How is electricity produced in Hydro-electric power stations and oil fired power stations?
A Hydro-electric Power Station uses the ‘Potential Energy’ (P.E.) of a large, dammed lake situated at a high point above the Power Station. When the water is released (under control) and is allowed to flow by a pipeline to the power station, the P.E. is converted to ‘Kinetic Energy’ (K.E.) due to the force of the flowing water. This energy is converted to ‘Mechanical Energy’ in driving powerful water turbines. The turbines are connected by shafts to the ‘Power Generators’ where the mechanical energy is converted to ‘Electrical Energy’ which is then fed into the Power Grid and distributed to Industrial and Domestic users who convert the electrical energy into Heat, Light, Mechanical Energy of appliances…motors, compressors…etc…etc. The Oil Fired stations have exactly the same sequence of conversions but, start with Fossil Fuel-fired boilers, (coal or oil), that produce high pressure, superheated steam which is used to perform the same function as the K.E. of the water (above), in
