How does steam based Thermal Power Plant works?

A thermal power station is a power plant which heat energy are converted to electric power.
Here, we will discuss the function of the main components of the thermal power plant like
boiler, steam turbine, generator and transformer.

First, pulverized coal delivered from transport barges is mixed with air and blown into the
boiler furnace through nozzles. It is burned at temperature above 2000 F. The boiler is a
rectangular furnace about 50 feet on a side and 130 feet tall. Its wall was made up with high
pressure steel tube about 2.3 inches of diameter. Here the chemical energy in coal becomes
heat energy when the coal is burned in the furnace. As the water in the boiler circulates
through tubes, absorbs heat and change into steam. Then, the steam is separated from the
water inside the drum in the top of the furnace. The saturated steam is introduced into super
heat pending tube that hang at the highest part of the combustion gases as they exceed the
furnace. Here the steam is superheated into 1000 F to prepared it for the turbine.

Steam turbine resembles a giant fan with hundreds of blades. High capacity power plant uses
different stages of steam turbine such as high-pressure turbine, intermediate pressure
turbine and low-pressure turbine. In order to turn steam turbine, you have to supply high
pressure and temperature steam at the inlet of the turbine as the turbine absorbs energy
from the high energy fluids. Its temperature and pressure drop through the outlet. Now, high
pressure steam is discharged against the fan-like turbine blade and the turbine start rotating.
Thus, the heat energy is converted into kinetic energy. The steam turns the turbine blades,
which turns the shaft, which is connected to generator.

The generator is where mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. Now is the shaft
of the turbine and generator are mechanically coupled. So, as the turbine turn, it spins the
generator shaft which mounted with giant electromagnets. The rotating magnet called the
rotor turns within a stationary set of conductors wound in coils on an iron core, called the
stator. The field cut across the conductors, generating an induced (electromotive force)
according to the Faraday’s law of electromagnetism as a mechanical input causes the rode to
turn. Thus, the mechanical energy in the turbine is change into electrical energy in generator.

As it cheaper to generate at relative lower voltage and the step up to transmission to reduce
transmissions lost. The generated electrical energy leaves the generator and goes to a step-
up transformer where the voltage is raised to transmission voltage. Most of the powers
generating plants are designed to operate at the generation voltage level 16.5 KV and 21 KV.
But for power transmission, the voltage levels 220 KV,400 KV and 765 KV are used.