Energy

Module 2 Energy and the Environment

It exists in several forms

According to the law of conservation of

energy total energy of a system remains

constant although the energy can be
transferred into another form.

Type of Energy
The names of energy are related to:
a) The way the energy is perceived e.g.

mechanical, electrical, light.

b) The way the energy is transported e.g.
thermal
c) The origin of the energy e.g. nuclear, solar,
wind.

Since energy can neither be created nor

destroyed, the sum of energies which enter a

process must be equal to the sum of energies
resulting from this process.

Names of energy
Potential energy aka Stored energy
Kinetic energy aka Energy of motion
Chemical energy
Mechanical energy
Thermal Energy aka heat energy
Solar energy
Light energy
Electromagnetic Energy (EMR)

Names of Energy cont

Electrical Energy
Nuclear energy aka Atomic energy

The basic use of energy measurement is the

Joule (J)
Symbol

name

Value in Joules Equivalent

KJ

Kilojoules

1000 J (103 J)

Maximum amt
of solar
radiation
received by 1sq
of earth in one
seemed

MJ

mega joules

1000,000 J( 106
J)

Kinetic energy
of one tonne
vehicle moving
out at 160 Km/h

GJ

Giga joules

1000,000,000 J
(109 J)

6GJ is about
the amount of
potential
chemical
energy in a
barrel of oil
when it is

The Basic use of energy

measurement is the joule (J)
Symbol

Name

Value in
Joules

Equivalent

TJ

Tera joule

1,000,000,000,

60 Tj were
released by the
atomic bomb
which was
droppedon
Hiroshima.

000 J (1012 J)

Work
The deffinition of work says nothing about the

time taken during which work was done.

E.g a person does the same amt of work when
he carries something up a flight of stairs,
whether he runs or not, But, he is more tired
when ge runs. Therefore, to distinguish these
cases, the concept of power was introduced.

Power
Is defined as the rate of doing work .
Power= work done/time taken
The unit of power measurement is Watt (W)

Watt (W)
Symbol

Name

Value in watts Equivalent

KW

Kilowatts

1,000 W (103
W)

Largest
industrial light
bulb of 1.8
house power

MW

Megawatt

1,000.000 W
(106 W)

Enough to play
a night game
at a stadium1300hp

GW

Gigawatt

1,000,000,000
W (109W)

Enough to
power a major
city for a day.

Energy Conversions
Example
Heating water with a burner
Photosynthesis
Internal combustion Energine
Power station
Nuclear Power

Non renewable energy

Sources
Fossil Fuels e.g coal, oil,natural gas. Peat(from

waterlogged marshland)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
Nitrogen Oxide (NO)

Non Renewable energy sources

contd
Major fossil fuels
Coal
OIL
Natural gas
Peat

Nuclear Power
There are two types of nuclear reactions
1) nuclear fission
2)nuclear fusion
Nuclear fission

Nuclei of atoms are split, releasing energy.

This process occurs in a)atomic bombs

nuclear reactons.
b) Nuclear reactions.

Nuclear Fusion
Nuclei of atoms joined or fused together This

happends under very hot conditions . The sun

like all other stars creates heat and light ,
through nuclear fusion. In the sun, hydrogen
nuclei fuse to form helium.

Nuclear Fission
Uranium is the main fuel used in nuclear

fission because it splits easily when

bombarded by neutrons once a uranium
molecule is split, multiple neutrons are
released.
The free neutrons are used to split other
uranium molecules. This is called a chain
reaction.

Functioning of a nuclear Power plant.

1. Enriched uranium is formed into 2.5cm

pellets
2. Pellets are arranged into long, hollow, metal
rods.
3. Rods are collected together into bundles.
4. Rods are submerged in water inside a
pressure vessel( the water acts as a coolant)

Outside a Nuclear Power

Plant
Due to harmful radiation extra precautions are

required in the construction design of nuclear

power plants.
1. Hence there is an outer steeled vessel which
houses the reactor core, all the equipment
used to fuel + maintain the reactor. This
steal barrier serves as a barrier to prevent
leakage of any radioactive gases or fluids
from the plant.

Reactor Types
1. Boiling water reactors/BWR
2. High temperature gas cooled reactor/ HTGCR
3. Process Inherent Ultimate Safety reactor

PLUS
4. Pressurised Water reactors

Uranium conversation+ enrichment

Uranium oxide is a raw mined product which

cannot be used as fuel for a nuched reactor.

