Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 18: Problem 71

The nuclear power plant at which you're the public affairs manager has a backup gas-turbine system. The backup system produces electrical energy at the rate of \(360 \mathrm{MW}\), while extracting energy from natural gas at the rate of \(670 \mathrm{MW}\). The local town council has raised concern over waste thermal energy dumped into the environment. Their standards state the thermal waste power must not exceed 400 MW and that all power generation must be at least \(50 \%\) efficient. Does the backup turbine meet this standard?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Yes, the backup turbine meets the standards set by the town council as the thermal waste energy is 310 MW, which is lower than the set limit of 400 MW. The efficiency calculated is 53.73%, which is higher than the minimum required efficiency of 50%.

Step by step solution

01

Calculate waste thermal energy

First, calculate the thermal waste energy by subtracting the electrical energy produced from the total energy extracted from natural gas. In this case, the calculation is as follows: \(670 MW - 360 MW = 310 MW\). This is the amount of waste thermal energy produced by the backup gas turbine system.
02

Evaluate against the standard

Next, compare the calculated thermal waste energy to the town council's standard of 400 MW. Since 310 MW is less than 400 MW, the backup turbine system meets this part of the standard.
03

Calculate efficiency

Efficiency is the ratio of the useful output energy to the input energy. So, calculate the efficiency of the backup turbine system using this formula: Efficiency = (Useful output / Total input) * 100 %. In this case, the efficiency will be \((360 MW / 670 MW) * 100 % = 53.73 % \).
04

Evaluate the efficiency

Now, compare the calculated efficiency to the council's standard of 50%. Since 53.73% is more than 50%, the system meets this part of the standard.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

It takes \(600 \mathrm{J}\) to compress a gas isothermally to half its original volume. How much work would it take to compress it by a factor of 10 starting from its original volume?

What should be the approximate specific-heat ratio of a gas consisting of \(50 \% \mathrm{NO}_{2}(\gamma=1.29), 30 \% \mathrm{O}_{2}(\gamma=1.40),\) and \(20 \%\) \(\operatorname{Ar}(\gamma=1.67) ?\)

In a closed but uninsulated container, \(500 \mathrm{g}\) of water are shaken violently until the temperature rises by \(3.0^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\). The mechanical work required in the process is \(9.0 \mathrm{kJ}\). (a) How much heat is transferred during the shaking? (b) How much mechanical energy would have been required if the container had been perfectly insulated?

A quasi-static process begins and ends at the same temperature. Is the process necessarily isothermal?

The adiabatic lapse rate is the rate at which air cools as it rises and expands adiabatically in the atmosphere (see Application: Smog Alert, on page 302 ). Express \(d T\) in terms of \(d p\) for an adiabatic process, and use the hydrostatic equation (Equation 15.2 ) to express \(d p\) in terms of \(d y .\) Then, calculate the lapse rate \(d T / d y .\) Take air's average molecular weight to be 29 u and \(\gamma=1.4,\) and remember that the altitude \(y\) is the negative of the depth \(h\) in Equation 15.2.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Radiation

Read Explanation

Turning Points in Physics

Read Explanation

Further Mechanics and Thermal Physics

Read Explanation

Electricity and Magnetism

Read Explanation

Torque and Rotational Motion

Read Explanation

Classical Mechanics

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free