Electromechanical Engineering Students Learn About Power Generation Mechanisms at Samarra Thermal Power Plant Through a Field Visit

The Department of Electromechanical Engineering at the University of Samarra organized a field visit for second-stage students to the (Samarra Thermal Power Plant), under the supervision of the department’s staff, consisting of Professor Dr. Mohammed Ismail Aliwi, Dr. Yahya Tariq Hussein, Assistant Lecturer Baraa Arheem Jassim, Assistant Lecturer Iman Adel Mahmoud, Engineer Shaker Mahmoud Mahdi, and Engineer Haidar Mishal Ahmed.
The delegation of the College of Engineering was received by the Deputy Director of the Plant (Chief Engineer Wisam Ali Hussein), who welcomed their visit and expressed his hope that this visit would be crowned with valuable information that enhances the students’ practical side by introducing them closely to the plant’s mechanism of operation and the various stages of electrical energy production.
The students were provided with a detailed explanation of the plant, showing great interaction with the presentation. They raised many questions and inquiries about the plant’s operating mechanisms and the challenges it faces.
During the field tour, Deputy Chief Engineer Anas Fawzi Ali (Head of the Turbine Department) gave a detailed explanation to the students about the plant’s sections, details, and operating principles, starting with the auxiliary systems represented by the fuel system and the cooling water recycling system, in addition to explaining the boiler department and its mechanism of operation.
This was followed by the turbine department, along with a detailed explanation of the mechanism for maximizing the utilization of steam before condensing it, converting it into water, and returning it to the thermal cycle. The tour concluded with an explanation of the generator, its components, and the mechanism and methods of cooling the stator windings with water, as well as the rotor with hydrogen, how the insulation works to prevent hydrogen leakage, and its production mechanism.
In the context of chemical treatment, Senior Engineer Othman Jamal Badri, Head of the Water Treatment Division, explained the technical path for purifying water drawn from the Tigris River, clarifying the initial filtration stages and the injection of chemical materials such as hypochlorite, which is produced locally via electrolysis.
Furthermore, the students learned about the Reverse Osmosis (RO) system and ion exchangers, which ensure the production of water completely free of salts and dissolved gases—an essential requirement to protect the boilers and turbines from corrosion.
At the conclusion of the visit, the students and the college staff expressed their thanks and appreciation to the plant’s management and engineers for the warm reception and detailed explanation, emphasizing the importance of this visit, which comes as part of a series of field visits organized by the College of Engineering to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, thereby preparing students to work across various industrial sectors.