Fuels and Their Transportation
The steam power plants usually operate on the following three types of fuels :
- Solid fuel as coal
- Liquid fuel as oil
- Gaseous fuel as natural gas
In India, most of the thermal power plants are coal based due to its availability in abundance. A power plant engineer is faced with the problem of supply, storage and handling of the these fuels for a large capacity power plant.
A major amount of operating cost of a thermal power station involves the cost of fuel handling system. The cost of handling of fuel largely depends on the location of plant, storage of fuel and the rate at which the fuel is burnt.
Coal Transportation :
A large amount of coal per day is needed for a large capacity power plant. This coal needs to be transported from coal mines to the site of power station. Various methods of cod transportation are :
- By sea or river
- By rail
- By road
- By pipe line
If a power plant is situated near the sea shore, it is economical to transport the coal by ship. It is then unloaded mechanically through cranes or it is directly sent by conveyer system to storage yard. However, transportation of coal by river in India is not available.
In case the power stations are situated away from mines, the coal is transported by unit rail upto the nearest station or directly upto the storage yard by laying a small rail line from nearest railway station upto the site.
Otherwise the coal is transported by road from nearest station to storage yard.
Road transportation is only used for small capacity power plants.
Coal transportation by pipe line is the most economical and speedy method. The advantages of coal slurry transportation by pipe line are :
- It can supply coal continuously and economically over large distances .
- High degree of reliability.
- Labour requirement is low.
- Loss of coal by theft and pilferage during transportation is totally avoided.
- It provides simplicity in installation and increased safety in operation.
- Noise and dust problem is considerably reduced.