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ThermalPowerPlantLayoutandOperation
ThermalPowerPlantLayout:

Theabovediagramisthelayoutofasimplifiedthermalpowerplantandthebelowisalso
diagramofathermalpowerplant.

TheabovediagramshowsthesimplestarrangementofCoalfired(Thermal)powerplant.


Mainpartsoftheplantare
1.Coalconveyor2.Stoker3.Pulverizer4.Boiler5.Coalash6.Airpreheater7.
Electrostaticprecipitator8.Smokestack9.Turbine10.Condenser11.Transformers12.
Coolingtowers
13.Generator14.Highvotgepowerlines

BasicOperation:AthermalpowerplantbasicallyworksonRankinecycle.
Coalconveyor:Thisisabelttypeofarrangement.Withthiscoalistransportedfromcoal
storageplaceinpowerplanttotheplacenearbyboiler.
Stoker:Thecoalwhichisbroughtnearbyboilerhastoputinboilerfurnancefor
combustion.Thisstokerisamechanicaldeviceforfeedingcoaltoafurnace.

Pulverizer:Thecoalisputintheboilerafterpulverization.Forthispulverizerisused.A
pulverizerisadeviceforgrindingcoalforcombustioninafurnaceinapowerplant.

TypesofPulverizers
BallandTubeMill
Ballmillisapulverizerthatconsistsofahorizontalrotatingcylinder,uptothreediameters
inlength,containingachargeoftumblingorcascadingsteelballs,pebbles,orrods.
Tubemillisarevolvingcylinderofuptofivediametersinlengthusedforfinepulverization
ofore,rock,andothersuchmaterialsthematerial,mixedwithwater,isfedintothe
chamberfromoneend,andpassesouttheotherendasslime.
RingandBall
Thistypeconsistsoftworingsseparatedbyaseriesoflargeballs.Thelowerringrotates,
whiletheupperringpressesdownontheballsviaasetofspringandadjusterassemblies.
Coalisintroducedintothecenterorsideofthepulverizer(dependingonthedesign)andis
groundasthelowerringrotatescausingtheballstoorbitbetweentheupperandlower
rings.Thecoaliscarriedoutofthemillbytheflowofairmovingthroughit.Thesizeofthe
coalparticalsreleasedfromthegrindingsectionofthemillisdeterminedbyaclassifer
separator.ThesemillsaretypicallyproducedbyB&W(BabcockandWilcox).

Boiler :Nowthatpulverizedcoalisputinboilerfurnance.Boilerisanenclosedvesselin
whichwaterisheatedandcirculateduntilthewateristurnedintosteamattherequired
pressure.

Coalisburnedinsidethecombustionchamberofboiler.Theproductsofcombustionare
nothingbutgases.Thesegaseswhichareathightemperaturevaporizethewaterinsidethe

boilertosteam.Sometimesthissteamisfurtherheatedinasuperheaterashigherthe
steampressureandtemperaturethegreaterefficiencytheenginewillhaveinconverting
theheatinsteamintomechanicalwork.Thissteamathighpressureandtempetureisused
directlyasaheatingmedium,orastheworkingfluidinaprimemovertoconvertthermal
energytomechanicalwork,whichinturnmaybeconvertedtoelectricalenergy.Although
otherfluidsaresometimesusedforthesepurposes,waterisbyfarthemostcommon
becauseofitseconomyandsuitablethermodynamiccharacteristics.

ClassificationofBoilers

Bolilersareclassifiedas

Firetubeboilers:Infiretubeboilershotgasesarepassedthroughthetubesandwater
surroundsthesetubes.Thesearesimple,compactandruggedinconstruction.Dependingon
whetherthetubesareverticalorhorizontalthesearefurtherclassifiedasverticaland
horizontaltubeboilers.Inthissincethewatervolumeismore,circulationwillbepoor.So
theycan'tmeetquicklythechangesinsteamdemand.Highpressuresofsteamarenot
possible,maximumpressurethatcanbeattainedisabout17.5kg/sqcm.Duetolarge
quantityofwaterinthedrainitrequiresmoretimeforsteamraising.Thesteamattainedis
generallywet,economicalforlowpressures.Theoututoftheboilerisalsolimited.

