UNIT 6

ELECTRICITY GENERATION

Active Vocabulary

hydro power plant- гидроэлектростанция solar power plant – солнечная электростанция nuclear power plant - атомная электростанция wind power plant - ветровая электростанция gas-fired power plant – электростанция, работающая на газе run-of-river power plant - ГЭС, работающая в естественном режиме реки coal-fired power plant – электростанция, работающая на угле lignite-fired power plant - электростанция, работающая на буром угле (лигните) pump-storage power plan – гидроаккумулирующая электростанция fossil - ископаемый, окаменелый renewable - возобновляемый generation - выработка, производство transmission - передача, перенос distribution – распределение solar - солнечный electric utilities - энергосистемы общего пользования harness - перекрытие

landfill gas – газ из органических отходов alternator - генератор переменного тока cord – шнур compressor stroke - такт сжатия air inlet valve – впускной воздушный клапан exhaust valve - выпускной клапан crankshaft - коленчатый вал set – комплект, набор; установка, агрегат socket – гнездо, розетка appliance - аппарат, прибор, устройство to power - приводить в действие или движение power - сила (физическая) , мощность, энергия, производительность to wind – wound – обматывать to ignite - возгорать(ся) to descend - спускать(ся); снижать(ся) to feed – fed - подавать; питать; снабжать; подводить to spin - быстро вращаться; вертеть(ся); крутиться turbine - турбина

1. Sort the fuels and energy sources below in the correct category.

wind oil sun uranium gas plutonium biomass lignite (hard)coal waves

Fossil fuel(s)	Renewables	Nuclear fuel(s)

2. Match these different power plants to their descriptions.

1 hydro power plant 2 solar power plant 3 nuclear power plant 4 wind power plant 5 gas-fired power plant 6 run-of-river power plant 7 coal-fired power plant 8 lignite-fired power plant 9 pump-storage power plant

a a traditional type of power plant which burns a solid, black fossil fuel b a power plant which pumps water back uphill into a reservoir during periods of low demand c a plant which uses the flow of water from a reservoir to generate electricity d a power station utilizing the natural flow of water in a river for generating power e type of power plant that uses uranium as its primary fuel f a power plant which uses the natural flow of air to generate electricity g a fossil fuel power plant which burns a solid, dark brown fuel h a power plant that generates electricity utilizing energy from the sun i a power station which burns gas as its primary fuel

Reading 1

3. Read the text and answer the questions. Use these questions as a plan to retell the text.

1. Name the processes in the delivery of electricity to consumers.

2. Since when has electricity been generated at central stations?

3. What sources are power plants run on?

4. What can smaller generators use?

5. What is the advantage of wind and solar generation?

6. Why are scientists devoting their attention to unconventional energy sources?

7. What are the most promising “new” energy sources?

8. Why have these methods of power generation come in for serious attention only recently?

ELECTRICITY GENERATION

Electricity generation is the process of converting non-electrical energy to electricity. For electric utilities, it is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. The other processes, electric power transmission and electricity distribution, are normally carried out by the electrical power industry.

Electricity has been generated at central stations since 1881. The first power plants were run on water power or coal, and today we rely mainly on coal, nuclear, natural gas, hydroelectric, and petroleum with a small amount from solar energy, fuel cells, tidal harnesses, wind generators, and geothermal sources. Most power plants burn fuel - coal, oil, natural gas, biomass - which creates steam to drive a turbine that generates electricity. Other technologies - such as solar photovoltaics or fuel cells - rely upon chemical reactions to generate electricity.

The demand for electricity is met in several ways. Large centralized generators have been the primary method thus far. Distributed generation uses a larger number of smaller generators throughout the electricity network. Some use waste heat from industrial processes; others use fuels that would otherwise be wasted, such as landfill gas. Wind and solar generation tend to be distributed because of the low density of the natural energy they collect.

Scientists and engineers are devoting an increasing amount of at­tention to what are commonly called "new" or "unconventional" power sources. The impetus for this development effort stems from many things. In a general way, the continually increasing demand for electric power, and the eventual inability of present energy sources to supply our needs are the dominant factors. However, there are others — the need for specialized power plants to serve in space or in remote land areas, to name one.

Four of the most promising of the "new" power sources are ther­moelectric, thermionic and magnetohydrodynamic generators, and fuel cells. None of these power generation methods are new in prin­ciple. The concept of thermoelectric devices dates back to 1822; the thermionic principle to 1878; magnetohydrodynamics to about 1835, and, the fuel cell to 1802. However, only recently have these prin­ciples come in for serious attention as the basis for large-scale power generators. The present interest stems largely from a better under­standing of the physics and chemistry involved, and our ability to de­velop new materials to meet the unusual requirements.

Use of English 1: vocabulary Word Building