Power Plant Engineering

2.3 VARIOUS ENERGY SCIENCE
PHYSICS: It is a branch of natural science dealing with properties and changes in matter and
energy. Physics deals with continuous changes in matter and energy and includes mechanics, electro
magnetic, heat, optics, nuclear energy etc. and laws governing the energy transformations. Physicists
have developed energy science.
THERMODYNAMICS: It is a branch of physics dealing with transformation of thermal energy
into other forms of energy, especially mechanical energy and laws governing the conversions. Ther-
modynamics plays a dominant role in Energy Technologies.

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POWER PLANT ENGINEERING
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: It deals with biomass and biological processes. Biosciences are
concerned with the physical characteristics; life processes of living vegetation and animals on land and
in water and their remains.
BIOMASS: It is the matter derived from vegetation and animals. Biomass is a natural non -
conventional source of energy and is being given highest priority in recent years. (1980s onwards)
Biomass is the important non-conventional energy for the 21st century.
CHEMISTRY: It is a science dealing with composition and properties of substances and their
reactions to form other substances. The chemical reactions are accompanied by release of thermal en-
ergy (exothermic reactions) or absorption of thermal energy (endothermic reaction). Chemical Reac-
tions are intermediate energy conversion processes. Many useable energy forms are obtained from chemi-
cal reactions. (e.g. petroleum products, synthetic gases and liquids). Natural Gas and Petroleum prod-
ucts are most important energy forms in the world during 20th and 21st century.
ELECTROMAGNETIC: The flow of electrons and electrical charges through a circuit pro-
duces associated electromagnetic fields and electrical power. Electromagnetic is a branch of physics
dealing with electricity, magnetism and various transformations of other forms of energy (mechanical,
thermal, chemical etc.) into electrical energy and vice-versa. Electrical energy is the most superior;
efficient, useful form of energy which can be generated, transmitted, distributed, controlled, utilized.
Electrical energy is an intermediate and secondary form of energy being used very widely all over the
world.
Fig. 2.1 illustrates the various branches of science and technology concerning ‘energy’.
ENERGY SCIENCE: It is the mother science dealing with motion of particles or objects (mi-
croscopic or macroscopic), associated energy transformations and effects, concerning various physical,
biological and environmental sciences. The energy science correlates various branches of science from
energy point of view.
Geography
and
Geology
Oceonology
Energy
Science
Thermo-
dynamics
Chemistry
Biology
Electro-
magnetics
Physics
Economics
and
Political
Science
Sociology
and
Environment
Fig. 2.1. Energy science and other sciences are correlated.

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NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY RESOURCES AND UTILISATION
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