How Coal Power Stations Work
A fossil fuel power plant (FFPP) (also known as steam electric power plant in the US, thermal power plant in Asia, or power station in the UK/Africa) is an energy conversion center designed on a large scale for continuous operation. Just as a battery converts relatively small amounts of chemical energy into electricity for temporary or intermittent use, the FFPP converts the energy stored in fossil fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas successively into thermal energy, mechanical energy, and finally electric energy for continuous use and distribution across a wide geographic area.
Usually, the coal is utilized to convert water into steam in boilers (thermal energy). coal is pulverized into fine powder for proper combustion and then it is feed to boiler for steam generation The steam is then used to drive steam turbines (mechanical energy). The turbine shaft is coupled to a generator shaft which generates electricity.
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What waste substances are produced by coal fired power stations?
This list applies only to the stations themselves. Mining and transportation add some different waste streams. Breaking it up by the medium affected:
Waste to air:
Carbon dioxide, Sulfur dioxide, Nitrogen oxides, Particulate, Soot, Smoke (opacity), Radioactivity
Waste to Water:
Heat, suspended solids, dissolved solids, acids, bases, organic materials
Solid and Liquid Waste to Disposal:
Fly ash, Bottom ash, Lime slurry, Collected river debrs, Water treatment slurry
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How the waste substances affect the environment?
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Page Created: 22 March 2010, Questions Submitted: 18 March 2011
