CHAPTER 8

GENERATION OF
ELECTRICITY
8.1 ELECTRICITY GENERATION

• Generation of electricity is
the process of converting
some form of energy into
electricity.

• Produced in large amounts

by power stations

• Dynamo : generator which

produces direct current

• Altenator: generator which

produces alternating current
 ELECTRICITY GENERATION

• 2 types of energy:

1. Non-renewable Energy:
energy resources cannot be
replaced once they are all
used up (coal, oil and
natural gas)

2. Renewable Energy:
energy resources can be
replaced (wind power, wave
power, hydroelectric power,
solar power).

• In fossil fuel generators,

the chemical energy is
burned to release heat
energy.
1. THERMAL GENERATORS

• Steps to generate electricity from fossil fuels:

1. Heat released from fossil fuel boils the water to make

steam.
2. The steam turns the turbine.
3. The turbine turns a generator and electricity is produced.
4. The electricity goes to the transformers to produce the
correct voltage.

• Energy changes involves:

Chemical Heat Kinetic Electric
Energy Energy Energy Energy
THERMAL GENERATORS
2. HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT
HYDROELECTRIC POWER
3. NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
• Main nuclear fuels: uranium and plutonium.
• Steps:

1. Nuclear fuel undergoes a controlled chain reaction in

the reactor to produce heat.
2. Heat is used to produce steam in the boiler.
3. the steam drives the turbine
4. Generator convert heat energy to electrical energy

Nuclear Heat Kinetic Electric

Energy Energy Energy Energy
4. DIESEL GENERATOR
5. GAS TURBINE GENERATORS
WIND POWER
Wind turbines grouped together to form a wind farm
SOLAR ENERGY

Solar Panel:
Installed on roof and absorp
energy from the Sun to heat
up water

Solar Cell:
Converts light energy
directly into electrical
energy.
8.2 TRANSFORMERS

• Transformers are used to change the size of an

AC voltage.
• Consists of two coils of wire wound on a metal
core.
• Allow changes of a high-voltage supply into a
low-voltage one, or vice versa.
1. Step-up transformer : increases the voltage
2. Step-down transformer: decreases the voltage
• Comprised of 2 sets of insulated coiled wires on opposite
sides of a soft iron core.
• Core is constructed of laminated soft iron cores to reduce
the loss of energy in the form of heat.
1. Primary Coil: Receives input voltage
2. Secondary coil: Produces output voltage
• Output Voltage depends on:
1. Input voltage
2. Number of turns of 1° coil and 2° coil
• The relationship linking the number of turns on
each coil to the voltages is:

1. Vs is the voltage induced in the secondary coil in volts

2. Vp is the voltage applied to the primary coil in volts
3. ns is the number of turns on the secondary coil
4. np is the number of turns on the primary coil
EXAMPLE 1:

• Calculate the voltage obtained from the

secondary coil of a mains (230 volt) transformer
which has 11 500 turns on its primary and 600
turns on its secondary?
EXAMPLE 1:

• Calculate the voltage obtained from the

secondary coil of a mains (230 volt) transformer
which has 11 500 turns on its primary and 600
turns on its secondary?
EXAMPLE 2:

• A transformer has 20 turns on the primary coil

and 400 on the secondary coil. What is the output
voltage if the input voltage is 500V?
EXAMPLE 2:

• A transformer has 20 turns on the primary coil

and 400 on the secondary coil. What is the output
voltage if the input voltage is 500V?
8.3 DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF ELECTRICITY

• Once electricity has been generated, it needs to be transported from the

power station or generator to consumer homes.
• This is done using a system of pylons and cables called the National
Grid.
• Some energy is 'lost' in the transmission lines as heat, due to
resistance in the cables and a small amount of sound energy.
 If you have ever stood near a pylon you may have heard a faint buzzing noise, as
some energy is transferred to sound.

• Energy loss can be reduced by transmitting low current.

 Low current, less electrical energy is lost as heat.
NATIONAL GRID NETWORK
• Transformers is used to reduce energy losses from the wires during
transmission.

• Low current requires a high voltage via aluminium/copper cables.

• Power stations produce electricity at 11 kV.

• Electricity is sent through the National Grid cables at 500 kV, 275 kV
and 132 kV.

• Step-up transformers at power stations produce high voltages needed

to transmit electricity through the National Grid power lines.

• High voltages improve efficiency by reducing heat loss in the power

lines.

• High voltages are dangerous for use in the home, so step-down

transformers are used locally to reduce the voltage to safe levels.
• National Grid Network: a system that interconnects the
main power stations

• Function:
1. Allows distant power stations to be used

2. Channeled excess energy from one area to areas that require

more energy.

3. Allows a mix of different energy resources to be used efficiently

4. Responds to the local demand for electricity

5. If one power station breaks down, the grid will continue to

supply electricity from other power stations in the grid.

