Beatrice Lang
Coal is a fossil fuel that has been used to generate electricity since Thomas Edison’s Holborn Viaduct coal plant in 1882. Coal-fired power stations burn coal to heat water, creating steam that spins a turbine to produce electricity. This process is known as thermal power generation. While coal has been a significant source of electricity, particularly in countries like South Africa, China, and India, it is also a leading contributor to climate change and air pollution due to the release of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. As a result, many countries are transitioning away from coal towards decarbonised electricity systems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How coal is converted into electricity | Coal is burned to heat water, creating steam. The steam then spins a turbine to produce electricity. |
| How coal is obtained | Coal is obtained by unloading it from trains. Older methods involve the use of cranes, while newer methods involve dropping the coal from the train directly into underground containment. |
| Environmental impact | Coal-fired power stations produce a large number of pollutants, including nitrogen and sulfur oxides, particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and methane. They are the largest single contributor to climate change. |
| Coal washing | Coal washing is a process used to remove impurities from coal using large quantities of water. It helps reduce air pollution by eliminating around 50% of the ash content in the coal. |
| Ash disposal | Ash produced by burning coal is often stored in ash ponds or disposed of in landfills. It can also be recycled into products such as concrete and grout. |
| Global usage | Coal is used to generate electricity in various countries, including the United States, China, India, South Africa, and Britain. Worldwide, there are about 2500 coal-fired power stations, generating about a third of the world's electricity. |
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What You'll Learn
Coal is burned to heat water, creating steam
The process of converting coal into electricity begins with the burning of coal in a furnace or boiler. The heat from the burning coal causes the water in the tubes to rapidly turn into steam. This steam is then directed into a turbine, which rotates due to the steam hitting its tiny blades. This rotation turns a generator, which contains magnets that produce a current in the wire, ultimately generating electricity.
The steam plays a vital role in turning the turbines, which are connected to generators. The steam is very hot, allowing it to move fast and push the turbine around. This turbine is connected to a magnet that moves and creates a rotating magnetic field, which induces a current, resulting in the production of electricity.
The process of burning coal to generate electricity involves converting chemical energy into thermal energy, mechanical energy, and finally electrical energy. The burning of coal releases a significant amount of heat, which is then used to heat water and produce steam. This steam is essential for turning the turbines and generating electricity.
Coal-fired power plants have been a significant source of electricity generation, but they have also contributed to air pollution and climate change due to the release of carbon dioxide and methane. As a result, there has been a shift towards decarbonising electricity and phasing out coal usage.
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Steam spins a turbine to produce electricity
Steam plays a crucial role in generating electricity from coal, as it spins a turbine that produces electricity. This process involves multiple steps and conversions of energy. Firstly, coal, a fossil fuel, is burned to heat water and create steam. This combustion process releases thermal energy, which is a form of heat energy. The boiler, containing water, uses the heat energy to convert water into high-pressure steam.
The steam then spins a turbine, which is a device that harnesses the energy of steam to generate rotary motion. The turbine's spinning blades allow the steam to expand and drive the turbine, similar to a wind turbine. The turbine's blades are enclosed within a sealed outer container, ensuring the steam is directed past them at high speed. This high-pressure steam causes the turbine to rotate at incredible speeds, typically between 1800 and 3600 rpm, which is significantly faster than wind or water turbines.
The rotating turbine is coupled to a generator, which spins and creates electricity. This electricity is then utilised for various purposes, such as powering ships, locomotives, and electrical grids. The steam turbine's efficiency in converting steam energy into mechanical energy is crucial in this process. Additionally, the turbine's compact design makes it advantageous for powering ships where space is limited.
The use of steam turbines for electricity generation has a long history, with early descriptions dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. However, the modern steam turbine was invented in 1884 by Charles Parsons, who connected it to a dynamo that generated electricity. Today, steam turbines are widely used in power plants, contributing to about 80% of the world's electricity production. They are commonly found in fossil fuel and nuclear power plants, as well as in geothermal and concentrated solar power installations.
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Coal-fired power stations cause air pollution
Coal-fired power stations are thermal power stations that burn coal to generate electricity. They are a major source of air pollution, which has a significant impact on human health and the environment.
