate controlled nuclear fission
reactions. The heat produced from these reactions is used to generate steam, which
drives turbines connected to generators.

➢ Solar Power Generation:

The solar power plant is also known as the Photovoltaic (PV) power plant. It is
a large-scale PV plant designed to produce bulk electrical power from solar radiation.
The solar power plant uses solar energy to produce electrical power. Therefore, it is a
conventional power plant. Solar energy can be used directly to produce electrical
 energy using solar PV panels. Or there is another way to produce electrical energy that
is concentrated solar energy. In this type of plant, the radiation energy of solar first
converted into heat (thermal energy) and this heat is used to drive a conventional
generator. This method is difficult and not efficient to produce electrical power on a
large scale.

➢ Wind Power Generation:

Wind power plants use wind turbines to convert the kinetic energy of the
wind into mechanical energy. The rotating blades of the turbine turn a generator to
produce electricity.
➢ Biomass Power Generation:
Biomass power plants use organic materials like wood, agricultural
residues, or waste to generate heat through combustion. This heat is used to produce
steam, which drives turbines and generators.

➢ Ocean wave and Tidal Power Generation:

Ocean wave and tidal generation harness the kinetic energy of waves and
tidal currents. Wave energy converters and tidal turbines capture the movement of
water and convert it into electricity.
 2. Enlist 2 advantages and 1 challenge for each type.

Type Advantages Challenge

Hydroelectric 1) Hydropower is a clean source Large dams can disrupt ecosystems, alter
because it generates electricity river habitats, and impact fish migration,
without emitting greenhouse gases or leading to ecological changes and potential
other pollutants: it helps decrease environmental concerns.
fossil fuel consumption, thereby
reducing air pollution and mitigating
climate change.
2) Once built, hydroelectric plants have
low operating and maintenance costs
compared to fossil fuel-based plants.

Steam 1) Steam power plants provide a Traditional steam power plants burning
consistent and reliable source of fossil fuels can emit significant amounts of
electricity, making them suitable for greenhouse gases and air pollutants,
baseload power generation. contributing to environmental concerns.
2) Modern steam power plants can
achieve high thermal efficiency,
especially in combined cycle
configurations.

Gas Turbine 1) Gas turbines can start up quickly, Gas turbine power plants rely on a
allowing for rapid response to consistent supply of natural gas, which can
changes in electricity demand. be subject to price fluctuations and supply
2) Gas turbine power plants are efficient disruptions.
at handling peak load demands,
providing a valuable role in grid
stability.
Diesel electric 1) Diesel generators can start and ramp Diesel fuel can be expensive, leading to
up quickly, making them suitable for higher operational costs compared to some
emergency backup and remote other energy sources.
locations.
2) Diesel generators provide a reliable
source of backup power during grid
outages.

Nuclear 1) Nuclear power has minimal Safe and long-term disposal of radioactive
greenhouse gas emissions, making it nuclear waste remains a significant
a low-carbon energy option. challenge for nuclear power plants.
2) Nuclear fuel has a high energy
density, enabling a significant amount
of electricity to be produced from a
small amount of fuel.

Solar 1) Solar power is a clean and renewable Solar power generation is dependent on
energy source, producing no sunlight availability, leading to
emissions during operation. intermittency and the need for energy
2) Solar panels can be installed on storage solutions.
rooftops and in various locations,
enabling decentralized power
generation.

Wind 1) Wind power is a renewable energy Wind power generation is subject to the
option that produces no emissions variability of wind speeds, which can lead to
during operation. fluctuations in electricity output.
2) Once installed, wind turbines have
relatively low operating and
maintenance costs.
 Biomass 1) Biomass power plants can convert Biomass combustion can produce emissions
organic waste into energy, reducing and pollutants if not properly managed,
landfill waste and utilizing a impacting air quality and health.
renewable resource.
2) Biomass is a renewable energy source
as long as the biomass is managed
sustainably.

Ocean wave and 1) Ocean waves and tides are Designing and maintaining wave and tidal
Tidal predictable, enabling more accurate energy systems in harsh marine
energy production forecasts. environments can be technically complex
2) Wave and tidal energy harness the and challenging.
power of the oceans, providing
another source of renewable
electricity.

3. Enlist different softwares to design specific type of generation.

Following are the softwares used for different types of power generations:
➢ HelioScope (Solar power)
➢ Solarius (Solar power)
➢ PVsyst (Solar Power)
➢ HEC-RAS (Hydroelectric power)
➢ Aspen plus (Steam power)
➢ GT-pro (Gas turbine power)
➢ Homer (Diesel electric power)
➢ Relap5 (Nuclear power)
➢ WindPro (Wind power)
➢ Focus6 (Wind power)
➢ Vortexje (Wind power)
➢ BioWin (Biomass power)
➢ Wamit (Ocean wave and Tidal power)
➢ Tidal Turbine design tool-TTDT (Ocean wave and Tidal power)
4. Activate helioscope software.
Remarks: Activated.

Lesson Learnt:

In this lab we learnt that the