Monday 4 April 2022

Definition Of Energy Transformations - Energy Transfer Law Examples

Definition Of Energy Transformations | The Law of Energy Conversion | Energy Transfer Law Examples 

ENERGY CONVERSION

Electric energy is obtained by conversion from other forms of energy stored in naturally occurring materials or from energy being continuously received from the sun in its primary form or in its secondary manifestations, for example, rain, snow at high altitude, wind, plants etc.

Energy is stored in natural materials (coal, oil and gas and in the atom) in a chemical form. Coal, oil and gas (methane) were formed by natural processes over enormous periods of time aeons ago. These are available near the earth surface or underground, mostly at great depths, particularly, oil and gas. These are limited resources provided by nature and are non replenish able. Their extraction leaves gorges, which, when near earth surface, render vast tracts of land unfit for use. It is not clearly known what effect is caused by voids deep under the earth caused by oil extraction.

Energy from the atom (nuclear energy) can be obtained from certain materials with a high atomic number like uranium/thorium. Their resources are also limited, though they contain a great amount of energy.

Energy directly received from the sun (during day time) can be used directly (to be elaborated later in Next Post), but the surface density of solar energy is quite low and is variable during day, cloudy weather and different seasons. It is the solar energy which is responsible for rain/snow and winds. Rain collected at high altitude has potential energy and winds possess kinetic energy. 

Further, trees, plants and vegetation absorb solar energy, which is stored there in a chemical form. Pull of the moon on earth imparts energy to sea water in the form of tidal waves. High winds cause energy to be imparted to sea waves. Energy in the forms enumerated here are replenish able (renewable) and further they are nonpolluting, when used for conversion to the electric energy form.

The aim of this section is to describe various means and processes for converting the above listed energy forms to electric energy. With certain exceptions this conversion requires the first step of conversion to rotational mechanical energy, which then is used to run a generator for conversion to electric form. As only very small quantities of electric energy can be stored and that also mainly by chemical means, it has to be continuously generated and transported to use points.

A panoramic view of energy conversion to electric form is presented As below:-

Definition Of Energy Transformations | The Law of Energy Conversion | Energy Transfer Law Examples

which at a glance brings into focus all aspects of electric energy including conservation. A similar pictorial view of all the related issues in electric energy-generation, efficiency, nature, environmental impact and use classification is given above will be discussed in fair detail in various sections of this chapter.

Energy is converted to a mechanical rotational form by means of the following turbines.

  • Steam turbine
  • Gas turbine
  • Hydraulic turbine

Steam is raised in a boiler by heat released by combustion of coal/oil or by atomic fission in a suitable vessel called the reactor. 

Combustion and steam raising is combined into a single boiler unit for coal-oil-based operation. However, in fission process, steam is raised by heat exchange processes from the reactor to boiler (or directly in the reactor). 

A gas turbine directly extracts energy from the products of combustion. In a hydraulic turbine, water's potential energy is directly converted to a rotational form.


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