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1st Sem Hotel Engg. Notes

Electricity: Definition & Basic Concepts

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Last updated: 4 July 2023

Electricity is a crucial component of hotel engineering, powering everything from lighting and HVAC systems to kitchen equipment and electronic devices. In this blog, we’ll explore the fundamental concepts of electricity, including definitions, units of measurement, and key terms that every hospitality student should know.

Introduction to Electricity

Electricity is a form of energy resulting from the movement of charged particles, such as electrons. It is a versatile and reliable source of power used in a wide range of applications in the hotel industry, including lighting, heating, and cooling systems, as well as communication devices and kitchen equipment.

Basic Concepts of Electricity

To understand electricity, you need to know some key terms and concepts. These include:

  • Charge: a fundamental property of matter that determines how it interacts with electric fields. Charged particles are either positively charged (protons) or negatively charged (electrons).
  • Current: the flow of electric charge in a circuit. It is measured in amperes (A).
  • Voltage: the force that drives electric current through a circuit. It is measured in volts (V).
  • Resistance: the degree to which a material opposes the flow of electric current. It is measured in ohms (Ω).
  • Power: the rate at which electric energy is converted to another form, such as heat or light. It is measured in watts (W).

Types of Electricity

There are two main types of electricity: direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). DC flows in one direction and is commonly used in batteries and electronic devices. AC, on the other hand, reverses direction at regular intervals and is used in most household and commercial electrical systems.

Electrical Safety

Electricity can be dangerous if not handled properly. To prevent electrical hazards, it’s important to follow these safety guidelines:

  • Never touch electrical wires or devices with wet hands or when standing in water.
  • Do not overload electrical circuits or use damaged equipment.
  • Always use grounded electrical outlets and cords.
  • Make sure electrical devices are turned off before plugging or unplugging them.

Conclusion

Understanding the fundamental concepts of electricity is essential for anyone studying hotel engineering. From basic terms like charge and current to the different types of electricity and safety considerations, this blog has provided a comprehensive overview of electricity’s key concepts.

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Syllabus BHM106

01 Maintenance

  1. Introduction
  2. Preventive and breakdown maintenance, comparisons
  3. Role & Importance of maintenance department in the hotel industry with emphasis on its relation with other departments of the hotel.
  4. Organization chart of maintenance department, duties and responsibilities of maintenance department

02 Fuels used in the catering industry

  1. Introduction
  2. Types of fuel used in catering industry; calorific value; comparative study of different fuels
  3. Calculation of amount of fuel required and cost.

03 Gas

  1. Introduction
  2. Heat terms and units; method of transfer
  3. LPG and its properties; principles of Bunsen burner, precautions to be taken while handling gas; low and high-pressure burners and their corresponding heat output
  4. Gas bank, location, different types of manifolds

04 Electricity

  1. Introduction
  2. Fundamentals of electricity, insulators, conductors, current, potential difference resistance, power, energy concepts; definitions, their units and relationships, AC and DC; single phase and three phases and its importance on equipment specifications
  3. Electric circuits, open circuits and close circuits, symbols of circuit elements, series and parallel connections, short circuits, fuses; MCB, earthing, the reason for placing switches on the live wire side.
  4. Electric wires and types of wiring
  5. Calculation of electric energy consumption of equipment, and safety precautions to be observed while using electric appliances.
  6. Types of lighting, different lighting devices, incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, other gas-discharged lamps, illumination, and units of illumination.
  7. External lighting
  8. Safety in handling electrical equipment

05 Water systems

  1. Introduction
  2. Water distribution system in a hotel
  3. Cold water systems in India
  4. Hardness of water, water softening, base exchange method
  5. Cold water cistern swimming pools
  6. Hot water supply system in hotels
  7. Flushing system, water taps, traps and closets.

06 Refrigeration & Air-conditioning

  1. Basic principles, latent heat, boiling point and its dependence on pressure, vapour compressor system of refrigeration and refrigerants.
  2. Vapour absorption system, care and maintenance of refrigerators, defrosting, types of refrigerant units, their care and maintenance.
  3. Conditions for comfort, relative humidity, humidification, dehumidifying, due point control, unit of air conditioning
  4. Window type air conditioner, central air conditioning, preventive maintenance
  5. Vertical transportation, elevators, escalators

07 Fire prevention and fire fighting system

  1. Classes of fire, methods of extinguishing fires (Demonstration)
  2.  Fire extinguishers, portable and stationery
  3.  Fire detectors and alarm
  4. Automatic fire detectors cum extinguishing devices
  5. Structural protection
  6. Legal requirements

08 Waste disposal and pollution control

  1. Solid and liquid waste, sullage and sewage, disposal of solid waste
  2.  Sewage treatment
  3. Pollution related to the hotel industry
  4. Water pollution, sewage pollution
  5. Air pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution
  6. Legal Requirements

09 Safety

  1. Accident prevention
  2. Slips and falls
  3. Other safety topics

10 Security

11 Equipment replacement policy

  1. Introduction
  2. Circumstances under which equipment are replaced.
  3. Replacement policy of items which gradually deteriorates
  4. Replacement when the average annual cost is minimum
  5. Replacement when the present cost is minimum
  6. The economic replacement cycle for suddenly failing equipment

12 Audio-visual equipment

  1. Various audio-visual equipment used in hotel
  2. Care and cleaning of an overhead projector, slide projector, LCD and PowerPoint presentation units
  3. Maintenance of computers
  4. Care and cleaning of PC, CPU, Modem, UPS, Printer, Laptops
  5. Sensors – Various sensors used in different locations of a hotel – type, uses and cost-effectiveness

13 Contract maintenance

  1. Introduction
  2. The necessity of contract maintenance, advantages and disadvantages of contract maintenance
  3. Essential requirements of a contract, types of contract, their comparative advantages and disadvantages.
  4. Procedure for inviting and processing tenders, negotiating and finalizing