Wiktor Wise
Generating electricity using turbines is a common practice, with nearly all electricity being produced this way. Turbines are used in wind power, hydropower, heat engines, and propulsion systems. They are machines that transmit and modify energy, harnessing the kinetic energy of fluids like water, steam, air, or combustion gases. This kinetic energy is then converted into electrical energy via a generator. There are various types of turbines, including steam turbines, combustion (gas) turbines, hydroelectric turbines, and wind turbines. The choice of turbine depends on factors such as hydraulic head, hydroelectric discharge, and cost. Wind turbines, for example, use the power of the wind to rotate blades and power a generator, while hydroelectric turbines use the force of moving water.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of Turbines | Steam turbines, combustion (gas) turbines, hydroelectric turbines, wind turbines |
| How Electricity is Generated | The kinetic energy of a fluid (water, steam, air, or combustion gases) turns a series of blades, creating rotational motion. This rotational motion is then transferred to a generator, creating electricity. |
| Wind Turbine Types | Horizontal-axis, Vertical-axis |
| Wind Turbine Locations | Land, offshore in large bodies of water |
| Factors Affecting Electricity Characteristics | Speed of rotation, number of coils of wire |
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What You'll Learn
Steam turbines
A steam turbine is a machine that converts the heat energy in steam into mechanical energy. This mechanical energy is then used to make electricity. The process of converting steam into mechanical power is sophisticated yet fundamental. It revolves around the interaction between steam and a series of meticulously designed blades. These blades are strategically mounted on a shaft, a central rod that serves as the axis of rotation that rotates the turbine. When high-temperature steam enters a turbine, it forces the rotating blades to spin, transferring kinetic energy into mechanical work.
The steam, heated to a high temperature under significant pressure in a boiler, carries substantial thermal energy. As it flows through the turbine, this steam exerts force on the blades attached to the rotor, causing it to rotate. This rotational motion of the rotor is critical to the turbine's functionality. As the rotor spins, it drives connected machinery, such as an electrical generator.
The efficiency of the process depends on the design of the blades and the quality of the steam. The blades are shaped to capture the maximum energy from the steam, converting heat and pressure into rotational force. This force is then harnessed and transferred to generate electricity. The spinning of the turbine shaft transforms the latent thermal energy of steam into usable mechanical energy, which is then converted into electrical energy through electromagnetic induction.
The multi-stage design of the turbine reduces steam pressure incrementally, preventing excessive force buildup and improving energy conversion efficiency. This design minimizes mechanical stress on the blades and ensures optimal turbine performance. By carefully controlling steam expansion across multiple blade stages, turbines achieve higher efficiency and reduced wear on mechanical components.
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Combustion (gas) turbines
Gas turbines are combustion engines that sit at the heart of power plants and turn fuel into electricity. They are a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. They generate power using pressurised air. Atmospheric air is drawn into the turbine through a compressor, which brings it to a higher pressure. Fuel is then sprayed into this pressurised air and ignited, creating a high-temperature, high-pressure gas stream that enters and expands through the turbine.
The turbine is made up of an intricate array of alternate stationary and rotating aerofoil-section blades. As the hot combustion gas expands through the turbine, it spins the rotating blades. These rotating blades perform two functions: they drive the compressor to draw more pressurised air into the combustion section, and they spin a generator to produce electricity. The generator, in turn, converts the mechanical (kinetic) energy of the rotor to electrical energy.
The Brayton cycle describes the basic operation of a gas turbine. The fourth step of the cycle (the cooling of the working fluid) is omitted, as gas turbines are open systems that do not reuse the same air. The gas turbine's exhaust can be repurposed for external work, such as directly producing thrust in a turbojet engine, or rotating a second, independent turbine (known as a power turbine) that can be connected to a fan, propeller, or electrical generator.
Gas turbines can be particularly efficient when waste heat from the turbine is recovered by a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) to power a conventional steam turbine in a combined cycle configuration. The steam turbine then generates additional electricity.
Gas turbines have comparatively long lifespans because they tend to operate continuously and have fewer moving parts.
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Hydroelectric turbines
There are two main types of hydropower turbines: reaction and impulse. The type of hydropower turbine selected for a project depends on factors such as the height of standing water, the flow or volume of water, the depth of the turbine, turbine efficiency, and cost.
