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. The steam is a cheap, readily available, and recyclable resource that provides a highly efficient medium for the conversion of heat energy into mechanical energy and thence to electrical energy in the alternators (generators). . Power Stations "burn" fuel (typically "fossil fuels" like coal, gas and oil, or nuclear fuels like "UOX" and "MOX" ) to convert stored chemical energy into vast quantities of thermal energy i.e. heat. Although it is possible to convert heat directly into electrical energy using "thermocouples" - these devices are not suitable for delivering large amounts of power at high efficiency. . Water is a very cheap readily available material that can convert a small volume of water into a large volume of high pressure super-heated steam at relatively high efficiency. . The high pressure superheated steam is used to drive a series of turbines ( aerodynamically efficient blades arranged radially on a drive shaft), which are used to drive the electrical generators - typically high power three-phase alternators. . As the high pressure steam passes through each set of turbine vanes, the temperature and pressure of the steam reduces causing the thermal (and mechanical) energy in the moving steam to be converted into mechanical energy in the rotation of the turbines. . The cooler output steam is condensed into hot water and recycled back into pipes in the hot furnaces to be converted back into superheated steam - thus continuing to drive the turbines without wasting too much of the energy still contained in the hot water.
Best wishes - Majikthise. .
Turbines can be driven by wind, combustion products, liquid, steam, or gas. The advantage of steam turbines is that water goes through a phase change from liquid to steam making design simpler. Steam turbines are usually stationary power plants because of their size and weight. Portable and semi-portable generators are more likely to use gas turbines. Most of the generators we have installed in Iran and Iraq have been gas turbines. The temperature of the medium has a lot to do with turbine efficiency. For efficiency most modern steam turbine power plants use supercritical steam at around 600C and over 3,000 PSI. For nuclear power even higher efficiency is possible using noble gas or molten salts for cooling. Noble gas does not react with reactor materials (steam systems have problems with hydrogen hardening of coolent plumbing), noble gases do not become radioactive from neutron radiation and running at 1,000C has higher efficiency. Fluoride salt has a melting point of 1,400C and has the advantage of running at high temperature without the pressures necessary in supercritical steam and noble gas circuits.
Turbines can be driven by wind, combustion products, liquid, steam, or gas. The advantage of steam turbines is that water goes through a phase change from liquid to steam making design simpler. Steam turbines are usually stationary power plants because of their size and weight. Portable and semi-portable generators are more likely to use gas turbines. Most of the generators we have installed in Iran and Iraq have been gas turbines. The temperature of the medium has a lot to do with turbine efficiency. For efficiency most modern steam turbine power plants use supercritical steam at around 600C and over 3,000 PSI. For nuclear power even higher efficiency is possible using noble gas or molten salts for cooling. Noble gas does not react with reactor materials (steam systems have problems with hydrogen hardening of coolent plumbing), noble gases do not become radioactive from neutron radiation and running at 1,000C has higher efficiency. Fluoride salt has a melting point of 1,400C and has the advantage of running at high temperature without the pressures necessary in supercritical steam and noble gas circuits.