• This guarantees an uninterrupted supply of energy

throughout country.
EXAMPLE 1:

• Discuss why the demand for electricity varies

throughout the day and how the National Grid
responds to this change in demand.
ANSWER:

• The National Grid monitors power use in order to respond to

the change in demand during the day.

• The National Grid provides a base load of electricity using coal

and nuclear power stations.

• When the demand exceeds the base load, hydroelectric power

stations are used in order to supply electricity quickly in order
to meet the demand.
EXAMPLE 2:

• Explain why transformers are used in the National

Grid.
EXAMPLE 2:

• Explain why transformers are used in the National

Grid.
• A step-up transformer increases the voltage in order to
decrease the current before it travels through the
transmission lines.

• A lower current ensures that less energy is wasted as

heat in the transmission lines, and makes the process
more efficient.
•
• A step-down transformer decreases the voltage in order
to make it safer for the consumer.
8.4 ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY AND
WIRING SYSTEM IN HOMES
• The wiring in a house connects all appliances together in
parallel.
1. Each appliance has the same supply of voltage across it.
2. can be controlled independently.
3. If one light/appliance fuses, other appliances can still be used

• Consumer unit contains main switch and fuses for all the
circuits.
1. power ring circuit
2. lighting circuit.

• Power sockets are connected by a ring circuit.

• In a ring circuit the live, neutral and earth wires form a loop
of cable

Wires Consumer Power sockets Consumer

unit unit
The Ring Main
PARTS OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM
TYPES OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION LINES

• Single Phase distribution lines

• For residential area
• Low voltage, 240 V

• Three phase distribution lines

• For industrial and commercial area
• High voltage, 415V
• For high-powered appliances
3 Pin Plugs Earth Wire
1. Yellow with green
stripes
2. Direct current leakage
to the ground

Neutral Wire
1. Blue
2. Allows currents to flow
from appliance back to
the mains

Live Wire
1. Brown
Fu s e 2. Allows currents from
1. Connected to the live
mains to be carried to
wire
the appliance.
2. When current
overloaded, fuse melts
and break the circuit.
ELECTRICAL ENERGY AND ELECTRICAL POWER

• Electricity meter/Joule meter:

• A device use to measure
total amount of electrical
energy used

• Power is a measure of how

quickly energy is transferred.

• The unit of power is the watt

(W).
Malaysia Electric Meter Box
 POWER, VOLTAGE, CURRENT RATING OF
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

The relationship between Power, Voltage and

Electric Current is represented by:

Power (W) = Voltage (V) x Current (A)

P = V x I
EXAMPLE 1:

What is the power if the voltage is 12V and the

current is 5A?

power = voltage × current

= 5 × 12
= 60W
EXAMPLE 2:

A power station produces 3 kW of power at a

voltage of 5,000 V. What is the current that is
produced?

= 3 × 103 ÷ 5,000
= 0.6 A
EXAMPLE 4:

• A TV needs 0.5A current from a 240 V electrical

supply. What is the power of the TV?

power = voltage × current

= 240 × 0.5
= 120W
 COST OF ELECTRICITY

• Electrical energy used depends on:

1. Power
2. Voltage ratings
3. Length of time used

• Amount of energy used is calculated in units of

kilowatt-hour (kWh)
• One kWh is the same as the amount of energy used by a
1 kW appliance for 1 hour:

Energy (kWh) = Power (kW) × Time

(hours)
Total cost = Power (kW) × Time (h) ×
Cost per unit
EXAMPLE 1:

• An electric kettle with a power and voltage of

1000W, 240 V is used for one hour everyday for
30 days. Calculate the cost of using the electric
kettle if one unit of energy costs RM0.20.

Energy = Power x Time

= 1000W x (1hr x 30 days)
1000
= 30 kWh

Cost = 30 kWh x 20 sen

= RM 6.00
EXAMPLE 2:

• You used a lamp labelled 60 W, 240V from 8.00

pm to 12 am to study each night for 30 days.
Calculate the cost of using the lamp for 30 days if
the cost of 1kWh is 20 sen.

Energy = Power x Time

= 60W x (4 hrs x 30 days)
1000
= 7.2 kWh

Cost = 7.2 kWh x 20 sen

= RM 1.44
EXAMPLE 3:

• Based on the reading of the electricity meter below, what is

the cost of electrical energy used? The tariff is:
• For the first 100 units, 20 sen per unit
• For the next 100 units, 23 sen per unit
• For each additional unit, 26 sen.

