Technical text: How Electric Power Systems operate
How Electric Power Systems operate.
Electric power systems are used for the transformation of other types of energy into electrical energy and the transmission of this energy to the point of consumption.
Electric power systems transform mechanical energy into electrical energy and supply this to the end user.
Electric as power is a very cheap way of transferring power.
Electric power can be generated from renewable source – e.g. Hydro or Wind.
Alternating Current (AC) electricity is used because it can be transformed between voltage levels efficiently and easily as required.
This allows transmission lines from generator to operate a high voltage-low ampere and then local supplies at lower voltage higher ampere.
A typical generation system would consist of 6 stages:
- The power generation station (1000V to 26000V 10000V)
- Step up transformers to high voltage for long distance transmission (138000V to 765000V – 133000V)
- Transmission lines (National grid)
- Step down transformers at substations to lower the voltage for local transmission (69000V to 138000V - 10000V)
- Transmission lines (Local grid)
- Local substation to supply the consumer network (240V)
Rotating magnets inside a series of field coils generates electricity. The rotational movement is provided by steam, fluid or wind.
Most of the world power is generated by steam derived from coal, oil, gas or nuclear power source. The power source heats the water into steam at high pressure, which turns the turbine of the generator. Little power is generated from Hydro, Wind or internal combustion engines.
The National grid is a normally high steel tower carrying multi cables with a tower every 250-500M in straight lines.
Local grid is normally on tall wooden poles with few cables space every 100M. In towns underground distribution is used for safety reasons.
A complete delivery system includes protection circuits against overload or short circuits and form factor correction.