Reaction turbines generate power from the combined forces of pressure and moving water. Water flows over the blades rather than striking each one individually. They are generally used for sites with lower heads and higher flows and are the most common type currently used in the United States. Examples of reaction turbines include Kaplan and Francis turbines. Kaplan turbines have adjustable blades and wicket gates, allowing for a wider range of operation. Francis turbines, invented in 1849, have a runner with fixed blades, usually nine or more, and are commonly used for medium- to high-head situations.
Impulse turbines use the velocity of the water to move the runner and discharge at atmospheric pressure. The water stream hits each bucket on the runner, and the water flows out the bottom of the turbine housing. Impulse turbines are generally suitable for high-head, low-flow applications and are often used in very high-head (>300m/1000 ft) applications. Examples of impulse turbines include Pelton and cross-flow turbines.
Other types of hydroelectric turbines include kinetic turbines, which generate electricity from the kinetic energy present in flowing water rather than potential energy from head. Pumped-storage hydropower plants use hydro turbines that can reverse flow and operate as a pump to fill a high reservoir during off-peak hours, and then revert to a water turbine for power generation during peak demand.
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Wind turbines
When the wind blows, the turbine's propeller-like blades spin, capturing the wind's kinetic energy. The wind flows over the blades, creating lift, which causes the blades to turn. These blades are connected to a rotor, which spins a generator, creating electricity. This process of translating aerodynamic force into the rotation of a generator is how wind turbines create electricity.
Wind farms are usually located in the windiest places to maximize energy production. In 2022, wind turbines accounted for about 10.3% of total US utility-scale electricity generation. The UK also relies heavily on wind power, with around 25% of its electricity generated by wind in 2020.
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Ocean thermal energy conversion systems
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) systems use seawater to turn solar energy into electricity. OTEC systems rely on the ocean's thermal gradient—the temperature decline from the sun-warmed waters on the surface to the cold waters found at great depths. OTEC plants pipe in hot and cold seawater and run them through heat exchangers and water condensers, spinning turbines that generate electricity.
OTEC systems can only be efficient where the thermal gradient within the upper 1,000 meters of the ocean is more than 20° Celsius. These conditions are found in most of Earth's tropical seas. While sunlight is free and renewable, and OTEC has the potential to generate billions of watts of electricity, only a few experimental plants have been built. This is because the thermal gradient is found at sea, while the power it can generate is needed on land.
Land-based OTEC plants run long pipes out into the ocean, one close to the surface for warm water, and one deep to collect cold water. These pipes would have to be very long to reach the two extremes of the thermal gradient. Building and maintaining the system is likely expensive, and it takes a lot of power to pump the water, reducing net electricity production. OTEC is likely to be a practical power source on tropical islands, which tend to lack other energy sources such as oil and coal deposits.
OTEC plants built on ships at sea sit directly on the thermal gradient but face challenges in transmitting power to shore. Electricity would have to be run through submerged power cables, reducing the plant's efficiency due to energy loss during transmission. The ships would need to remain in tropical waters and be sheltered by nearby landmasses or calmer sea conditions.
In the context of electricity generation, turbines are used to drive electricity generators. A moving fluid (water, steam, combustion gases, or air) pushes a series of blades mounted on a rotor shaft. The force of the fluid on the blades spins the rotor shaft of a generator, which converts the mechanical (kinetic) energy of the rotor to electrical energy. Different types of turbines include steam turbines, combustion (gas) turbines, hydroelectric turbines, and wind turbines.
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Frequently asked questions
A turbine is a device that harnesses the kinetic energy of a fluid, such as water, steam, air, or combustion gases, and turns it into the rotational motion of the device itself.
A turbine uses the expansion of hot gases (frequently steam) to power its rotation. This rotational motion is then transferred to a generator, where electricity is generated.
Horizontal-axis wind turbines are the most common type and usually have three blades that operate "upwind". Vertical-axis wind turbines are omnidirectional and do not need to be adjusted to point into the wind to operate.
Some examples of different types of turbines include steam turbines, combustion (gas) turbines, hydroelectric turbines, and wind turbines.
Turbines are extremely important for electricity generation as they can efficiently extract energy from fluids and require little maintenance. Additionally, they are versatile and can be powered by various sources, including wind, hydropower, and heat engines.