The process of burning coal releases carbon dioxide, methane, and other harmful gases into the atmosphere. These emissions contribute to global warming and climate change, with coal-fired power stations being the largest single contributor to the former. Additionally, coal plants are responsible for a significant proportion of mercury emissions, a toxic heavy metal that can cause serious health issues, including damage to the nervous, digestive, and immune systems.
The burning of coal also releases fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which has been linked to an increased risk of mortality. Studies have found that exposure to PM2.5 can lead to respiratory illnesses, lung disease, and adverse birth outcomes for pregnant women. It also affects the neurocognitive development of children, with short-term exposure causing respiratory symptoms and school absences in asthmatic children.
Coal-fired power plants also emit carbon monoxide, which can cause headaches and place additional stress on individuals with heart disease. Furthermore, the plants release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to ozone formation, and arsenic, a potent carcinogen. The ash produced by burning coal is often stored in ash ponds, which, if unlined, can allow chemicals to leach into groundwater and surface waters, further exacerbating the environmental impact of these plants.
While the use of pollution control technologies, such as emissions scrubbers, has helped reduce emissions and associated health risks, the true costs of coal-fired power generation are significant. Carbon capture and storage technologies (CCS) are emerging as potential solutions, but they remain expensive and unproven at the scale needed to address climate change.
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Coal is pulverised into a powder before burning
The process of pulverising coal involves feeding the coal into a pulveriser or mill, where it is dried and ground until it is the fineness of talcum powder. The coal is crushed between balls or cylindrical rollers, with the hot air from the boiler drying it and blowing the usable fine coal powder out to be used as fuel. The powdered coal is pneumatically transported to burners and injected via particle-laden jets into the combustion chamber.
The fineness of the coal powder can be adjusted depending on the reactivity of the coal. For lower reactivity coals, the fineness of the grind is increased to create a larger surface area, improving the conditions for ignition and combustion. The size of the powder impacts the efficiency of the pulverised fuel firing system, with average net efficiencies reaching up to 35%.
The firing systems used in coal-fired power stations differ, but typically they involve mixing the powdered coal with hot gas from the furnace and injecting this mixture into the boiler. The powdered coal is burned while suspended in air, and the combustion and heat release occur rapidly. This process of burning pulverised coal in a boiler is also known as a pulverised coal-fired boiler.
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Greenhouse gases are released during the process
The process of generating electricity from coal involves burning coal to heat water, creating steam that spins a turbine to produce electricity. This process releases greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), but also methane. In 2022, CO2 emissions from burning coal for energy accounted for about 19% of total US energy-related CO2 emissions and 55% of total CO2 emissions from the electric power sector. Coal-fired power stations are the largest single contributor to climate change, releasing about 12 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
When coal burns, it reacts with oxygen in the air, releasing thermal energy and greenhouse gases. The burning of coal for electricity generation is a significant contributor to the build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere, which is causing global warming. The consensus of scientific opinion is increasingly concerned about the steady worldwide build-up of CO2 levels, and this has influenced decisions about how electricity is generated.
Coal is a fossil fuel, and the burning of fossil fuels is the primary source of CO2 emissions. In 2022, 60% of electricity was generated from burning fossil fuels, mainly coal and natural gas. The generation of electricity from coal releases about 45% of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels. Methane is also released during coal mining, and methane emissions from active and abandoned coal mines accounted for about 7% of total US methane emissions and 1% of total US greenhouse gas emissions in 2021.
The use of coal for electricity generation has been declining due to the environmental impact and the shift towards decarbonisation. Coal generation peaked in the early 1990s, and since then, there has been a move away from coal towards other energy sources. In Britain, coal used to make up a third of power generation, but its share has significantly decreased due to decarbonisation efforts. The last coal power station in Britain is planned to be phased out by October 2024.
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Frequently asked questions
A coal-fired power station, also known as a coal power plant, is a thermal power station that burns coal to generate electricity.
Coal is burned to heat water, creating steam. The steam then spins a turbine to produce electricity.
Coal is a fossil fuel that has generated electricity since the industrial revolution. The principle of how coal makes electricity is the same as in Edison’s day. The coal is burned to heat water, creating steam, which then spins a turbine to produce electricity.
Burning coal reacts with oxygen in the air, turning stored solar energy into thermal energy, which is released as heat. However, this reaction also produces carbon dioxide and methane, which are harmful greenhouse gases.
Coal-fired power stations generate about a third of the world's electricity. In 2019, coal accounted for 36.7% of global electricity.
