Coal Fired Power Plant

A power plant which energy input is delivered by coal. One of the earliest energy sources for power generation reaching back to the era of steam engines.

Coal is a very attractive primary energy source which is available for hundreds of years. But coal bears many problems: Coal is a mixture of different elements and compounds and the smoke from a coal fire contains sulfur oxide, nitric oxides and particles of different sizes.

Carbon dioxide is the main thread from coal fired power plants. The specific carbon dioxide emissions are very high especially if the power plant is operated with lignite. In comparison to a natural gas fired combined cycle power plant the specific CO₂ emissions are 200--300 percent higher.

The schematic of a coal fired power plant is shown below.