Watertubeboilers:Intheseboilerswaterisinsidethetubesandhotgasesareoutsidethe
tubes.Theyconsistsofdrumsandtubes.Theymaycontainanynumberofdrums(youcan
see2drumsinfig).Feedwaterenterstheboilertoonedrum(hereitisdrumbelowthe
boiler).Thiswatercirculatesthroughthetubesconnectedexternaltodrums.Hotgaseswhich
surroundsthesetubeswilconvertthewaterintubesintosteam.Thissteamispassed
throughtubesandcollectedatthetopofthedrumsinceitisoflightweight.Sothedrums
storesteamandwater(upperdrum).Theentiresteamiscollectedinonedrumanditis
takenoutfromthere(seeinlaoutfig).Asthemovementofwaterinthewatertubesishigh,
sorateofheattransferalsobecomeshighresultingingreaterefficiency.Theyproducehigh
pressure,easilyaccessibleandcanrespondquicklytochangesinsteamdemand.Theseare
alsoclassifiedasvertical,horizontalandinclinedtubedependingonthearrangementofthe
tubes.Theseareoflessweightandlessliabletoexplosion.Largeheatingsurfacescanbe
obtainedbyuseoflargenumberoftubes.Wecanattainpressureashighas125kg/sqcm
andtemperaturesfrom315to575centigrade.

Superheater:Mostofthemodernboliersarehavingsuperheaterandreheater

arrangement.Superheaterisacomponentofasteamgeneratingunitinwhichsteam,after
ithaslefttheboilerdrum,isheatedaboveitssaturationtemperature.Theamountof
superheataddedtothesteamisinfluencedbythelocation,arrangement,andamountof
superheatersurfaceinstalled,aswellastheratingoftheboiler.Thesuperheatermay
consistofoneormorestagesoftubebanksarrangedtoeffectivelytransferheatfromthe
productsofcombustion.Superheatersareclassifiedasconvection,radiantorcombination
ofthese.

Reheater:Someoftheheatofsuperheatedsteamisusedtorotatetheturbinewhereit
losessomeofitsenergy.Reheaterisalsosteamboilercomponentinwhichheatisaddedto
thisintermediatepressuresteam,whichhasgivenupsomeofitsenergyinexpansion
throughthehighpressureturbine.Thesteamafterreheatingisusedtorotatethesecond
steamturbine(seeLayoutfig)wheretheheatisconvertedtomechanicalenergy.This
mechanicalenergyisusedtorunthealternator,whichiscoupledtoturbine,thereby

generatingelecricalenergy.

Condenser :Steamafterrotatingstaemturbinecomestocondenser.Condenserrefershere
totheshellandtubeheatexchanger(orsurfacecondenser)installedattheoutletofevery
steamturbineinThermalpowerstationsofutilitycompaniesgenerally.Thesecondensers
areheatexchangerswhichconvertsteamfromitsgaseoustoitsliquidstate,alsoknownas
phasetransition.Insodoing,thelatentheatofsteamisgivenoutinsidethecondenser.
Wherewaterisinshortsupplyanaircooledcondenserisoftenused.Anaircooled
condenserishoweversignificantlymoreexpensiveandcannotachieveaslowasteam
turbinebackpressure(andthereforelessefficient)asasurfacecondenser.

Thepurposeistocondensetheoutlet(orexhaust)steamfromsteamturbinetoobtain
maximumefficiencyandalsotogetthecondensedsteamintheformofpurewater,
otherwiseknownascondensate,backtosteamgeneratoror(boiler)asboilerfeedwater.

Whyitisrequired?

Thesteamturbineitselfisadevicetoconverttheheatinsteamtomechanicalpower.The
differencebetweentheheatofsteamperunitweightattheinlettoturbineandtheheatof
steamperunitweightattheoutlettoturbinerepresentstheheatgivenout(orheatdrop)in
thesteamturbinewhichisconvertedtomechanicalpower.Theheatdropperunitweightof
steamisalsomeasuredbythewordenthalpydrop.Thereforethemoretheconversionof
heatperpound(orkilogram)ofsteamtomechanicalpowerintheturbine,thebetterisits
performanceorotherwiseknownasefficiency.Bycondensingtheexhauststeamofturbine,
theexhaustpressureisbroughtdownbelowatmosphericpressurefromaboveatmospheric
pressure,increasingthesteampressuredropbetweeninletandexhaustofsteamturbine.
Thisfurtherreductioninexhaustpressuregivesoutmoreheatperunitweightofsteam
inputtothesteamturbine,forconversiontomechanicalpower.Mostoftheheatliberated
duetocondensing,i.e.,latentheatofsteam,iscarriedawaybythecoolingmedium.(water
insidetubesinasurfacecondenser,ordropletsinaspraycondenser(Hellersystem)orair
aroundtubesinanaircooledcondenser).

