ELECTRICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Welcome to Transmission-line hub!   One of the most useful forms of energy ever utilized is in the form of electricity. It is a primary if not the sole contributor in the advent on human history and civilization. It is almost impossible to imagine living today without electric power. Without it, you won't be reading this blog, since nothing will power your computer. continue.. Basic Components of Overhead Power Lines   The most common way method of transmitting power is through overhead power lines. It is relatively less costly, visible detection of faults, repair and maintenance is easier compared to underground system. The following are the basic components of an overhead power line (click on links to see pic):. continue.. Uses of the single-line diagram   The single-line diagram may be used in a number of important ways in operating and maintaining an industrial or commercial power distribution system. Frequently, the single-line diagram, with all of the listed informatio

What is a Coal?   Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure. Coal is composed primarily of carbon along with variable quantities of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, with smaller quantities of sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen.. continue..   What is a Coal fired power station?   A coal-fired power station produces electricity, usually for public consumption, by burning coal to boil water, producing steam which drives a steam turbine which turns an electrical generator. Power station operators play a key part in keeping the boilers fired equally and steam adjusted correctly to burn the coal in the most efficient way possible.. continue.. Coal Fired power Generation Technologies   The use of electricity has been an essential part of the U.S. econ

What is the difference between fission and fusion?   Let’s put it in the simplest terms: Fusion works by smashing atomic nuclei together to create heavier nuclei. In order to make this happen, you have to heat things up a bit—say, a few million degrees Celsius. Fusion is promising as an energy source (and potentially dangerous) because it’s exothermic—it produces more energy than it requires to start it and is therefore self-sustaining. How much energy can fusion produce? Well, our sun’s been working for several billion years just fine on fusion... continue.. Fusion Power   Fusion power is power generated by nuclear fusion processes. In fusion reactions two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus (in contrast with fission power). In doing so they release a comparatively large amount of energy arising from the binding energy due to the strong nuclear force which is manifested as an increase in temperature of the reactants. Fusion power is a primary area of researc

How solar cell works?   This diagram shows a typical crystalline silicon solar cell. The electrical current generated in the semiconductor is extracted by contacts to the front and rear of the cell. The top contact structure which must allow light to pass through is made in the form of widely-spaced thin metal strips (usually called fingers) that supply current to a larger bus bar. The cell is covered with a thin layer of dielectric material - the anti-reflection coating, ARC - to minimise light reflection from the top surface... continue.. Solar cells principles and applications   This diagram shows a typical crystalline silicon solar cell. The electrical current generated in the semiconductor is extracted by contacts to the front and rear of the cell. The top contact structure which must allow light to pass through is made in the form of widely-spaced thin metal strips (usually called fingers) that supply current to a larger bus bar. The cell is covered with a thin layer of dielec

What isTidal Power?   Tidal power, also called tidal energy, is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power - mainly electricity. The first study of large scale tidal power plants was by the US Federal Power Commission in 1924 which would have been located if built in the northern border area of the US state of Maine and the south eastern border area of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, with various dams, powerhouses and ship locks enclosing the Bay of Fundy and Passamaquoddy Bay (note - see map in reference). Nothing came of the study and it is unknown whether Canada had been approached about the study by the US Federal Power Commission. The world's first large-scale tidal power plant (the Rance Tidal Power Station) became operational in 1966.. continue.. What isTidal Energy?   Tidal energy, or tidal power, is a little known and little used energy source. Yet it is a very old energy source, dating back to the middle ages in Europe. Ti

What is Biomass Energy?   Biomass, a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms, such as wood, waste, (hydrogen) gas, and alcohol fuels. Biomass is commonly plant matter grown to generate electricity or produce heat. In this sense, living biomass can also be included, as plants can also generate electricity while still alive. The most conventional way in which biomass is used, however, still relies on direct incineration. Forest residues, for example (such as dead trees, branches and tree stumps), yard clippings, wood chips and garbage are often used for this. However, biomass also includes plant or animal matter used for production of fibers or chemicals. Biomass may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt as fuel. It excludes such organic materials as fossil fuels, which have been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum... continue.. How Biomass Energy Works?   To many people, the most

What is Solar Energy?   Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available renewable energy on earth. Only a minuscule fraction of the available solar energy is used.. continue.. What is Solar Power?   Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.. continue.. Solar Basics: Energy from the Sun   The sun has produced energy for billions of years.  Solar energy is the sun’s rays (solar radiation) that reach the Earth. This en

What is Geothermal Electricity?   Technologies in use include dry steam power plants, flash steam power plants and binary cycle power plants. Geothermal electricity generation is currently used in 24 countries while geothermal heating is in use in 70 countries. Estimates of the electricity generating potential of geothermal energy vary from 35 to 2000 GW.[2] Current worldwide installed capacity is 10,715 megawatts (MW), with the largest capacity in the United States (3,086 MW), Philippines, and Indonesia. Geothermal power is considered to be sustainable because the heat extraction is small compared with the Earth's heat content. The emission intensity of existing geothermal electric plants is on average 122 kg of CO2 per megawatt-hour (MW·h) of electricity, about one-eighth of a conventional coal-fired plant.. continue.. What is Geothermal Energy?   Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is energy that determines the temperature o

What is Wind Power?   The Earth is unevenly heated by the sun, such that the poles receive less energy from the sun than the equator; along with this, dry land heats up (and cools down) more quickly than the seas do. The differential heating drives a global atmospheric convection system reaching from the Earth's surface to the stratosphere which acts as a virtual ceiling. Most of the energy stored in these wind movements can be found at high altitudes where continuous wind speeds of over 160 km/h (99 mph) occur. Eventually, the wind energy is converted through friction into diffuse heat throughout the Earth's surface and the atmosphere. continue.. Wind Power Technology   Wind power is produced by using wind generators to harness the kinetic energy of wind. It is gaining worldwide popularity as a large scale energy source, although it still only provides less than one percent of global energy consumption. The articles listed below explore wind power and its usage around the wo

Hydroelectricity   Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy. Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, the project produces no direct waste, and has a considerably lower output level of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) than fossil fuel powered energy plants. Worldwide, an installed capacity of 777 GWe supplied 2998 TWh of hydroelectricity in 2006.[1] This was approximately 20% of the world's electricity, and accounted for about 88% of electricity from renewable sources. continue.. How Hydroelectricity/hydropower works?   The theory is to build a dam on a large river that has a large drop in elevation (there are not many hydroelectric plants in Kansas or Florida). The dam stores lots of water behind it in the reservoir. Near the bottom of the dam wall there is the water intake