Draw the flow chart showing step by step energy transformation in the following power plants :(a) Thermal Power Plant(b) Nuclear Power Plant(c) Solar Power Plant.

Answer:

(a) Thermal power plant: Chemical energy in coal → Thermal energy → Kinetic energy in steam → Kinetic energy in turbine → Electrical energy (generator).

(b) Nuclear power plant: Nuclear energy (fission of uranium/plutonium) → Thermal energy → Kinetic energy in steam → Kinetic energy in turbine → Electrical energy (generator).

(c) Solar power plant:

• Solar photovoltaic power plant: Solar (light) energy → Electrical energy (DC) in solar cells → AC electrical energy through inverter and transformer → power grid.
• Solar thermal power plant: Solar energy → (concentrators and absorber) Thermal energy → Kinetic energy in steam → Kinetic energy in turbine → Electrical energy (generator).

In thermal, nuclear and solar thermal plants a turbine rotates a generator, which converts kinetic energy into electrical energy by electromagnetic induction. A photovoltaic solar plant has no turbine or generator — solar cells convert light directly into electricity.