A large natural gas fired electrical power plant produces ...



A large natural gas fired electrical power plant produces 15 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each day it operates. The power plant requires an input of 13,000 BTU’s of heat to produce 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity. One cubic foot of natural gas supplies 1,000 BTU’s of heat energy.

a) Showing all calculations determine the

i) BTU’s of heat needed to generate the electricity produced by the power plant in 24 hours.

15,000,000 kWh (13,000 BTU/ 1kWh) = 1.95 x 10 11 BTU

ii) Cubic feet of natural gas consumed by the power plant each hour.

(1cf/ 1000BTU)(1.95 x 10 11 BTU) = 1.95 x 10 8 cf of NG/day (day/24h) = 8,125,000 cf NG/h

iii) Cubic feet of carbon dioxide gas released by the power plant each day. Assume that the methane combusts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water vapor and the pressures and temperatures are kept constant.

CH4 + 2O2 ( CO2 + 2H2O

1.95 x 10 8 cf of CO2 per day

iv) Gross profit per year for the power company. The power company is able to sell electricity at $50 per year per 500 k-W-h. They pay a wholesale price of $5.00 per 1000 cubic feet of natural gas.

v)

$50/ 500 kWh (15,000,000 kWh/d) (365 d/yr) = $547,500,000 /yr sales

- 1.95 x 10 8 cf of NG/day(365 day/yr)($5/ 1000cf NG) = $355,875,000/yr cost

$191,625,000 /yr gross profit

vi) What environmental effects might the production of electricity through the burning of natural gas pose?

b. Describe 2 other methods of producing electricity providing technological, economic and environmental pros and cons for each method discussed.

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