Power Generation Technologies, 2nd Edition

Power Generation Technologies, 2nd Edition

by Paul Breeze
Released March 2014
Publisher(s): Newnes
ISBN: 9780080983363

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Book description

The new edition of Power Generation Technologies is a concise and readable guide that provides an introduction to the full spectrum of currently available power generation options, from traditional fossil fuels and the better established alternatives such as wind and solar power, to emerging renewables such as biomass and geothermal energy. Technology solutions such as combined heat and power and distributed generation are also explored. However, this book is more than just an account of the technologies – for each method the author explores the economic and environmental costs and risk factors. Each technology is covered using the same basic criteria so that comparisons between technologies can be made more easily. Those involved in planning and delivering energy – including engineers, managers and policy makers – will find in this book a guide through the minefield of maintaining a reliable power supply, meeting targets on greenhouse gas emissions, and addressing economic and social objectives.
  • Provides a unique comparison of a wide range of power generation technologies from oil, coal, nuclear and natural gas, to geothermal, wind, solar, and bioenergy
  • Hundreds of diagrams demystify how each technology functions in practice
  • Evaluates the economic and environmental viability of each power generation system covered
  • New chapters covering fast-advancing renewable and alternative power sources such as municipal waste and concentrating solar plants
  • Fresh focus the evolution of traditional technologies such as natural gas and "clean coal"
  • Expanded coverage of distributed power generation and CHP (combined heat and power) technologies