Previous meter Current meter reading

reading 16888
16285

No of units used = 16888 – 16285

= 603 units Total Cost
Cost for first 100 units = 100 x 20 sen = RM20 + RM23 +
= RM 20 RM104.78
Cost for next 100 units = 100 x 23 sen = RM147.78
= RM 23
Cost for additional units = 403 x 26 sen
= RM 104.78
EXAMPLE 4:

• The following electrical appliances are used in a

house:
1. 8 fluorescent lights labelled 40 W, 240 V for 6
hours
2. 3 air conditioner labelled 1.5 kW, 240 V for 8 hours
3. A television labelled 140 W, 240 V for 2 hours
4. An electric heater 2 kW ,240 V for 30 minutes

The energy tariff rates are as follows:

• For the first 400 units = 25 sen per unit
• For each additional unit = 30 sen per unit

What is the cost of the electrical energy used for 30

days?
ANSWER:

1. 8 unit fluorescent lights

= 40 W x (6 hrs x 30 days) x 8
unit
1000
= 57.6 kWh Cost for first 400 units = 400 x 25
2. 3 unit air conditioner sen
= 1.5 kW x (8 hrs x 30 days) x 3 = RM 100
unit Cost for additional units = 776 x 30
= 1080 kWh sen
3. A television = RM
= 140 W x (2 hrs x 30 days) x 1 232.80
unit Total Cost
1000
= 8.4 kWh = RM 100 + RM 232.80
4. An electric heater = RM 332.80
= 2 kW x (0.5 hrs x 30 days) x 1
unit
= 30 kWh
Total energy used
= 57.6 + 1080 + 8.4 + 30
= 1176 kWh
 FUSES

• Fuse: safety device, placed in a fuse box, consists of a

low melting point fine wire .
• Usage: breaks the circuit if too much current flows into
the circuit.

• Fuses have standard ratings.

• Lightning circuit: 5A
• Power circuit: 13A, 15A and 30A.

• The fuse should be rated at a slightly higher current than

the device needs:
• if the device works at 3 A, use a 5 A fuse
• if the device works at 10 A, use a 13 A fuse
EXAMPLE 1:

• Find the current that flows through a 1.15 kW

electric heater at a potential difference of 230 V?

= 1150W
230V
= 5A

The best fuse to use in this example would be the 13A fuse.
The 3A and 5A fuses would blow even when the appliance was
working normally.
EXAMPLE 2:

• A housewife has a 1200 W iron, a 1000 W electric oven, and a 800

W electric kettle that are connected to the mains supply. She buys
a 400 W washing machine that connects to the same mains supply
which has a 13A fuse and 250 V. Can all four appliances be used at
the same time?

Total Power
= 1200 W + 1000 W + 800 W + 400 W
= 3400 W

= 3400 W = 13.6 A
250 V

When the current exceed 13 A, the fuse melt thus break the
circuit.
All appliances cannot be used at the same time
8.7 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN THE USE OF
ELECTRICAL ENERGY

59
 SOURCES OF ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS
1. Electrical accidents may be caused by a short circuit,
overloading or negligence.

a. The use of electrical appliances without earth wires

or with faulty earth wires can cause electric shocks
and even in death.

b. Short circuits occur when the live wire touches the

neutral wire. This provides a shorter path of low resistance
for the current to flow through.

c. When a large amount of current flows through the wires

the wires may overheat and produce electrical sparks. 60
d. Cables with torn insulator parts and exposed live wires
may also result in electric shocks.

e. The use of broken 3 -pin plugs can also cause electric

shocks.

Pn Azreen/ Science Form 3/

61
Chapter 8
f. Touching switches, electrical sources and
electrical appliances which are being used with
wet hands can cause electric shocks.

g. Do not connect too many appliances to one

socket.

62
 SAFETY DEVICES

1. A miniature circuit breaker (MCB) is

an electromagnetic switch that operates
like a fuse but does not blow.

2. Another safety device that is installed in

the household wiring is the Earth
Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB).

63
 8.8 CONSERVING ELECTRICAL ENERGY
Ways to conserve electrical energy:
1. Electrical energy should be used carefully and efficiently to
save fuel and to lower the cost of generation of electrical
energy.

2. The examples of saving energy

a. Use machines that are efficient in industrial processes.
b. Use machines and appliances with low power
requirements instead of those that require more power.
c. Switch off appliances such as lights, fans and televisions
when not in use

64
65
 THE NEED TO CONSERVE ENERGY

1. Things that we do during our leisure time involve the use

of electrical energy.

2. The economy of our country would be badly affected

should there be an energy crisis.

3. The manufacturing sector which depends heavily on

electrical energy cannot operate on a full scale.

66
EARTHING AND DOUBLE INSULATION

• Many electrical appliances - including cookers, washing

machines and refrigerators - have metal cases.

• You would get an electric shock if the live wire inside an

appliance, such as a cooker, came loose and touched the
metal casing.

• However, the earth terminal is connected to the metal casing

so that the current goes through the earth wire instead of
causing an electric shock.

• A strong current surges through the earth wire because it has a

very low resistance.

• This breaks the fuse and disconnects the appliance.

• If an electrical fault occurs, and someone touches the
metal casing which is earthed, a large current flows into
the earth wire instead of passing through the person.

69
 DOUBLE INSULATION

• Some appliances - such as vacuum cleaners and electric

drills - do NOT have an earth wire.

• This is because they have plastic casings, or they have

been designed so that the live wire cannot touch the
casing.

• As a result, the casing cannot give an electric shock, even if

the wires inside become loose.

• These appliances have double insulation.

Symbol for double insulation