Everything about Power Transmission totally explained
Power transmission is the movement of
energy from its place of generation to a location where it's applied to performing useful
work.
Power is defined formally as units of
energy per unit
time.
In
SI units: 1
watt = 1
joule/s = 1
newton * metre/second (1W=1J/s=1N·m/s).
Since the development of
technology,
transmission and storage systems have been of immense interest to technologists and
technology users.
Electrical power
With widespread establishment of
power grids, power transmission has come to be associated most often with
electric power transmission.
Alternating current is normally preferred as its voltage may be easily stepped up by a
transformer in order to minimize
resistive loss in the
conductors used to transmit power over great distances; another set of transformers is required to step it back down to safer or more usable voltage levels at destination.
Power may also be transmitted by changing
electromagnetic fields or by
radio waves;
microwave energy may be carried efficiently over short distances by a
waveguide.
Mechanical power
Electrical power transmission has replaced mechanical power transmission in all but the very shortest distances. From the start of the
industrial revolution until the end of the
19th century mechanical power transmission was the norm. Factories were fitted with overhead
driveshafts providing
rotary power. Drivebelts would provide power to individual machines on the shop floor.
Mechanical power may be transmitted directly using a solid structure such as a
driveshaft;
transmission gears can adjust the amount of
torque or
force vs.
speed in much the same way an electrical transformer adjusts
voltage vs
current.
Hydraulic systems use liquid under pressure to transmit power;
canals and
hydroelectric power generation facilities harness natural water power to lift
ships or generate electricity. Pumping water or pushing mass uphill with (
windmill pumps) is one possible means of energy storage.
London had a
hydraulic network powered by five
pumping stations operated be the
London Hydraulic Power Company, with a total effect of 5 MW.
Pneumatic systems use gasses under pressure to transmit power;
compressed air is commonly used to operate
pneumatic tools in
factories and
repair garages. A pneumatic wrench (for instance) is used to remove and install automotive tyres far more quickly than could be done with standard manual hand tools.
A pneumatic system was proposed by proponents of
Edison's direct current as the basis of the power grid. Compressed air generated at
Niagara Falls would drive far away generators of DC power. The
War of Currents ended with
alternating current (AC) as the only means of long distance power transmission.
Chemicals and fuels
Power (and energy) may be transmitted by physically transporting
chemical or
nuclear fuels. Possible artificial fuels include
radioactive isotopes,
wood alcohol,
grain alcohol,
methane,
synthetic gas,
cryogenic gas,
hydrogen gas (H
2) and
liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Further Information
Get more info on 'Power Transmission'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://power_transmission.totallyexplained.com">Power transmission Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