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Chapter 1: An Introduction to Electricity Generation
    1. Abstract
    2. History of electricity generation
    3. Evolution of electricity-generating technologies
    4. Evolution of electricity networks
    5. Renewable energy and distributed generation
    6. A brief political diversion
    7. Size of the industry
  6. Chapter 2: Electricity Generation and the Environment
    1. Abstract
    2. Evolution of environmental awareness
    3. Environmental effects of power generation
    4. Carbon cycle and atmospheric warming
    5. Controlling carbon dioxide
    6. Hydrogen economy
    7. Economics of electricity production
    8. Externalities
    9. Life-cycle assessment
    10. The bottom line
  7. Chapter 3: Coal-fired Power Plants
    1. Abstract
    2. Types of coal
    3. Coal reserves
    4. Coal cleaning and processing
    5. Traditional coal-fired power generation technology
    6. Boiler technology
    7. Steam turbine design
    8. Generators
    9. Fluidized bed combustion
    10. Integrated gasification combined cycle
    11. Emission control for coal-fired power plants
    12. Coal treatment
    13. Low nitrogen oxide combustion strategies
    14. Sulfur dioxide removal
    15. Nitrogen oxide capture
    16. Combined sulfur and nitrogen oxide removal
    17. Particulate (dust) removal
    18. Mercury removal
    19. Carbon dioxide removal
    20. Carbon dioxide sequestration
    21. Cost of coal-fired power generation
  8. Chapter 4: Natural Gas–fired Gas Turbines and Combined Cycle Power Plants
    1. Abstract
    2. Natural gas
    3. Growth of gas turbine technology
    4. Gas turbine principle
    5. Modern gas turbine design for power generation
    6. Gas turbine development
    7. Advanced gas turbine cycles
    8. Combined cycle power plants
    9. Micro-turbines
    10. Emission control for gas turbine power plants
    11. Cost of gas turbine–based power generation
  9. Chapter 5: Piston Engine–Based Power Plants
    1. Abstract
    2. Internal combustion engines
    3. Spark-ignition engines
    4. Diesel engines (compression engines)
    5. Dual-fuel engines
    6. Stirling engines
    7. Cogeneration
    8. Combined cycle
    9. Emission control
    10. Cost of reciprocating engine-based power generation
  10. Chapter 6: Combined Heat and Power
    1. Abstract
    2. Historical background for combined heat and power usage
    3. Combined heat and power principles and applications
    4. CHP technology
    5. Piston engines
    6. Steam turbines
    7. Gas turbines
    8. Micro-turbines
    9. Fuel cells
    10. Nuclear power
    11. Cost of CHP
  11. Chapter 7: Fuel Cells
    1. Abstract
    2. History of fuel cells
    3. Fuel cell principle
    4. Catalysts
    5. Hydrocarbon gas reformation
    6. Fuel cell efficiency
    7. Fuel cell types
    8. Fuel cell costs
  12. Chapter 8: Hydropower
    1. Abstract
    2. Hydropower resource
    3. Hydropower sites
    4. Categories of hydropower plant
    5. Large hydropower plants: dams and barrages
    6. Dam types
    7. Hydropower turbines
    8. Generators
    9. Small hydropower
    10. Environmental considerations
    11. Environmental assessment
    12. Hydropower and intermittent renewable generation
    13. Cost of electricity generation from hydropower plants
  13. Chapter 9: Tidal Barrage Power Plants
    1. Abstract
    2. Tidal resource
    3. Operating tidal barrage power plants
    4. Tidal power plant design
    5. Two-basin projects
    6. Bunded reservoir
    7. Tidal barrage construction techniques
    8. Turbines
    9. Turbine speed regulation
    10. Sluices and shiplocks
    11. Environmental considerations
    12. Cost of electricity generation from tidal barrage power plants
  14. Chapter 10: Power System Energy Storage Technologies
    1. Abstract
    2. Types of energy storage
    3. Pumped storage hydropower
    4. Compressed-air energy storage
    5. Large-scale batteries
    6. Superconducting magnetic energy storage
    7. Flywheels
    8. Capacitors
    9. Hydrogen energy storage
  15. Chapter 11: Wind Power
    1. Abstract
    2. Wind resources
    3. Wind turbine technology
    4. Wind turbine anatomy
    5. Offshore wind turbine technology
    6. Wind farms
    7. Environmental effects of wind power
    8. Wind intermittency and grid issues
    9. Wind capacity limits
    10. Repowering
    11. Cost of wind power
  16. Chapter 12: Geothermal Power
    1. Abstract
    2. Geothermal resource
    3. Geothermal fields
    4. Brine-methane reservoirs
    5. Hot dry rock
    6. Exploiting the magma
    7. Location of geothermal resources
    8. Size of the resource
    9. Geothermal energy conversion technologies
    10. Direct steam power plants
    11. Flash steam plants
    12. Binary cycle power plants
    13. Geothermal power and district heating
    14. Finding and exploiting geothermal sources
    15. Cost of geothermal power
  17. Chapter 13: Solar Power
    1. Abstract
    2. Solar energy resource
    3. Solar sites and land resources
    4. Solar power generation technologies
    5. Solar thermal power generation
    6. Photovoltaic devices
    7. Cost of solar power
  18. Chapter 14: Marine Power Generation Technologies
    1. Abstract
    2. Marine energy resource
    3. Ocean thermal energy conversion
    4. Wave power
    5. Marine current energy
    6. Salinity gradient power generation
    7. Cost of marine power generation
  19. Chapter 15: Biomass-based Power Generation
    1. Abstract
    2. Types of biomass
    3. Biomass wastes
    4. Fuelwood
    5. Energy crops
    6. Biomass trade
    7. Biomass energy conversion technology
    8. Direct firing
    9. co-firing
    10. Biomass gasification
    11. Fuel handling
    12. Biomass digesters
    13. Liquid fuels
    14. Cost of biomass power generation
  20. Chapter 16: Power from Waste
    1. Abstract
    2. Landfill waste disposal
    3. Sources of waste
    4. Waste composition
    5. Waste collection and recycling
    6. Waste power generation technologies
    7. Traditional waste incineration plants
    8. Gasification and pyrolysis
    9. Refuse-derived fuel
    10. Environmental issues
    11. Waste plant emissions
    12. Cost of energy from waste plants
  21. Chapter 17: Nuclear Power
    1. Abstract
    2. Global nuclear capacity
    3. Fundamentals of nuclear power
    4. Nuclear fission reactor designs
    5. Nuclear fusion
    6. Environmental question
    7. Cost of nuclear power
  22. Index

Product information

  • Title: Power Generation Technologies, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Paul Breeze
  • Release date: March 2014
  • Publisher(s): Newnes
  • ISBN: 9780080983363