THERMAL POWER PLANT

M.VIJAYARAGAVAN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
MAILAM ENGINEERING COLLEGE
MAILAM
Power Sector at a Glance ALL INDIA
As on 28-06-2017

Sector MW % of Total

State Sector 1,04,303 31.58%

Central Sector 81,167 24.58%

Private Sector 1,44,790 43.84%

Total 3,30,261
Fuel MW % of Total

Total Thermal 2,21,626 67.1%

Coal 1,95,603 59.2%

Gas 25,185 7.6%

Oil 838 0.3%

Hydro (Renewable) 44,594 13.5%

Nuclear 6,780 2.1%

RES* (MNRE) 57,260 17.3%

Total 330,261
INDIAN POWER SCENARIO GENERATION

58.7 % - Coal
25.4 % - Hydro
10.7 % - Gas based
02.5 % - Nuclear
2.7 % - Non- Conventional & Diesel
 Thermal Power Plant

The generating station which converts the heat

energy produced by the combustion of coal
into electrical energy is called steam power
station or thermal station.
 - INTRODUCTION:
- Steam power plant is an energy converter
Chemical energy of fuel
Oxidation
Chemical energy
Heat Energy
Heat energy is transfered to fluid in
Thermal energy Boiler
Steam Energy
Steam energy Heat energy is converted into
Mechanical energy by Prime
Mechanical energy mover
Mechanical Energy
Electrical energy Mechanical energy is converted
into Electrical energy by Generator
Electrical Energy
 Steam (Thermal) Power Plant
Fuel : Coal or Oil
Main parts : Boiler, Turbine,
Generator , condenser, pump
Simple Rankine Cycle Diagram

LEGEND
AIR, GAS
STEAM
WATER
 Main and Auxiliary e q u i p m e n t s

1. Coal handling plant

2. Pulverizing plant
3. Draft fans
4. Boiler
5. Ash handling plant
6. Turbine
7. Condenser
8. Cooling towers and ponds
9. Feed water heater
10. Economiser
11. Superheater and Reheater
12. Air preheater
 COAL
HANDLING
SYSTEM

Shaikh Saif
 Requirement of Good Coal
Handling Plant
It should have minimum maintenance
It should be simple.
It should be reliable
Coal Handling System
Coal Delivery

Unloading

Weighing

Outdoor Storage

Covered Storage

Inplant Handling

Preparation / Weighing

Transfer

Furnace Firing
 Unload of Coal at Site

Unload from Rail cars

Unloading from Ships
1. Unloading equipment.
2. Self unloading ship.
o Unloading from trucks (lifting trucks)
 Rail Car Unloading
Rail car unloading featuring
bottom dump by unloading
bridge.

Rail car unloading by

means of Rotary
Drum
 Ship Unloading System
Unloading Equipment's.

