How does an electricity plant work?

Question

Coal, Hydroelectric, & Nuclear

Answer 1

To give you a simple example, bicycle riders use little "dynamos" to power their lights. They are elementary power generators too.

For a electricity plant you need some form of energy such as nuclear, thermal (from burning coal), wind etc. This energy is then used to rotate a generator rotor and the relative movement of magnetic field generates an electric field (electricity) according to  Maxwell's laws. The voltage is then transformed (through transformers of course) to a suitable voltage, and it is ready for transmission.

A lot of control systems are used to monitor the generation and ensure a regular and consistent power generation.

Answer 2

It's VERY complex.  The following is VERY simplified.

They all work the same.  Some prime mover (usually a turbine, but can be a windmill, or a deisel engine) drives a rotor, which turns a series of energized electromagnic coils (inductors), which induce current in induction coils in the stator.

As a conductor moves across a magnetic field, or vice versa, it induces a voltage in the conductor.  This voltage (potential energy) is then sent to the consumer via transmission wires.

A full understanding of this involves an understanding of inductance, and trigonometry.  However, the basic rules remain unchanged.  It always involves a conductor and magnet moving in relation to one-another.

Answer 3

Firstly, What type?

Hydro

Solar

Nuclear

Coal

Gas

Methane

and more?

I'll make this quick since my dinner is almost ready,

Hydro: Uses water trapped by either a dam or tidal system, funnels this water into a turbine like system which turns a shaft and that shaft then is coupled to a generator = electricity

Solar: Uses Photons of the sun to heat and release electrons that are stored iin PV cells, positive electrons then need to find a negative and the only way for them to do this is to jump through a series of hoops for us.thus creating current and therefore electricity.

Nuclear: is not as complex as people think, it is simply using fission to 'split' atoms, this generated extreem amounts of energy that is tranferred into heat, heat that is then used to boil water into steam to run a steam turbine and then the same as hydro it's coulped to a generator.

Coal: burns coal to generate heat >same as above.

Gas: Burns gas to generate thrust and thus turns a turbine coupled to a generator.

Methane: these are not capable to generate much power but are in use at septic plants where methand boiled out of human waste is then refined into a fuel siutable to use on a standard engine<>generator system.

There are other systems but i'm hungry.

BYE!

haha, Allow 'trashcan' to explain how generators work.