EVALUATION OF ENERGY CONVERSIONS IN ELECTRICITY GENERATING SYSTEMS

(A CASE STUDY OF SUNSEED NIGERIA PLC, ZARIA)

By

Author

Presented To

Department of Engineering

ABSTRACT
Virtually all activities of man is centered around conversion of energy from one form or type to another. From the basic functioning of human body mechanism to all practical activities of man starting from burning of wood to generate heat during stone age to latest satellite communication all involve energy transformation. The inter-convertibility of all forms of energy and their guiding laws have been established by basic thermodynamics, mechanics, electrostatics and electrodynamics theories. However, the theories are either not explicit enough to be subject-able to verification, where available they are dispersed in various literature. Owing to the importance of energy conversions it has been considered as worthwhile to collate the energy conversion data expressions and present them in a manner that lends itself to easy application. Test the equations so made available by applying to practical situation in a running processing outfit, a case study of SUNSEED Nigeria PLC. A very wide variety of literature sources were consulted ranging through virtually all areas of science. First, preview of historical developments and milestone discoveries of energy conversion systems by scientists from seventeenth to the twentieth centaury was carried out. The laws developed were presented in form of mathematical expressions. Energy forms and types were classed and presented as mathematical expressions in terms of measurable parameters. Case study of energy conversion from chemical, mechanical and thermal energy as input to Electrical energy. Diesel powered, 1500kVA generators at Sunseed Nigeria PLC(edible oil division) Zaria, was analyzed using some of the expressions generated. First law analysis of the conversion efficiency was carried out with a view to identifying areas of energy waste due to inefficiency of conversion, first law efficiency of conversion was found to be 70.03 % Cost comparison of a unit of electricity N40.62/kWh when generated using the diesel powered generator appear grossly uneconomical when compared to N 8.50/kWh, price sold by Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)