Thermal Power Plant Working

THERMAL POWER PLANT WORKING

Thermal power plant use raw energy in fossil fuels (coal, oil, or gas) and convert it into mechanical energy through the expansion of steam from a high pressure in a suitable prime mover called steam turbine. Generator coupled with turbine produces electrical energy. Coal received from collieries in the rail wagons is mechanically unloaded by wagon Tippler and carried by Belt Conveyor system to Boiler Raw Coal Bunkers, after crushing in the Coal Crusher. The crushed coal, when not required for raw coal bunkers, is carried to cal storage area through belt conveyor and telescopic chute. The Raw Coal Chain Feeder regulates the quantity of coal from coal bunkers to Coal Mill, where coal is pulverized into the fine powder form. The pulverized coal is then sucked by Vapour Fan and finally stored in the pulverized Coal Bunkers. The pulverized coal is then pushed to the Boiler Furnace, which is comprised of water tube walls all around through which water circulates.

Pic - Working of Thermal Power Plant

This chemically treated water running through the walls of boiler furnace gets evaporated at high temperature into steam by getting furnace heat. This steam is further heated in the Super-Heaters. The dry steam at high temperature and pressure is fed to the turbine comprising of three cylinders .The thermal energy of this steam is utilized in turbine for rotating its shaft at high speed. The steam discharge from H.P. Turbine is returned to returned to Boiler Re-Heater & Tri flux for heating it once again before passing it to M.P./I.P. Turbine. The steam is then fed to the L.P. Turbine. Coupled to the turbine shaft is the rotor of the Generator, which produces electricity. The power from the generator is pumped into the Power Grid System through the Generator Transformer by stepping up the voltage. The steam after doing useful work in the turbine is condensed to water in Condenser for recycling in the boiler. The water is pumped to the Deaerator from condenser with the help of Condensate Extraction Pumps (C.E.P.) after being heated in the L.P. Heaters. From the Deaerator a hot water storage tank, the Boiler Feed Pump (B.F.P.) discharges feed water to the boiler at the Economizer after getting heated up in the H.P. heaters. Deaerator removes the dissolved oxygen air and other gases from the feed water.