Condensersareclassifiedas(i)Jetcondensersorcontactcondensers(ii)Surface
condensers.
Injetcondensersthesteamtobecondensedmixeswiththecoolingwaterandthe
temperatureofthecondensateandthecoolingwaterissamewhenleavingthecondenser
andthecondensatecan'tberecoveredforuseasfeedwatertotheboilerheattransferis
bydirectconduction.

Insurfacecondensersthereisnodirectcontactbetweenthesteamtobecondensedandthe
circulatingcoolingwater.Thereisawallinterposedbetweenthemthroughheatmustbe
convectivelytransferred.Thetemperatureofthecondensatemaybehigherthanthe
temperatureofthecoolingwateratoutletandthecondnsateisrecoveredasfeedwaterto
theboiler.Boththecoolingwaterandthecondensateareseparetelywithdrawn.Becauseof
thisadvantagesurfacecondensersareusedinthermalpowerplants.Finaloutputof
condenseriswateratlowtemperatureispassedtohighpressurefeedwaterheater,itis
heatedandagainpassedasfeedwatertotheboiler.Sincewearepassingwaterathigh
temperatureasfeedwaterthetemperatureinsidetheboilerdoesnotdcreaseandboiler
efficincyalsomaintained.

CoolingTowers :Thecondensate(water)formedinthecondeseraftercondensationis
initiallyathightemperature.Thishotwaterispassedtocoolingtowers.Itisatoweror
buildinglikedeviceinwhichatmosphericair(theheatreceiver)circulatesindirector
indirectcontactwithwarmerwater(theheatsource)andthewateristherebycooled(see
illustration).Acoolingtowermayserveastheheatsinkinaconventionalthermodynamic
process,suchasrefrigerationorsteampowergeneration,andwhenitisconvenientor
desirabletomakefinalheatrejectiontoatmosphericair.Water,actingastheheattransfer
fluid,givesupheattoatmosphericair,andthuscooled,isrecirculatedthroughthesystem,
affordingeconomicaloperationoftheprocess.

Twobasictypesofcoolingtowersarecommonlyused.Onetransferstheheatfromwarmer
watertocoolerairmainlybyanevaporationheattransferprocessandisknownas
theevaporativeorwetcoolingtower.


Evaporativecoolingtowersareclassifiedaccordingtothemeansemployedforproducingair
circulationthroughthem:atmospheric,naturaldraft,andmechanicaldraft.Theother
transferstheheatfromwarmerwatertocoolerairbyasensibleheattransferprocessand
isknownasthenonevaporativeordrycoolingtower.

Nonevaporativecoolingtowersareclassifiedasaircooledcondensersandasaircooled
heatexchangers,andarefurtherclassifiedbythemeansusedforproducingaircirculation
throughthem.Thesetwobasictypesaresometimescombined,withthetwocooling
processesgenerallyusedinparallelorseparately,andarethenknownaswetdrycooling
towers.

Evaluationofcoolingtowerperformanceisbasedoncoolingofaspecifiedquantityofwater
throughagivenrangeandtoaspecifiedtemperatureapproachtothewetbulbordrybulb
temperatureforwhichthetowerisdesigned.Becauseexactdesignconditionsarerarely
experiencedinoperation,estimatedperformancecurvesarefrequentlypreparedfora
specificinstallation,andprovideameansforcomparingthemeasuredperformancewith
designconditions.

Economiser :Fluegasescomingoutoftheboilercarrylotofheat.Functionofeconomiser
istorecoversomeoftheheatfromtheheatcarriedawayinthefluegasesupthechimney
andutilizeforheatingthefeedwatertotheboiler.Itisplacedinthepassageoffluegases
inbetweentheexitfromtheboilerandtheentrytothechimney.Theuseofeconomiser
resultsinsavingincoalconsumption,increaseinsteamingrateandhighboilerefficiency
butneedsextrainvestmentandincreaseinmaintenancecostsandfloorarearequiredfor
theplant.Thisisusedinallmodernplants.Inthisalargenumberofsmalldiameterthin
walledtubesareplacedbetweentwoheaders.Feedwaterentersthetubethroughone
headerandleavesthroughtheother.Thefluegasesflowoutsidethetubesusuallyin
counterflow.