Self Unloading Ships

Transportation by pipeline

Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene
 Transportation through rope & belt
conveyors
Transfer of coal by rope, belt & conveyor is also
used if the distance between the mines &
power station is less than 10 km
Conveying capacity was 600 tonnes per hour.
The line was 270 meters long, with a vertical
rise of 23 meters. It eliminated 115,000 truck
journeys.
 Coal Weighing
All of our train weighing systems involves
"Load Cell" technology which is the only
genuinely recognized method of long term
accurate & reliable train weighing & uses the
exact principal as weighbridges, truck scales &
every other general scale is based
upon.(onboard coal weighing)
 Coal Storage
Storage of coal is undesirable because it costs
more as there is,
Risk of spontaneous combustion.
Weathering.
Possibility of loss deterioration during storage.
Interest on capital cost of coal lying dormant.
Cost of protecting the stored coal from
deteriorating & so on.
 Purpose of Storage of Coal
To store the coal for a period of 30 80 days so that
plant is never required to be shut-down.
Storage of coal allows the purchaser to take the
advantage of seasonal market fluctuation in prices of
coal.
 Outdoor Storage (dead storage)
The coal is usually kept on ground in the form of pile
exposed to outside weather.
The coal is required to be protected from
deterioration & weathering
This is a long term storage i.e. 10% of annual
consumption.
 Closed or Live Storage
In the closed or live storage the coal is stored for
one or two days requirement of the power plant.
This storage is used for the purpose of supplying
the coal to the combustion equipment with
negligible handling
The coal is usually stored in the vertical cylinder
bunkers or coal bins.
 Inplant Coal Handling
The In-Plant coal handling
system deals with feeding of
coal from live storage to the
furnace.
It includes various
equipment's for transfer of
coal like belt conveyor, screw
conveyor etc. & the
equipment needed to weigh
the quantity of coal for feed.
In case of pulverized coal firing
system, it requires large no. of
equipments like chutes,
pulverized mills, feeders,
weighing machine, hoppers &
automatic scales.
 Points to Remember.
Simple & sound, requiring minimum operations &
transportation.
No double handling of coal in plant.
Handling unit should be centralized to facilitate
inspection & maintenance.
Electric motors can be used as driver of mechanism.
Working parts should be enclosed to avoid abrasion &
corrosion.
System should be able to supply required quantity of
coal as per demand.
Coal Preparation
 Crushing of Coal
Crushers are used to reduce the coal to optimum size.
It is crushed into pieces of 25-30mm for stoker firing and
10-20mm for pulverized coal firing.
 Vibrating Separator
Size of vibrating separator is fitted after crusher
to screen the coal crushed below set size.
Oversized coal is returned to crusher for further
proper crushing.
 Transfer of Coal.
Different equipments of coal transfer.
1. Belt conveyors.
2. Screw conveyors.
3. Bucket elevators.
4. Grab bucket elevators.
5. Flight conveyors or scrapers.
6. Skip hoist.
 Belt Conveyors
It consist of endless belt of suitable material running
over pair of end drums supported at regular interval
by series of rollers(idler).
Max Inclination: 20degree.
Running Speed: 400-500 RPM.
Transport Capacity: 50-100ton/hour over long distance
 Belt Conveyors (cont.)
Advantages
1. Low cost & power consumption.

2. Smooth & clean operation.

3. Cheap maintenance.

4. Controlled rate of coal transfer.

 Screw Conveyors
It is used for shorter distance(30m).
Totally enclosed from atmosphere.
Coal dust can also be transferred easily.
Diameter: 15-50cm.
Speed: 70-120 rpm.
Transfer Capacity: 100tons/hour.
 Screw conveyors
Advantages
1. Cheap
2. Requires small space, simple & tight.
3. Dust tight.
Disadvantages
1. High power consumption per ton of coal transfer
2. Wear and tear of screw is high. Shorter life
 Bucket Elevator
Coal is lifted vertical
or near vertical
direction.
It carries the buckets
fixed to a chain.
Buckets are loaded
with coal at bottom &
discharges at the top.

Limitation:
The lift of coal is limited to about 30m.
Inclination is limited to 60 degree with horizontal
Transfer Capacity: 60 tons/hour.
 Grab Bucket Elevator
It lifts & transfer coal on a single rail or track from
one point to the other.
It can be used with crane or tower.
Transfer Capacity: 50 tons/hour

Advantages:
1. Requires less power for operation and minimum
maintenance.
2. Used when other arrangements are not possible.
3. Lesser operating cost.

Disadvantages:
1. Initial cost is high.
 Flight Conveyor or Scrapers
It is generally used for transfer of coal when filling of no. of
storage bin under the conveyor is required.
The coal is discharged in the bottom of trough.

Transfer Capacity: 10-100 tons/hour.

Advantage:
1. Low capital cost.
2. It can transfer both coal & ash.
3. It can vary easily the rate of coal discharge.

o Disadvantages:
1. High energy consumption & maintenance cost.
2. High wear and tear due to dragging action.
ASH HANDLING
METHODS
The operations involved in ash handling system
are
Removal of ash from furnace
Transfer of ash from furnace to isolated
storage place.
Disposal of stored ash
General Layout of Ash handling and
dust collection system
 MODERN ASH HANDLING
CLASSIFICATIONS
Mechanical Handling system
Hydraulic system
Pneumatic system
Steam jet system
Mechanical handling system
High pressure hydraulic ash handling
system
Pneumatic ash handling system