Correct Answer - Option 3 : Gas power plant
Advantages of Gas power plant:
- It is simple in design as compared to steam power station since no boilers and their auxiliaries are required.
- It is much smaller in size as compared to steam power station of the same capacity. This is expected since gas turbine power plant does not require boiler, feed water arrangement etc.
- The initial and operating costs are much lower than that of equivalent steam power station.
- It requires comparatively less water as no condenser is used.
- The maintenance charges are quite small.
- Gas turbines are much simpler in construction and operation than steam turbines.
- It can be started quickly form cold conditions.
- There are no standby losses. However, in a steam power station, these losses occur because boiler is kept in operation even when the steam turbine is supplying no load.
Disadvantages of Gas power plant:
- There is a problem for starting the unit. It is because before starting the turbine, the compressor has to be operated for which power is required from some external source. However, once the unit starts, the external power is not needed as the turbine itself supplies the necessary power to the compressor.
- Since a greater part of power developed by the turbine is used in driving the compressor, the net output is low.
- The overall efficiency of such plants is low (about 20%) because the exhaust gases from the turbine contain sufficient heat.
- The temperature of combustion chamber is quite high (3000° F) so that its life is comparatively reduced.
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Waterpower
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Fuels
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Nuclear energy
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Initial cost
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Highest
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Low
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High
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Running cost
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Less
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High
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Least
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Reserves
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Permanent
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Exhaustible
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Inexhaustible
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Cleanliness
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Cleanest
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Dirtiest
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Clean
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Simplicity
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Simplest
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Complex
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Most complex
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Reliability
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Most reliable
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Less reliable
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More reliable
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