What is thermoelectric energy
Thermoelectric energy is internal energy of the particles of a body and can be detected in the gain or loss of heat.
Thermoelectric energy, also called thermal energy, is the energy that is generated from heat. A conventional thermoelectric plant generates electrical energy from the heat generated by the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas.
See also Thermal energy.
Thermoelectric energy is used to generate electrical energy through the construction of thermoelectric plants. Conventional or classic thermoelectric plants operate using heat that is released from a thermodynamic water-steam cycle created by boilers.
The boilers raise the fossil fuels used to high temperatures, creating combustion, generating gases. Contact with liquid water causes gases to turn into vapor.
The steam circulates and activates an alternator in the turbine that rotates the shaft that runs through the plant that is connected to the generator. The alternator is a system of pressures and temperatures that drives the turbine.
Finally, the generator collects the mechanical energy produced and transforms it into three-phase and alternating electrical current.
See also Energy.
Types of thermoelectric power plants
Thermoelectric energy is used by humans for the generation of energy thanks to the construction of thermoelectric plants. There are several types of plants, the most common being those described below:
Thermoelectric or conventional thermal power plant: They use fossil fuels such as coal, oil or natural gas. They use exothermic reactions through fuel combustion to generate the heat necessary to produce energy.
Thermoelectric or nuclear thermal power plant: they use nuclear energy within the nuclei of atoms to generate a nuclear reaction capable of generating energy, such as uranium nuclear fission plants.
Combined cycle thermoelectric or thermal power plant: uses a combination of steam and water turbines to process natural gas, achieving up to 50% more efficiency and energy.
Thermoelectric or solar thermal power plant: These plants use thermal energy from the sun or nature, therefore, they do not require burning fuels, being a type of sustainable development plant.
Advantages and disadvantages
Thermoelectric or thermal energy has advantages and disadvantages when used by men to generate electricity.
The advantages of the construction of thermoelectric plants for the generation of electrical energy focuses on the fact that its costs are much cheaper in relation to massive energy generation. Furthermore, thanks to new technologies such as natural gas combined cycle thermoelectric plants, 50% more efficiency can be achieved than a conventional plant.
The disadvantages of using thermoelectric energy They generally lie in the environmental pollution it produces. Some of its effects are:
Gas emissions that create the greenhouse effect and acid rain into the atmosphereThermal and vapor emissions that can alter the local microclimateOpen cycle thermal power plants affect river ecosystems if they directly discharge hot water as waste from the plant.The energy source can be depleted. , since it is finite and is not sustainable.
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