An oil power station turns the chemical energy in oil into electrical energy that can be used in homes and businesses.
The oil (1) is piped into the boiler (2), where it is burned, converting
its chemical energy into heat energy. This heats water in pipes coiled
around the boiler, turning it into steam. The hot steam expands in the
narrow pipes, so when it emerges it is under high pressure.
The pressure drives the steam over the blades of the steam turbine (3),
causing it to spin, converting the heat energy released in the boiler
into mechanical energy. A shaft connects the steam turbine to the
turbine generator (4), so when the turbine spins, so does the generator.
The generator uses an electromagnetic field to convert this mechanical
energy into electrical energy.
After passing through the turbine, the steam comes into contact with
pipes full of cold water. In coastal stations this water is pumped
straight from the sea (5). The cold pipes cool the steam so that it
condenses back into water. It is then piped back to the boiler, where it
can be heated up again, turn into steam again, and keep the turbine
turning.
Finally, a transformer converts the electrical energy from the generator
to a high voltage. The national grid uses high voltages to transmit
electricity efficiently through the power lines (6) to the homes and
businesses that need it (7). Here, other transformers reduce the voltage
back down to a usable level.
As well as heat, burning oil produces exhaust gases. These are piped
from the boiler to the exhaust stack (8), which contains equipment that
filters out any particles, before venting into the atmosphere. The stack
is built tall so that the exhaust gas plume (9) can disperse before it
touches the ground. This ensures that it does not affect the quality of
the air around the station.
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