Exercise 1. Complete the sentences using information from the text

Text

Energy exists in various forms but electrical energy is the most con-

venient form of energy. It can be transported with ease, generated in differ- ent ways, and can be converted into mechanical work or heat energy. A power plant (also known as power station) is basically an industrial enter- prise for the generation of electrical energy. The basic purpose of a power plant is to convert other types of energy such as chemical energy, nuclear energy, geothermal energy, falling water energy (hydroelectric dams) into electric power. The electric equipment used inside a power plant converts mechanical energy into electrical energy using turbines and alternators.

Thermal power plants convert heat energy into electrical energy. Heat is generated by burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum or natural gas. These power plants are also called the fossil fuel power plants. The working fluid of these plants is mostly steam.

A steam power plant consists of a boiler which is used to generate the steam from water, a steam turbine rotating the alternator to produce electricity. The steam is again condensed in the condenser and led back to the boiler.

Hydroelectric power plants use the kinetic energy of flowing water to produce electrical energy. Hydroelectric power plants store water in large reservoirs. The water in these reservoirs flows down the dam and ro- tates a turbine. As the blades of the turbine turn, so do the magnets inside the generator which is connected to the turbine. These magnets rotate past copper coils and with each rotation, electricity is produced. The major drawback of hydroelectric power plants is that they are highly dependent on the hydrological cycle of the area where they are built.

Nuclear power plants work on the chemical process of fission. Fis- sion is a nuclear reaction in which atoms of certain elements called nuclear fuels absorb free neutrons. Then they split into two or more smaller nuclei and some free neutrons. In this process, large amount of energy is released.

The free neutrons further strike the atoms of other fissile materials, thus beginning a chain reaction. The energy released from this chain reaction is used to generate electricity. Nuclear power plants have ways to control or stop these reactions when they go out of control. A lot of radioactive mate- rial is created in the process of fission. These substances remain radioac- tive for long time, so there exists the problem of managing nuclear waste.

Solar power plants concentrate the rays of the sun into a single beam using lenses and mirrors. The beam then heats a working fluid that is used to generate power. Besides, the concentrating solar power plants, multi- megawatt photovoltaic power plants have also been built in recent times. In these plants, sun rays are concentrated on photovoltaic solar arrays which convert the Sun’s energy into electrical energy using the photoelectric effect.

Wind farms are renewable energy converters. The energy generated by a wind farm can be fed directly into the general energy grid after pass- ing through transformers. Wind farms are a large source of renewable en- ergy. Once installed, a wind farm can operate for a long time.

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences using information from the text

1. An industrial enterprise for the generation of electrical energy is

called …

2. Conversion of other energy types into electric power is …

3. In thermal power plants, … is converted into electrical energy.

4. The kinetic energy of flowing water is used to produce electrical energy in …

5. The working principle of nuclear power plants is based on …

6. … are used in solar power plants to concentrate the rays of the Sun into a single beam.

7. A wind farm is a …