Steam Power Plants are more popular in electric power generation because ___________a)Work output of turbine is equal to work input to the pumpb)Work output of turbine is very large than work input to the pumpc)Work output of turbine is very small than work input to the pumpd)None of the mentionedCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?

Question

Answer

In a Steam Power Plant, the positive difference of turbine work & pump work makes it useful in electricity generation.

Answer

Introduction:
Steam power plants are widely used in electric power generation due to several reasons. One of the key reasons is the significant difference between the work output of the turbine and the work input to the pump.

Explanation:
1. Higher work output:
- In a steam power plant, the steam generated from the boiler is expanded in a turbine, which converts the thermal energy of the steam into mechanical work.
- The work output of the turbine is directly proportional to the pressure and temperature of the steam entering the turbine.
- Steam power plants operate at high pressures and temperatures, allowing for a high work output from the turbine.
- This high work output ensures efficient conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy, which can then be used to generate electricity.

2. Work input to the pump:
- The steam that exits the turbine is condensed back into water and then pumped back to the boiler to be reheated and converted into steam again.
- The pump is responsible for supplying the necessary pressure to the water to overcome the pressure drop that occurs in the condenser and other components.
- The work input to the pump is required to overcome the pressure difference between the condenser and the boiler.
- However, the work input to the pump is relatively small compared to the work output of the turbine.

3. Efficiency and power generation:
- The efficiency of a steam power plant is defined as the ratio of the useful work output to the heat input.
- Since the work output of the turbine is much larger than the work input to the pump, the net work output of the plant is significantly greater than the work input required to operate the pump.
- This results in a higher overall efficiency of the power plant.
- The higher work output from the turbine also means that more electricity can be generated from the same amount of fuel.

Conclusion:
Steam power plants are more popular in electric power generation because the work output of the turbine is very large compared to the work input required to operate the pump. This significant difference in work output allows for efficient conversion of thermal energy into mechanical work, resulting in higher overall efficiency and power generation capacity.

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