1 Steam Power Plants

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

  A steam power station basically works on the
Rankine cycle. Steam is produced in the
boiler by utilising the heat of coal combustion.
 The steam is then expanded in the prime
mover (i.e., steam turbine) and is condensed
in a condenser to be fed into the boiler again.
2
Steam Power  The steam turbine drives the alternator which
Plant converts mechanical energy of the turbine
into electrical energy.
 This type of power station is suitable where
coal and water are available in abundance
and a large amount of electric power is to be
generated.

1/22/2024 Engr. JDN

Advantages of Steam Power Plant 3

 The fuel (i.e., coal) used is quite cheap.

 Less initial cost as compared to other generating
stations.
 It can be installed at any place irrespective of the
existence of coal. The coal can be transported to the
site of the plant by rail or road.
 It requires less space as compared to the
hydroelectric power station.
 The cost of generation is lesser than that of the diesel
power station.

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

Disadvantages of Steam Power Plant 4

 It pollutes the atmosphere due to the production of

large amount of smoke and fumes.

 It is costlier in running cost as compared to

hydroelectric plant.

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

Schematic
Arrangement
of Steam
Power Plants
5

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

6 Schematic Arrangement of Steam Power Plant
 Although steam power station simply involves the conversion
of heat of coal combustion into electrical energy, yet it
embraces many arrangements for proper working and
efficiency.
 The whole arrangement can be divided into the following
stages for the sake of simplicity :

1. Coal and ash handling arrangement

2. Steam generating plant
3. Steam turbine
4. Alternator
5. Feed water
6. Cooling arrangement

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

7 Schematic Arrangement of Steam Power Plant
1. Coal and ash handling plant.
 The coal is transported to the power station by road or rail and is stored in
the coal storage plant. Storage of coal is primarily a matter of protection
against coal strikes, failure of transportation system and general coal
shortages.
 From the coal storage plant, coal is delivered to the coal handling plant
where it is pulverised (i.e., crushed into small pieces) in order to increase its
surface exposure, thus promoting rapid combustion without using large
quantity of excess air.
 The pulverised coal is fed to the boiler by belt conveyors. The coal is burnt in
the boiler and the ash produced after the complete combustion of coal is
removed to the ash handling plant and then delivered to the ash storage
plant for disposal. The removal of the ash from the boiler furnace is
necessary for proper burning of coal.

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

8 Schematic Arrangement of Steam Power Plant
2. Steam generating plant
 The steam generating plant consists of a boiler for the production of
steam and other auxiliary equipment for the utilization of flue gases.
a. Boiler
 The heat of combustion of coal in the boiler is utilised to convert water
into steam at high temperature and pressure.
b. Superheater
 The steam produced in the boiler is wet and is passed through a
superheater where it is dried and superheated (i.e., steam temperature
increased above that of boiling point of water) by the flue gases on
their way to chimney.
 Superheating provides two principal benefits. Firstly, the overall
efficiency is increased. Secondly, too much condensation in the last
stages of turbine (which would cause blade corrosion) is avoided.
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9 Schematic Arrangement of Steam Power Plant
c. Economiser
 An economiser is essentially a feed water heater and derives heat from the
flue gases for this purpose.
 The feed water is fed to the economiser before supplying to the boiler. The
economiser extracts a part of heat of flue gases to increase the feed water
temperature.
d. Air Preheater
 An air preheater increases the temperature of the air supplied for coal
burning by deriving heat from flue gases. Air is drawn from the atmosphere
by a forced draught fan and is passed through air preheater before
supplying to the boiler furnace.
 The air preheater extracts heat from flue gases and increases the
temperature of air used for coal combustion.
 The principal benefits of preheating the air are: increased thermal
efficiency and increased steam capacity per square metre of boiler
Engr. JDN 1/22/2024
surface.
10 Schematic Arrangement of Steam Power Plant
3. Steam Turbine
 The dry and superheated steam from the superheater is fed to
the steam turbine through main valve. The heat energy of steam
when passing over the blades of turbine is converted into
mechanical energy.
 After giving heat energy to the turbine, the steam is exhausted to
the condenser which condenses the exhausted steam by means
of cold water circulation.
4. Alternator
 The steam turbine is coupled to an alternator. The alternator
converts mechanical energy of turbine into electrical energy.
 The electrical output from the alternator is delivered to the bus
bars through transformer, circuit breakers and isolators.
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11 Schematic Arrangement of Steam Power Plant
5. Feed Water
 The condensate from the condenser is used as feed water to the
boiler. Some water may be lost in the cycle which is suitably
made up from external source.
 The feed water on its way to the boiler is heated by water
heaters and economiser. This helps in raising the overall
efficiency of the plant.
6. Cooling Arrangement
 In order to improve the efficiency of the plant, the steam
exhausted from the turbine is condensed* by means of a
condenser.
 Water is drawn from a natural source of supply such as a river,
canal or lake and is circulated through the condenser.
Engr. JDN 1/22/2024
12 Schematic Arrangement of Steam Power Plant
6. Cooling Arrangement
 The circulating water takes up the heat of the exhausted steam
and itself becomes hot. This hot water coming out from the
condenser is discharged at a suitable location down the river.
 In case the availability of water from the source of supply is not
assured throughout the year, cooling towers are used. During the
scarcity of water in the river, hot water from the condenser is
passed on to the cooling towers where it is cooled. The cold
water from the cooling tower is reused in the condenser.

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

13 Efficiency of Steam Power Station
 The overall efficiency of a steam power station is quite low
(about 29%) due mainly to two reasons.
 Firstly, a huge amount of heat is lost in the condenser and
 Secondly, heat losses occur at various stages of the plant. The
heat lost in the condenser cannot be avoided. It is because
heat energy cannot be converted into mechanical energy
without temperature difference.
 The greater the temperature difference, the greater is the heat
energy converted* into mechanical energy. This necessitates to
keep the steam in the condenser at the lowest temperature. But
we know that greater the temperature difference, greater is the
amount of heat lost.

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

14 Efficiency of Steam Power Plant
1. Thermal Efficiency
 The ratio of heat equivalent of mechanical energy
transmitted to the turbine shaft to the heat of combustion of
coal.

Thermal efficiency, ηthermal

 The thermal efficiency of a modern steam power station is

about 30%.

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

15 Efficiency of Steam Power Plant
2. Overall Efficiency
 The ratio of heat equivalent of electrical output to the heat
of combustion of coal.

Overall efficiency, ηoverall

 The overall efficiency of a steam power station is about 29%.

Overall efficiency, ηoverall

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

16 Sample Problems:
1. A steam power station has an overall efficiency of 20%
and 0·6 kg of coal is burnt per kWh of electrical energy
generated. Calculate the calorific value of fuel.
Ans. 7166.67 kcal/kg
2. A thermal station has the following data :
Max. demand = 20,000 kW ; Load factor = 40%
Boiler efficiency = 85% ; Turbine efficiency = 90%
Coal consumption = 0·9 kg/kWh ; Cost of 1 ton of coal = ₱ 203
Determine (i) thermal efficiency and (ii) coal bill per annum.
Ans. 76.5% ; ₱ 12, 803, 616.00

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024

17 Sample Problems:
3. A 100 MW steam station uses coal of calorific value
6400 kcal/kg. Thermal efficiency of the station is 30%
and electrical efficiency is 92%. Calculate the coal
consumption per hour when the station is delivering its
full rated output.. Ans. 48,687kg

Engr. JDN 1/22/2024