Power Plant Engineering

1.2 CONCEPT OF POWER PLANT
A power plant is assembly of systems or subsystems to generate electricity, i.e., power with
economy and requirements. The power plant itself must be useful economically and environmental
friendly to the society. The present book is oriented to conventional as well as non-conventional energy
generation. While the stress is on energy efficient system regards conventional power systems viz., to
increase the system conversion efficiency the supreme goal is to develop, design, and manufacturer the
non-conventional power generating systems in coming decades preferably after 2050 AD which are
conducive to society as well as having feasible energy conversion efficiency and non-friendly to pollu-
tion, keeping in view the pollution act. The subject as a whole can be also stated as modern power plants
for power viz electricity generation in 21st century. The word modern means pertaining to time. At
present due to energy crisis the first goal is to conserve energy for future while the second step is to

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POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
develop alternative energy systems including direct energy conversion devices, with the devotion, dedi-
cation and determination remembering the phrase, “ Delve and Delve Again till wade into”.
1.3 CLASSIFICATION OF POWER PLANTS
P o w e r P lan t
C o n ve n tio n al
N o n -co n v en tio n al
S tea m E n g in e s P ow er P lants
S tea m T urb in e P o w er P lan ts 
D iese l P o w e r P lan ts
G a s T u rb in e P o w e r P lan ts
H y d ro -E le ctric P ow er P lan ts
N u cle ar P ow er P la nts
T h e rm o ele ctric G e n erato r
T h e rm -ion ic g en e ra to r
F u e l-c ells P o w er P lan ts
P h o to v o lta ic so lar ce lls P ow er S ys te m
M H D P o w er P la n ts
F u ssio n R e ac to r N P P P o w e r S y stem
B io g a s, B io m a ss E n e rg y Po w er sy stem
G e oth erm al E n erg y
W in d E n erg y P ow er S ys tem
O c ea n T h e rm a l en ergy con v ersio n (O T E C )
W a ve a n d T ida l W av e
E n e rg y P lan tatio n S ch e m e
A power plant may be defined as a machine or assembly of equipment that generates and delivers
a flow of mechanical or electrical energy. The main equipment for the generation of electric power is
generator. When coupling it to a prime mover runs the generator, the electricity is generated. The type of
prime move determines, the type of power plants. The major power plants, which are discussed in this
book, are,
1. Steam power plant
2. Diesel power plant
3. Gas turbine power plant
4. Nuclear power plant
5. Hydro electric power plant
The Steam Power Plant, Diesel Power Plant, Gas Turbine Power Plant and Nuclear Power Plants
are called THERMAL POWER PLANT, because these convert heat into electric energy.

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FUNDAMENTAL OF POWER PLANT
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