Thermal Power Plants: What You Need to Know

Here is everything about the thermal power plant, including its introduction, types, advantages, and disadvantages.

Burning fuels like LNG and other fossil fuels to produce thermal energy is known as thermal power generation., to convert into electric energy by using power-generating facilities.

Read this article to find out more about thermal power plants.

What Is A Thermal Power Plant?

A thermal power station is a type of power station in which heat energy is converted to electrical energy. In a steam-generating cycle, heat is used to boil water in a sizable pressure vessel to produce high-pressure steam, which powers a steam turbine linked to an electrical generator.

In a steam condenser, the low-pressure exhaust from the turbine is cooled to produce hot condensate, which is then recycled into the heating process to produce more high-pressure steam. As a Rankine cycle, this is known.

Depending on the intended energy source—fossil fuel, nuclear, geothermal, solar, biofuels, and waste incineration—thermal power plants are built differently. In addition to producing electricity, some thermal power plants are also built to produce heat for the desalination of water, district heating, or industrial applications.

Internal combustion is another option for burning fuels like natural gas or oil in gas turbines. Both the open cycle and the more productive combined cycle types of plants can be used in these. The advantages and disadvantages of thermal power plants are listed below:

Advantages

These are the following advantages of a thermal power plant:

• The fuel used, which is coal, is not very expensive.
• comparatively cheaper upfront price than other generating stations of comparable capacity.
• Comparatively speaking, it takes up less space than a hydroelectric power plant.
• Compared to diesel power stations, the cost of generation is lower.
• The load can be frequently altered without any difficulty in accordance with demand.
• Regardless of the availability of fuels, thermal power plants can be installed anywhere. Fuel can be transported to the plant site by road, rail, etc.
• These plants are situated close to the center of the load.
• Overload conditions (about 25%) are possible for thermal power plants to operate under.

Disadvantages

These are the following disadvantages of a thermal power plant:

• Because it generates a lot of smoke, it pollutes the atmosphere.
• There are high operating and maintenance costs.
• Water is needed in enormous quantities.
• In comparison to a diesel power plant, running costs are high.
• It can be difficult to handle coal and dispose of ash.

How Does Thermal Power Plant Work?

So, how do thermal power plants work actually? In thermal power plants, the heat energy obtained from the combustion of solid fuel (mostly coal) is used to convert water into steam, this steam is at high pressure and temperature.

The turbine shaft, which is connected to the generator, rotates the turbine blades using this steam. The generator produces electric energy from the kinetic energy of the turbine impeller.

You can learn more about other types of power plants, such as Nuclear Power Plants, Hydroelectric Power Plants, Geothermal Power Plants, Solar Power Plants, Wind Power Plants, Tidal Power Plants, and Biomass Power Plants.

Types of Thermal Power Plants

Steam power generation, combined cycle power generation, and gas turbine power generation are the three primary categories of thermal power plants.

Steam Power Generation

Utilizing the steam’s ability to expand, steam power generation produces electricity. Burning heavy crude oil, LNG (liquefied natural gas), coal, etc. produces heat that can be converted into hot, high-pressure steam.

A turbine’s impeller is turned by this steam, which also activates a generator attached to the turbine to produce electricity. Thermal energy used in steam power generation has a relatively low temperature (600°C or less).

Combined Cycle Power Generation

A gas turbine and a steam turbine are used in a power-generation process called a combined cycle.

Combining two power generation techniques can result in high thermal efficiency. Gas turbine power is produced by rotating a generator using expansion power, which is created when fuels are burned in compressed air to create combustion gas, and steam power is produced by rotating a steam turbine that collects the exhaust gas’ residual heat.

Additionally, because combined cycle power generation uses both steam and small gas turbines, it can be operated in response to changes in demand and can be switched on and off instantly.

Gas Turbine Power Generation

Both gas turbines and boilers frequently burn natural gas. By passing this gas through a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), hot exhaust gas from a gas turbine can be used to generate steam.

In a combined cycle plant, which increases overall efficiency, the steam is then used to power a steam turbine. Power stations burning coal, fuel oil, or natural gas are often called fossil fuel power stations.

Conclusion

Thermal power Heat energy is converted to electric power and energy in a plant or station for use in domestic and commercial settings. In the process of electric power generation, steam-operated turbines convert heat into mechanical power and then finally electric power.

FAQs