Text 1. Power Engineering

Издательский центр ДГТУ, 2013

Task 1. Read the following words and try to remember them:

power engineering - энергетика; generation - генерирование, создание; transmission -передача; distribution - распределение; power - сила, мощность, энергия; utilities – коммунальные службы; fuel - топливо, горючее; fossil - ископаемое; a loop of wire - виток проволоки; storage - хранение; recovery - восстановление, регенерация, добыча; to carry out -выполнять; power station - электростанция; voltage - напряжение; to connect - связывать; current - электрический ток; power grid - энергетическая система, энергетическая сеть электропередач; to drive - приводить в движение.

Task 2. Read the text and get ready to answer the questions:

1. What does power engineering deal with? 2. What is generation of electric power? 3. What sources of power do you know? 4. What does transmission include? 5. What role do transformers play? 6. What does distribution involve? 7. Why do most grids adopt three-phase electric power with alternating current?

Power Engineering deals with the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity as well as the design of a range of related devices. These include transformers, electric generators, electric motors and power electronics.

Generation is converting other forms of power into electrical power. The sources of power include fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, hydropower, nuclear power, solar power, wind power and other forms.

For electric utilities, it is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. The other processes, electricity transmission, distribution and electrical power storage and recovery are normally carried out by the electric power industry.

Electricity is most often generated at a power station by electromechanical generators, primarily driven by heat engines fueled by chemical combustion or nuclear fission but also by other means such as the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind. Other energy sources include solar photovoltaic and geothermal power.

Transmission includes moving power over somewhat long distances, from a power station to near place where it is used. Transmission involves high voltages, almost always higher than voltage at which the power is either generated or used. Transmission also includes connecting together power systems owned by various companies and perhaps in different states or countries. Transmission includes long, medium and short lines.

Transformers play an important role in power transmission because they allow power to be converted to and from higher voltages. This is important because higher voltages suffer less power loss during transmission.

Distribution involves taking power from the transmission system to end users, converting it to voltages at which it is ultimately required.

In many regions of the world, governments maintain an electrical network that connects a variety of electric generators together with users of their power. This network is called a power grid. Power engineers may work on the design and maintenance of the power grid as well as the power systems that connect to it. Such systems are called on-grid power systems and may supply the grid with additional power, draw power from the grid or do both.

Today, most grids adopt three-phase electric power with an alternating current This type of power can be easily generated, transformed and used. Often the power is split before it reaches residential customers whose low-power appliances rely upon single-phase electric power. However, many larger industries and organizations still prefer to receive the three-phase power directly because it can be used to drive highly efficient electric motors such as three-phase induction motors.

Task 3. Find Russian equivalents for the following English words and expressions:

delivery of electricity to consumers; combustion; nuclear fission; energy sources; photovoltaic; geothermal power; to convert power; to suffer less power loss; end users.

горение, конечные пользователи, нести меньшие потери энергии, преобразовывать энергию, источники энергии, деление ядра, доставка электричества потребителям, фотоэлектрический, геотермическая энергия.