Types of Power Plants
Types of Power Plants
A power plant can be of several types depending mainly on the type of fuel used. Since for the purpose of bulk
power generation, only thermal, nuclear and hydro power comes handy, therefore a power generating station can
be broadly classified in the 3 above mentioned types. Let us have a look in these types of power stations in
details.
Thermal power plant
A thermal power station or a coal fired thermal power plant
is by far, the most conventional method of generating
electric power with reasonably high efficiency. It uses coal
as the primary fuel to boil the water available to
superheated steam for driving the steam turbine. The
steam turbine is then mechanically coupled to an
alternator rotor, the rotation of which results in the
generation of electric power. Generally in India,
bituminous coal or brown coal are used as fuel of boiler
which has volatile content ranging from 8 to 33% and ash
content 5 to 16 %. To enhance the thermal efficiency of
the plant, the coal is used in the boiler in its pulverized
form.
Advantages of Thermal Power Plants
Fuel used i.e coal is quite cheaper.
Initial cost is less as compared to other generating stations.
It requires less space as compared to hydro-electric power stations.
Disadvantages of Thermal Power Plants
It pollutes atmosphere due to production of smoke & fumes.
Running cost of the power plant is more than hydro electric plant.
Nuclear Power Station
The nuclear power generating stations are similar to the thermal
stations in more ways than one. How ever, the exception here is
that, radioactive elements like uranium and thorium are used as
the primary fuel in place of coal. Also in a Nuclear station the
furnace and the boiler are replaced by the nuclear reactor and the
heat exchanger tubes. For the process of nuclear power
generation, the radioactive fuels are made to undergo fission
reaction within the nuclear reactors. The fission reaction,
propagates like a controlled chain reaction and is accompanied
by unprecedented amount of energy produced, which is
manifested in the form of heat. This heat is then transferred to the
water present in the heat exchanger tubes. As a result, super
heated steam at very high temperature is produced. Once the
process of steam formation is accomplished, the remaining
process is exactly similar to a thermal power plant, as this steam
will further drive the turbine blades to generate electricity.
Hydro-Electric Power Station