Genesee Generating Station Environmental

Analysis
INTRODUCTION

The Genesee Generating Station has a 5 units (1, 2, 3 4, 5) units that generates power
at varying capacities. These three units of Genesee are providing 1,376MW of base
load power for Alberta’s electricity grid.Genesse unit 1(G1) was commissioned in May
1994 and its gross capacity of 430MW.Whereas (G2) was the first unit to be
completed and was commissioned in October 1989.and its cross capacity is 430
megawatts. Both subcritical units consists of a pulverised coal-fired pressure, boiler,
steam turbine and electrical Generator. The next annual production of both G1 and
G2 is approximately 3,297 gigawatts /hour (GWH) and both requires approximately
3.4 million tonnes of coal annually (2015).On the other hand Genesee unit (G3) Was
the first coal fired unit in Canada to use supercritical boiler technology.G3 requires
approximately 1.9 million tonnes of coal annually (2015), and net annual production
is approximately 3955 GW. It was commissioned in March 2005, G3 is an equal joint
venture partnership between capital power and Trans Alta.  

In case of units 4 and 5, it is a combined cycle natural gas-fired generation facility. Its
capacity will be upto1, 050MW.The expected life of a natural gas fired facility is
generally 35 years. 

Operating Features

Genesee generating power station is one of largest power station in Canada which
provide the power to the whole Alberta province. With the passage of the time and
due to its serious effects the minor improvements were done. But the basic
functioning remains the same.

Its working generally consists of

1. A boiler
2. Steam turbine
3. Electrical generator
4. Condenser
5. Cool handling system

Before the working of the boiler starts, there are few more steps to initiate the
process like-
 1. Crushing the coal– with the help of the conveyor the coal is crushed to five
inch pieces then again it crushed to 2 inches .then, coal is conveyed outside to
a live storage pile.
2. Moving the coal into the plant-by the conveyor the crushed coal is delivered
to the generating plant and stored in 16 five storey high bunkers each with a
with a six hour storage capacity.
3. Pulverizing of the coal– From the bunkers the coal is fed into mills which
pulverize the coal into fine powder about the same consistency as flour, where
it is mixed with hot air and blown into the boiler of the generating plant.

Process starts:

1. BOILER: In this mainly the blowing of the coal into the furnance.Hot air from
the nearby fans blow the powder like coal into gigantic 66 meters high
furnace or boiler. There burners instantly ignite the coal and air mixture to
achieve combustion and create the maximum amount of heat possible.
Temperature inside the bowler may reach 1300c. Intense heat from the
burning coal turns the purified water inside the boiler tubes into steam, just
like water in a kettle. G3 supercritical boiler technology .have higher
temperatures and steam pressures together with high efficiency steam turbine
create a more efficient process for converting thermal energy into electricity.it
produces stem at 26 Megapascals and 50% higher than G1 AND G2.

2. STEAM TURBINE: The high pressure steam from the boiler passes through
pipes into the turbine. When the steam hits turbine blades, it causes the spin
rapidly, at approximately 3,6000rpm.A single shaft connects the turbine an
electrical generator. The rotating shaft turns electromagnets within a series of
wire coils, creating electric current producing electricity (Generator).

3.CONDENSOR:  A Condenser for every unit charges over turbine debilitate steam
once more into water so it can be come back to the evaporated for reuse in the
steam producing process .In the shut cycle a similar water is utilized over and over.
After its outing through the condensers, this cooling water is pumped thorough the
gigantic cooling towers.

4. COOLING POND: There is one artificial pond covering the approximately 735
hectares area.it contains 34 million cubic meters (m3) of water. It can provide the
cool water for up to four 400MW units. The water level in pond is maintained by
pumping water from North Saskatchewan River and supplemental with local run-on.

5. ASH HANDLING: It is a valuable by product are created as a result of burning coal.

Coal from this mine contains between 13-20% ashes. Approximately 99.5%of the ash
is recovered and put into permanent storage or sold for industrial uses. It is further
used in cement (instead of kilning limestone’s), coal –fired power plants reduce the
greenhouse gas emission of the combined industries.