Unit No.

II : Thermal Power Plant

Contents Teaching Scheme

2.1 Method of power generation Course Outcome: CO2
2.2 General Layout, working, site selection of Thermal Teaching Hours :10hrs
power plant. Marks:14 (R-2, U-6, A- 6 )
2.3 Coal classification, coal handling & storage and
feeding.
2.4 Steam turbines, Gas turbines, condenser, feed water
Treatment, Ash handling system.
2.5 Types of boilers, High pressure boiler and their
controls.
2.6 Types of Pumps and Fans.
2.7 Fire and gas detection system
2.8 Role of Instrumentation in thermal power plant.
 Method of power generation
There are various methods of electricity generation dependent on types of energy.

Among resource energies : coal and natural gas are used to generate electricity by
combustion (thermal power)

Uranium by nuclear fission (nuclear power), to utilize their heat for boiling water and rotating
steam turbine.

Among renewable energies : sunlight is directly converted into electricity (photovoltaics),

rotation energy by wind is converted into electricity (wind power), rotating water wheel by
running water to generate (hydro).

Magmatic heat boils underground water to rotate steam turbine to generate (geothermal).

Continuous technology development for them are proceeding to convert resource energies
or renewable energies into electricity with less loss.

It is also important for the operation of power plant to do maintenance or training of

operators.
Thermal Electric Power

1)Pulverized coal-fired power generation

is currently the major method of coal-fired
power generation.

2) Coal is pulverized to fine powder and is

burned in the boiler.

3) Heat in the boiler boils the water into

steam.

4) The steam pressure turns the steam

turbine, and the generator generates
electricity.
 Gas Electric Power

1) A combined cycle power first generates gas by burning fuel in the compressed air.

2) Pressure of the gas rotates the gas turbine, and the generator creates electricity.

3) Moreover, exhaust heat from gas turbine is utilized for boiling water to generate steam,
which rotates turbine to generate.
Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle

1) Integrated coal gasification combined

cycle (IGCC) gasifies the fuel coal in the
gasifier.

2) Gasified fuel is burnt in the compressed

air to generate gas. Pressure of the gas
rotates the gas turbine to generate
electricity.

3) Furthermore, the exhaust gas heat from

gas turbine is utilized to boil water into
steam to generate electricity.
 Nuclear Power

1) Light water means normal water, opposite to heavy water.

2) Heat is produced by nuclear fission in the reactor core, then causes the water to boil, producing
steam.

3) The steam is used to rotate the turbine to generate electricity, then is cooled in the condenser by
sea water and converted back to liquid water.

4) This water is then returned to the reactor core.

General Layout of Thermal Power Plant

Fig. General Layout of Thermal Power Plant

General Layout of Thermal Power Plant

Fig. General Layout of Thermal Power Plant

 Continued…
1) The general Layout of the thermal power plant consist of mainly four circuits. a) Coal &
Ash circuit b) Air & Gas circuit c) Feed water & Steam flow circuit d) Cooling water
circuit.

2) A TPS using steam as working fluid works basically on the Rankine cycle : Steam is
generated in a boiler , expanded in the prime mover and condensed in condensed in
condenser and feed into the boiler again.

Coal and ash circuit:

In this circuit, the coal from the storage is fed to the boiler through coal handling
equipment for generation of steam.
Ash produced due to the combustion of coal is removed to ash storage through
ash handling equipment.

Air and Gas Circuit:

Air is supplied to combustion chamber of the boiler either through FD or ID fan or
by using both. The dust from the air is removed before suppling to combustion chamber.
 Continued…

The exhaust carrying sufficient qty of heat ash are passed through air heater
where the exhaust heat of the gases carrying sufficient gases is given to the air and then it
is passed through the dust collectors where most of the dust is removed before exhausting
the gases to the atmosphere through chimney.

Feed water and steam circuit :

The steam generated in the boiler is fed to the steam prime mover to develop the
power. The steam coming out of prime mover is condensed in the consdenser and then
fed to the boiler with help of pump.

The condensate is heated in the feed heaters using steam tapped from various
points of the turbine.

The feed heaters may be mixed type or indirect heating type. Some of the steam
and water is lost passing through different components of the system, hence feed water is
supplied through external source to compensate this loss.
 Continued…

The feed water supplied from external source is passed through the purifying
plant to reduce the dissolved salts to an acceptable level. The purification is necessary to
avoid the scaling of boiler tubes.

Cooling water circuit:

The qty of cooling water required to condensate the steam is considerably large
and it is taken either from lake, river or sea.

The cooling water is taken from the upper side of river, it is passed through
condenser and heated water is discharged to the lower side of the river.

i) Open system of cooling water

ii) Closed system of Cooling water.
 Different types of system & Components
1. Coal handling system

2. Ash and Dust handling System

3. Drought

4. High Pressure Boiler

5. Prime Mover

6. Condenser and Cooling tower

7. Feedwater purification plant

8. Different component used as economizer

9. Superheater, feedheater etc.

 Working of Thermal Power Plant

1) The steam is generated in the boiler of thermal power plant using the
heat of fuel burn in the combustion chamber.

2) The steam generated is passed through steam turbine where part of its
thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy which is further used
for generating electric power.

3) The steam coming out of steam turbine is condensed in the condenser

and condensate is supplied is back to the boiler with help of feed pump
and cycle is repeated.

