Ever wondered how electricity is generated; why fuels like coal, oil or natural gas are central to power production; how one form of energy gets converted to the other and finally into electrical energy. The answer is -- turbines.
Most of the power we consume is produced by turbines that are used in large power plants. These turbines convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. How turbines workIn India, majority of the power generated is thermal i.e. obtained from burning fuels like coal, oil or natural gas. The energy that is produced by burning these fuels is used to heat gas or water and generate steam. This steam is then passed through the blades of turbines in power plants that revolve approximately at 3,000 to 3,600 times per minute. This is how mechanical energy is created.The spinning turbine is connected to a metal shaft in a generator that turns a large magnet surrounded by coils of copper wire. It is this spinning magnet that creates a powerful magnetic field around the coils. The magnetic field lines up the electrons in the copper coils and sets them into motion. This movement of electrons through a wire is called electricity.Turbines can also be fueled by nuclear energy, water (in the case of hydropower generation), solar power, wind power and agricultural waste products.The electricity that is generated is then carried from power plants to transformers, where the voltage is increased. Transmission lines then carry this electricity to wherever it is needed. It then passes through a substation where the voltage is decreased to a level that can be used by industries and malls. From here, distribution lines carry the electricity to places where it is utilized. GE India's power solutionsEnergy is central to the robust socio-economic development of any nation. With its range of thermal turbines, GE ensures that India's growing demand for clean power is met. The company's advanced steam and gas turbines provide customers with what they need most – operations and fuel flexibility.Their turbines and generators, with capacities ranging from 100 to 1,100 mega watts (MW), can supply enough power for a factory or even a city.FlexEfficiency 50 Combined-Cycle Power Plant -- FlexEfficiency 50 brings together GE's 109D-14 steam turbine, 9FB gas turbine, W28 generator and heat recovery steam generator. The system delivers world-class efficiency and output along with a high power density advantage to drive additional value for our customers.Supercritical and Ultra-supercritical Steam Turbines: GE's small, large and combined cycle steam turbines are already generating more than 4.5 GW of power. However, given India's continuing economic growth and urbanization, capacity expansion is the need of the hour.That's why the company is introducing supercritical and ultra-supercritical turbines, which are highly efficient fossil fuel-fired steam units. These turbines are built to operate under high temperatures and pressures.The fossil D/G -15 series turbines can generate 600-1,100 MW. This will go a long way in helping the country bridge the gap between electricity demand and available supply.Simple and Combined Cycle Gas Turbines: Electric authorities and independent power producers use GE's gas turbines to light homes and businesses. Industrial customers use them to generate power for manufacturing chemicals, fertilizer, automobiles and refined products.GE's gas turbines can output 5-500 MW of power with low emissions and high efficiency. These units are already generating 16 GW of power for the country's consumers.With around 6000 engineers, GE's research and engineering centers in Bangalore and Hyderabad are working on new technologies for both India and the world, providing customized solutions.In this way, the company continues to make advances in power generation that are specifically geared to the Indian market.References:http://www.ge.com/in/products_services/thermal-power/index.html
http://www.ge-flexibility.com/power-generation-basics/how-electricity-is-produced/index.html
To know more about GE’s steam turbinesclick here
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
