Unit II. Electrical engineering Step 1. Energy and electrical engineering

Task 1. Pronounce correctly the following words and word combinations. Learn them by heart.

Electrical engineering – электротехника

consumption – потребление, расход

per capita – на душу населения

highly industrialized – промышленно развитый

primary – первоначальный, основной

fossil and nuclear fuels – ископаемые и ядерные виды топлива

hydro and tidal energy – гидроэнергия и энергия приливов

solar and wind energy – солнечная энергия и энергия ветра

geothermal energy – геотермальная энергия

available – доступный, имеющийся в распоряжении

acceptable cost – приемлемая цена

to concern – касаться, иметь отношение,

generation of electricity – производство электроэнергии

transmission of electricity – передача электроэнергии

distribution of electricity – распределение электроэнергии

current transformer – трансформатор тока

electric generator – электрогенератор

electrical drive – электропривод

high voltage engineering – техника высоких напряжений

power electronics – силовая электроника

direct current – постоянный ток

alternating current – переменный ток

circuit – эл. цепь, микросхема

copper cable – медный кабель

optical fibre – оптоволокно

to necessitate – делать необходимым

implementation– осуществление, выполнение

electronics engineering – электроника

electric power and machinery – энергетика и энергомашиностроение

communications and control – техника средств связи и управление

Task 2. Read and translate the text.

Energy and electrical engineering

Energy is the basis of any technical and industrial development. The energy consumption per capita in a country is thus an indicator of its state, of technical development, exhibiting differences between highly industrialized and not yet developed countries. In its primary form, energy is widely distributed (fossil and nuclear fuels, hydro and tidal energy, solar and wind energy, geothermal energy etc.) but it must be developed and made available at the point of consumption in suitable form and at an acceptable cost. This creates problems of transporting the energy from the place of origin to the point of demand and of converting it in its final physical form.

Electrical engineering is the widest field of engineering, concerned with systems and devices that use electric power and signals. It deals with the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity as well as the design of a range of related devices. These include current transformers, electric generators, electrical drives, high voltage engineering, power electronics, control systems, computer design.

Electrical engineering can be divided into four main branches:

1. Electric power and Machinery.

Engineers working in this field design and operate systems for generating, transmitting and distributing electric power. Several important developments appeared in this field. One of these is the ability to transmit power at extremely high voltages in both the direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) modes, reducing power losses. Another is the real-time control of power generation, transmission and distribution, using computers.

2. Electronic engineering.

This field of engineering deals with the research, design and application of circuits and devices used in the transmission and processing of information.

3. Communications and Control.

Engineers in this field work on control systems and communication systems that are used in power transmission and distribution, in automated manufacturing and robotics. Major developments in this field are the replacement of analogue systems with digital systems and copper cables with optical fibres.

4. Computer engineering.

Computer engineers design and manufacture memory systems, central processing units and peripheral devices.

Electrical engineering necessitates the practicing student to not only build a solid theoretical foundation but also be proficient in design and implementation of technical ideas.

Task 3. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following.

1. потребление электроэнергии;

2. показатель технического развития;

3. промышленно развитые страны;

4. ископаемые и ядерные виды топлива;

5. месторождение;

6. техника высоких напряжений;

7. передать энергию при чрезвычайно высоких напряжениях;

8. автоматизированное производство;

9. замена медного кабеля оптоволокном;

10. трансформаторы тока.

Task 4. Memorize the following verbs and nouns.

to develop – development;

to consume – consumption;

to generate – generation;

to transmit – transmission;

to distribute – distribution;

to replace – replacement;

to implement – implementation;

to indicate – indicator;

to demand – demand;

to use – use;

to divide – division;

to reduce – reduction;

to convert – convert;

to apply – application.

Task 5. Think of the best translation to the following words and word combinations.

1. widely distributed;

2. convert energy in its final physical form;

3. the design of a range of related devices;

4. computer design;

5. reduce power losses;

6. the real-time control;

7. application of circuits;

8. major developments;

9. the replacement of analogue systems with digital systems;

10. power transmission;

11. be proficient in implementation of technical ideas.

Task 6. True or false?

1) Energy is rarely distributed in nature.

2) Electrical engineering is the widest field of engineering and it is divided into four branches.

3) Electronic engineering deals with the design of memory systems and central processing units.

4) The ability of a country to make energy available at an acceptable cost is an indicator of technical development.

5) In general electrical engineering deals with three main problems: the generation, transmission and distribution of energy.

Task 7. Fill in the gaps using words and word combinations from the text.

1) Computer engineers manufacture memory systems, central processing units and….

2) Energy is the basis of any technical and … .

3) One of the major developments in the field of communications and control is the replacement of analogue systems with… .

4) The energy consumption per capita in a country exhibits differences between highly industrialized and … .

5) This creates problems of transporting the energy from…to the point of demand and of converting it in … .

6) Several important developments appeared in the field of electric power and machinery. One of these is the ability to transmit power at extremely high voltages in both…, reducing power losses.

Task 8. Answer the questions.

1) What alternative types of energy do you know?

2) What is an indicator of the state and technical development of any country?

3) What problems does electrical engineering deal with?

4) What devices does electrical engineering design?

5) What are four main branches of electrical engineering?

6) Can you give a few examples of important developments that appeared in electric power and machinery?

7) What does computer engineering manufacture?

8) What does electrical engineering necessitate the practicing student to do?

Task 9. Give the summary of the text.