Airpreheater :Theremainingheatoffluegasesisutilisedbyairpreheater.Itisadevice
usedinsteamboilerstotransferheatfromthefluegasestothecombustionairbeforethe
airentersthefurnace.Alsoknownasairheaterairheatingsystem.Itisnotshowninthe
layout.Butitiskeptataplacenearbywheretheairentersintotheboiler.
Thepurposeoftheairpreheateristorecovertheheatfromthefluegasfromtheboilerto
improveboilerefficiencybyburningwarmairwhichincreasescombustionefficiency,and
reducingusefulheatlostfromtheflue.Asaconsequence,thegasesarealsosenttothe
chimneyorstackatalowertemperature,allowingsimplifieddesignoftheductingand

stack.Italsoallowscontroloverthetemperatureofgasesleavingthestack(tomeet
emissionsregulations,forexample).Afterextractingheatfluegasesarepassedto
elctrostaticprecipitator.
Electrostaticprecipitator :Itisadevicewhichremovesdustorotherfinelydivided
particlesfromfluegasesbychargingtheparticlesinductivelywithanelectricfield,then
attractingthemtohighlychargedcollectorplates.Alsoknownasprecipitator.Theprocess
dependsontwosteps.Inthefirststepthesuspensionpassesthroughanelectricdischarge
(coronadischarge)areawhereionizationofthegasoccurs.Theionsproducedcollidewith
thesuspendedparticlesandconferonthemanelectriccharge.Thechargedparticlesdrift
towardanelectrodeofoppositesignandaredepositedontheelectrodewheretheirelectric
chargeisneutralized.Thephenomenonwouldbemorecorrectlydesignatedas
electrodepositionfromthegasphase.
Theuseofelectrostaticprecipitatorshasbecomecommoninnumerousindustrial
applications.Amongtheadvantagesoftheelectrostaticprecipitatorareitsabilitytohandle
largevolumesofgas,atelevatedtemperaturesifnecessary,withareasonablysmall
pressuredrop,andtheremovalofparticlesinthemicrometerrange.Someoftheusual
applicationsare:(1)removalofdirtfromfluegasesinsteamplants(2)cleaningofairto
removefungiandbacteriainestablishmentsproducingantibioticsandotherdrugs,andin
operatingrooms(3)cleaningofairinventilationandairconditioningsystems(4)removal
ofoilmistsinmachineshopsandacidmistsinchemicalprocessplants(5)cleaningof
blastfurnacegases(6)recoveryofvaluablematerialssuchasoxidesofcopper,lead,and
tinand(7)separationofrutilefromzirconiumsand.
Smokestack:Achimneyisasystemforventinghotfluegasesorsmokefromaboiler,
stove,furnaceorfireplacetotheoutsideatmosphere.Theyaretypicallyalmostverticalto
ensurethatthehotgasesflowsmoothly,drawingairintothecombustionthroughthe
chimneyeffect(alsoknownasthestackeffect).Thespaceinsideachimneyiscalledaflue.
Chimneysmaybefoundinbuildings,steamlocomotivesandships.IntheUS,the
termsmokestack(colloquially,stack)isalsousedwhenreferringtolocomotivechimneys.
Thetermfunnelisgenerallyusedforshipchimneysandsometimesusedtoreferto
locomotivechimneys.Chimneysaretalltoincreasetheirdrawofairforcombustionandto
dispersepollutantsinthefluegasesoveragreaterareasoastoreducethepollutant
concentrationsincompliancewithregulatoryorotherlimits.
Generator: Analternatorisanelectromechanicaldevicethatconvertsmechanicalenergy
toalternatingcurrentelectricalenergy.Mostalternatorsusearotatingmagneticfield.
Differentgeometriessuchasalinearalternatorforusewithstirlingenginesarealso
occasionallyused.Inprinciple,anyACgeneratorcanbecalledanalternator,butusuallythe
wordreferstosmallrotatingmachinesdrivenbyautomotiveandotherinternalcombustion
engines.
Transformers:Itisadevicethattransferselectricenergyfromonealternatingcurrent
circuittooneormoreothercircuits,eitherincreasing(steppingup)orreducing(stepping
down)thevoltage.Usesfortransformersincludereducingthelinevoltagetooperate
lowvoltagedevices(doorbellsortoyelectrictrains)andraisingthevoltagefromelectric
generatorssothatelectricpowercanbetransmittedoverlongdistances.Transformersact
throughelectromagneticinductioncurrentintheprimarycoilinducescurrentinthe
secondarycoil.Thesecondaryvoltageiscalculatedbymultiplyingtheprimaryvoltageby
theratioofthenumberofturnsinthesecondarycoiltothatintheprimary.
ToseethecompleteoperationoftheplantinflashplayerClickhere

####Aturbineissuppliedwithsuperheatedsteamat90bara/450C.
Theexhaustisat0.06bara(partialvacuum)and10%wet.
Saturatedtemperature=36.2C.