4) The function of the boiler is generated the steam.

5) The function of condenser is to condensate the steam coming out of

steam turbine at low pressure.
 Working of Thermal Power Plant

6) The function of Steam turbine is to convert part of heat energy of steam

into Mechanical energy.

7) The function of pump is to raise the pressure of the condensate from the
condenser pressure to boiler pressure.

8) The other component like economizer, superheater and steam

feedheaters are used in the primary circuit to increase the overall efficiency
of the thermal power plant.
 Coal Handling

Coal Handling
 Continued…

• A simple coal handling layout as shown in the figure. It consists of

1.Coal delivery
2.Coal unloading.
3.Preparation
4.Transfer
5.Outdoor storage.
6.Covered storage.
7.Inplant handling.
8.Weighing and measuring.
9.Furnace firing.
 Requirements of Coal Handling Layout

1.Low maintenance.
2.Higher reliability.
3.Should be simple and sound.
4.It should require minimum operatives.
5.Easy and smooth in operation.
6.Should supply right quality of fuel in the right time in the right quantity.
7.Should have minimum wear in running the types of equipment.
 Coal Handling Methods

• Following are the different coal handling methods are used:

1.Transportation by sea or river

2.Rail
3.Ropeways
4.Road
5.Pipeline
 Transportation by Sea or River

The coal can be transported from the mines to the power stations by
means of ships or large boats through the ocean or river.

The unloaded coal from the ship can be either sent to the storage
yard or directly to the conveyor system which directly to the
combustion chamber hopper.
 Transportation by Rail

In this case, the railway is used to transport the coal from the mines
directly to the power stations, most of the thermal power stations will
receive the coal from rail transport.

The coal from the railway wagon is taken to the power station and is
either delivered to the storage yard or close to the point of
consumption.
 Transportation by Ropeway

• It is the most efficient method of transporting coal from the mine to the
power station.
• It is particularly used when the distance between the power station and
mine is less than 10 km.
• The major advantage of such a system is, it supplies the coal
continuously and free from worker’s strike which is common with rain
transport.
 Transportation by Road

• The coal can be transported from mines to the power plant by means of
trucks, tippers, tractors etc., through road, but it is used only for small
capacity power stations.
• The major advantage of this type is that the coal can be carried directly into
the powerhouse up to the point of consumption.
 Transportation by Pipeline

• In this method, the coal in the form of slurry is directly supplied from the
remote mines to the strategically located thermal power plants through
pipelining.
• This method is the most efficient one.
• It supplies a large quantity of coal continuously without any problem and loss.
• This system is costlier than all other systems but most economical in
operation.
 Various Stages in Coal Handling

1) Coal Delivery
• From the supply points, the coal may be delivered to the power station through
rail, road, river or sea.
• Plants situated near the river or sea may make use of ships or boats.
• The stations which cannot make use of ships or boats may be supplied either
by rail or trucks.
• If the coal mine is nearer to the plant or when the necessary railway facilities are
not available, then the coal is supplied by truck.
• In case rail transport is to be adopted, the necessary siding for receiving the
coal should be made near the station.
 Continued…

2) Unloading
• The coal is unloaded by using proper unloading equipment.
• The use of unloading equipment in the plant depends upon the type of out-plant
handling mode as road, rail or ship.
• If the coal is delivered by trucks, there is no need of unloading device as the
trucks may dump the coal to the outdoor storage.
• The coal is easily handled if the lift trucks with scoop are used.
• When the coal is transported by sea, the unloading is carried out by portable
conveyors, coal accelerators, coal towers, unloading bridges or by safe
unloading boats.
 Continued…

3) Preparation
• If the coal when delivered is in the form of lumps (not of proper size), the coal
preparation may be carried out by :
1.Breakers
2.Crushers
3.Sizers
4.Dryers
5.Magnetic separators.
 Continued…
4) Transfer
• After preparation, the coal is transferred to the final storage point from where it
is discharged to the fixing equipment.
• Following equipment are used for the transfer of coal:
1.Belt conveyors
2.Screw conveyors
3.Vee bucket elevator
4.Pivoted bucket conveyor
5.Grab bucket conveyor
6.Flight conveyor
7.Skip hoists
8.Mass flow conveyor
9.Chutes.
 Continued…
4.1) Belt Conveyors : A belt conveyor is a very suitable means of transporting
the coal in large quantities over large distances as shown in the figure.
It consists of an endless belt running over a pair of end pulleys and supported by
a series of rollers called idlers provided at regular intervals.
 Continued…
5) Storage of Coal
• It is very essential that an adequate quantity of coal should be stored.
• The coal storage gives protection against the interruption of coal supplies when
there is a delay in the transportation of coal.
• Coal storage requirements should be considered when selecting a site for
storage.
• The coal storage requires the following:
1.No stranding of water near the storage area.
2.Proper drainage ditches should be provided.
3.Storage should be solid and not loose or porous.
4.Handling cost should be minimum.
5.The area should be protected against the fire.
 Continued…
• Live storage is covered storage provided in plants, sufficient to meet the one-
day requirement of the boiler.
• The bunkers made up of steel or reinforced concrete is used to store the coal as
shown in the figure. From here coal is transferred to boiler gates.