EFFECT OF POWER PLANT ON ENVIRONMENT:

Power plants are industrial facilities where electricity is generated for distribution. The energy
source used for electricity generation varies. Most power plants in the world burn fossil fuels like
coal, oil and natural gas. Others use nuclear, solar, wind, waves or hydroelectricity.
Thermal Power Plant:
Thermal power plant requires large amount of natural resources like fossil fuel and water thus,
create an unmeasureable and everlasting impact on environment.
Thermal power plant is a power station that converts thermal energy into electrical energy. These
power plants are mainly made by heating fossil fuels, which heat water into steam. Steam passes
through a turbine, which generates electricity, which is then condensed and recycled back to its
pre-heated position. As long as thermal power plants emit many gases that are harmful to the
environment, they are called thermal pollution.
Thermal power plants produce most greenhouse gases and ash, a by-product of burning fossil
fuels. Carbon dioxide is one of the main gases emitted from the burning of fossil fuels and
contributes to greenhouse gases and global warming. Of all the gases emitted from thermal
power plants, carbon dioxide is the mainstay, and thermal power plants are the mainstay of
increasing carbon dioxide levels worldwide. Another gas that comes from power plants is Sulfur
dioxide. Although it is not technically a greenhouse gas, it has an indirect effect on the
atmosphere because it affects the dispersion of incoming sunlight, creating clouds patterns and
precipitation. Nitrogen oxide is another gas released into the atmosphere. Through Thermal
Power Plants. Nitrogen oxide exhibits visibility and respiratory problems, the other major
pollutant of the atmosphere is Ash. Ash often contains heavy metals along with harmful
particles. Gray has many effects; Where it falls, it can mix in waterways and soil, and change soil
/ water alkalinity, making the soil unusable for agricultural purposes and water, and causing
visual problems. Gray, and particulate matter, is also a major cause of fog & smog.
For example, a typical 500 MW coal-fired power plant uses 25 x 109 l / GW-year of water,
which must be obtained from a water source, and then a water source with as little environmental
impact as possible. Cooled to return. The biggest impact of fossil fuel plants is emissions of air
pollutants, especially SOX, NOX, CO, CO2 and hydrocarbons. Carbon monoxide, CO, carbon
dioxide, CO2 and hydrocarbons are the "greenhouse gases" that cause global warming. SOX and
NOX produce acids when released into the atmosphere, producing acid precipitation.
Power Plant CO NOx SO2 CO2

Oil 0.19 2.20 5.08 781

GAs 0.20 2.32 0.004 490
coal 0.11 3.54 9.26 1090
Nuclear Power Plant:
Nuclear power plants have an environmental problem unlike other types of power plants. The
accident at a nuclear power station releases large amounts of radioactive cells, resulting in direct
casualties and the large area around the plant cannot be recovered. Disposal of high levels of
nuclear waste contained in spent fuel rods is of great environmental impact because these wastes
must be stored safely for thousands of years. There are currently no sites that accept high-level
nuclear waste in the United States, so utilities are usually stored in overhead waste for plant sites.
The breakdown of nuclear power plants is a chronic problem. The nuclear plant is shutting down
the nuclear plant once operational life is over. At this point the entire reactor vessel becomes a
high-grade radioactive waste that must be disposed of. Current methods of decommissioning the
plant are to completely remove and dispose of all radioactive components, allow the reactor to
enter the concrete, or shut down the plant and limit access until the radiation is exhausted.
Solar Power Plant:
Power generation from solar energy sources generally has little impact on the environment.
There are no product residues in the energy conversion process. Solar thermal processes are the
only exceptions, which involve operating fluid, which are sometimes released. However, there
are some environmental issues. Bulk solar plants usually require large terrain, and they generate
a lot of heat. Disposal of photovoltaic particles of unknown size in solar energy. Most promising
solar cells use a toxin called gallium arsenide.
Hydro Power Plant:
Using hydropower to generate electricity has positive and negative impacts on the environment.
At some sites, flood control, flood control or aquifer can provide recreational opportunities. In
other places, the hydrological cycle flow of the dam may cause water quality, stream ecology,
fish migration and the destruction of the landscape and ecosystem. The displacement and
compensation of the population is essential for the construction of new high priority dams. Low-
level dams usually have a benign effect on the environment. Dam failures cause catastrophic
flooding.
Wind Power Plant:
Wind generators have the biggest environmental impacts from visual pollution, noise and TV
interference. This is especially true of wind farms, where 50 or more wind turbines can be
installed in one place. Wind farms on migratory routes pose a great risk to birds. There is also a
safety risk when the blade breaks.
Flue Gas:
Flue gas is a gas that flows out from a pipe or channel for conveying exhaust gases from a
chimney, oven, furnace, boiler or steam generator to the atmosphere. Often flue gas refers to
combustion exhaust gas produced in power plants. Its composition depends on combustion, but it
generally contains nitrogen (usually more than two-thirds) obtained from combustion of air and
carbon dioxide (CO) and water vapor as well as excess oxygen (also obtained from combustion
air). Furthermore, it contains a small percentage of many pollutants, such as particulate matter
(such as soot), carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur oxide. Most fossil fuels are mixed
with ambient air (separated by combustion with pure oxygen). About 79 percent of the
surrounding air is nitrogen (N2), not necessarily combustible, and the largest proportion of the
flue gas that comes from most fossil-fuel combustion materials is non-infectious nitrogen. The
next largest component of flu gas is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is 10 volumes of 25 volumes
or more as flu gas. Water vapor (H2O) created by hydrogen combustion in fuel with atmospheric
oxygen closely follows its size. Flu was seen to emit ‘smoke’ from the pile of gas, which is water
vapor, which forms a cloud when exposed to cold air.