Additional processing is required. Only ).7% of
naturally-occuring uranium is fissile (capable
of undergoing fission. This fissile isotype form is
called Uranium 235 (U-235). The rest of the
deposit is made up of U-138 most reactors need
the concentration of U-235 to be above 3.5-5%.
This is achieved by a process call Enrichment
which requires uranium to be gaseous.

Fuel Fabrication
Generally available in the form of ceramic

pallets encased in metal tubes called rods.

Functioning of a nuclear power

plant.
Used Fuel

Made up of approximately: 94% U-238, 1% U235, 1% Plutonium,4% fission particles.

In a reprocessing facility, used fuel is
separated into 3 components namely:
uranium forms, plutonium, waste.

Important nuclear terms

Critical mass-averge one free neutron hits

another U-235 nucleus, then the masss of the

uranium is said to be critical and exist at
stable temperature.
Sub-critical mass Less than one of the free
neutrons hits another U-235. Eventually
fission will end and source power stops.
Super-critical mass- more than one of the free
neutrons hits another U-235 nucleus. This
causes the reactor to heat up.

Nuclear Power Issues

Transportation
Reactor safety
Terrorism
Worker+ publia Exposure to radiation
Contamination
Radioactive waste disposal
Thermal pollution
Decommissioning

Renewable energy
Biomass
Hydroelectric
Wind energy
Solar energy
Geothermal energy
Tidal Energy

Biomass
Biomass
includes all biological waste and there are
several sources of biomass
1. Fuel wood
2. Municipal waste and industrial waste
3. Agricultural crop residue and animal waste.
4. energy plantations.
N.B Anaerobic disasters produces biomass
which consist of methane and carbon
dioxide.

Environmental issues of Biomass as

an energy source

Air pollution

Habitat and Biodiversity Loss

Carbon dioxide and global warming
Effects on food Production
Crop residues and Animal waste

Hydroelectric power/ Hydropower

Hydropower flowing water creates energy that
can be captured and turned into electricity.
Sources include
a) Darms > most common method
b) Streams> Store areas of the world
c) Canals
N.B Development potential of Hydropower is
best in mountainous areas + large rivers
valleys. Use of hydropower is expected to
increase.

Environmental Issues of hydropower

as an energy source.
Fish migration
Loss of Natural Habitats and reduction in fish
species Diversity
Volume of water
Sediment Deposits

Solar Power
The sun provides a supply of energy which far exceeds the
worlds demands
There are 3 main methods of utilising solar energy as
follows:
1. Passive Heating System> suns energy converted
directly to heat. E.g drying clothes.
2.Active solar systems > heat is transferred from the
collection site to the place of use, requirements include;
solar collector, Pump, Pipe System for transfer.
3.Solar generating electricity.
E.g domestic water heating

Solar Power continued

>Photo Volture Cells PV
These are solid state semi conducter devices which convert light directly
into electricity.
Characteristics:
Usually made of silicon with some trace elements.
Once installed, a PV system needs little to no maintenance, just cleaning
most PV systems come with storage better (Os)
Produce no pollutants

Environmental issues of Solar Power

as an Energy Source
1. Supply
2. Land Use
3. Manufactor, Installation and
disposal

Environmental issues of wind Power

as an energy source

Location of wind fields

Supply
Land use
Noise and Visual Pollution
Wildlife

Geothermal Energy
Defined as heat contained below the earths
surface
Geothermal energy can be contained in 2
ways
Geologically active areas: where hot magma
reaches the earths surface
Geologically in active areas: in these spots,
geothermal pumps are used to extract heat

Environmental issues of Geothermal

Power as an energy source
Air Pollutions
Water Pollution
Chemicals
Safe Disposal of Hazadous Waste
Location of plant
Land Subsidence

Tidal Power
There are Two high and two
low tides everyday. Certain
coastal areas (bays + inlets)
experience higher tides
than others because of their
geographical features.

Environmental issues of Tidal Power

as an energy source Environmental.

Construction of dam across a bay

or estuary causes negative
impacts on
Aquatic and shoreline Ecosystems
Navigation
Recreation

Limiting Factors Affecting Energy

Use

1.Technology
2.Geographical
3.Reliability of Supply
4.Cost of Production
5.Energy Policy of a Country
6.Social Factors

Factors affecting electrical

generating
capacity
and
demand.
Generating Rates
Demand Patterns
Load Patterns + supply characteristics
Intermittent Energy Sources
Although hydroelectric power is seasonable predictable and controllable,
solar and wind power are only available when whether permits.

Methods of supply meeting Demand

Load levelling. This involves moving demand from peak periods to

times when the demand is low. This is done by:
1. Peak shaving
2. Smart Grid
3. Energy Storage