A typical flue gas from fossil fuel combustion consists of very small amounts of nitrogen oxides
(NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and particles. Nitrogen oxides are derived from the nitrogen air in
the ambient air and any nitrogen compounded in fossil fuels. Sulfur dioxide is derived from any
sulfur-containing compounds in the fuel. The specific material is composed of very small solids
and very small liquid droplets, which give groove gases their appearance.
Steam generators and large refineries, petrochemical and chemical plants in large power plants,
refineries and incinerators burn a significant amount of fossil fuels and thus release large
amounts of flue gas into the surrounding atmosphere.
Flue Gases Cleaning:
The purpose of a flue gas cleaning system is to reduce atmospheric emissions of hazardous
substances to the environment and health. This includes e.g. Heavy metals, dioxins and
substances that cause acidification and eutrophication. Since many substances are toxic and
carcinogenic, it is important to reduce their excretion. The acidification of forests and lakes has
been greatly reduced by the removal of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide from the flue gas.
Gas cleaning and core technology of cleaning processes:
 Fabric Filter.
 Sand Bed.
 Electrostatic Precipitator.
 Desulphurization.
 Wet Scrubbing.
 Dry Scrubbing.
 Spray Absorption.
 Activated Carbon Dosing.
 Denitrification.
Fabric Filter:
Fabric filter (FF), also known as bag (house) filter, fiber filter. These are the most common
adhesive separator, which consists of a large area of woven or needle fabric from which flakes of
gas should flow. During passage, cells are dispersed by deflection (mass), disruption, diffusion
(synthesis energy) and electrical forces.
Sand Bed Filter:
Sand beds also use large-scale forces to remove filter particles. When the particles deflect as they
pass through the sand bed, they stick to the surface. The particle cut diameter for a well-designed
sand bed filter is approximately 1 m. And it can remove the core of the coarse particles. The
partial efficiency curve is usually steep so the removal of particles smaller than 1 m is limited.
The sand bed filter is strong and can withstand extreme conditions. M Removal of small harmful
particles can be improved by introducing electrostatic fields in the sand bed.

Electrostatic Precipitator:
The dust separation function in the electrostatic precipitator depends on the electric field created
between the discharge electrode, which is placed at high voltage and is made from the ground
collecting electrode. The principle is to charge the particles, separate them from the gas from the
electrostatic field to a collector, and remove the dust layer by dry or wet methods. This
separation principle can greatly remove dust particles from the gas in an electrostatic
precipitator, which is particularly protective of the environment.

Desulphurization:
Desulfurization is used to extract sulfur dioxide from the flue gases of power plants and other
sulfur oxide emission processes. FGD technology is based on the chemical reaction that occurs
when hot exhaust gases come into contact with limestone. This reaction removes 92% of sulfur
dioxide from the flue gas and converts the limestone into calcium sulfite.

Wet Scrubbing:
The exhaust gases of combustion may contain substances that are considered harmful to the
environment and the scrubber can remove or neutralize them. Wet scrubbers are used to purify
fuel gas containing various pollutants and dust particles. It works by contacting scrubbing target
compounds or engaging the material with a scrubbing solution. Solutions may be only water
solutions (for dust) or factors that specifically target certain compounds. Fuel gas may contain
water soluble toxins or corrosive gases such as hydrochloric acid (HCl) or ammonia (NH3).
They can be easily removed by wet scrubbers. The efficiency of pollutants can be improved by
increasing the residence time. Wet scrubbers increase the water-to-gas ratio.
Dry Scrubbing:
A dry or semi-dry scrubbing system, unlike wet scrubbers, does not satisfy the moisture-treated
flue gas flow. In some cases moisture is not added, and in others it is only moisture that
evaporates into the flue gas without condensation. Therefore, dry scrubbers generally do not
have stock steam plums or wastewater treatment / disposal requirements. Dry scrubbing systems
are mainly used to remove acid gases (such as SO2 and HCl) from combustion sources.
Spray Absorber:
The untreated flue gas in the spray absorption system is introduced with a spray dryer absorber
module and fine spray of lime solution / factor. Contaminants SO2, SO3, HCI and HF are rapidly
absorbed, converted into reaction products, and removed by bottom particle collectors (fabric
filters or electrostatic precipitators). Dry spray absorption technology means less capital
investment, lower O&M cost, fewer subsidiaries. Power consumption, less space required,
simpler construction and higher availability. A number of absorbers have been installed and
successfully operated in power stations around the world.

Denitrification:
NO is a stable gas with low solubility in water, but has a specific reaction with ammonia and is
used to reduce NOx emissions: 4NO + 4NH3 + O2 4N2 + 6H20
This particular reaction occurs in a selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR), or catalyst-assisted
catalytic reduction in the temperature range of 2. 170– 450 ° C - SCR. Anthropogenic nitrogen
oxide emissions from combustion processes cause ozone destruction in the stratosphere.
Nitrogen production in the air occurs when the NOx-furnace is very high (> 1200 - 1300 ° C).
NOx usually contains 95% NO. In 1984, the introduction of large-scale denitrification
technology. The German downstream steam generator has taken the first step towards tackling
this problem.
Carbon Dosing:
Activated carbon filters are used for active cleaning and are a safety system, one of the upstream
flue gas cleaning steps. The universal separation step is to separate almost all pollutants from the
activated carbon filter exhaust gas.