power plants

In a coal fired plant, the coal is carried to a metering device calle a coal feeder by a conveyor system. The coal drops down through a pipe, which is usally called a down comer, of all things, and lands in one of a variety of really big machines called pulverizers. The ground coal is picked up by a stream of preheated air, which carries it to the boiler. Now, the coal is burned inside the boiler, which contains a maze of water and steam lines. High pressure steam is ducted to the turbine, causing it to drive the generator.

In practice one power plant unit usually contains a relatively small high pressure turbine/generator set, and a much larger low pressure turbine/generator set, which uses the lower temperature and pressure steam after it has passed through the high pressure turbine.

The electricity comes out as three phase AC, usually at 19,000 volts phase to phase, and passed through step up transformers and a switchyard before getting onto the grid.

Hi iceman - http://science.howstuffworks.com is a good website for such explanations.

Here's their explanation for hydropower plants:

http://people.howstuffworks.com/hydropower-plant.htm

I saw nuclear power listed too - don't know what type you were thinking of.

I work in a U.S. Navy submarine as a nuclear power plant engineer, ask whatever you'd like

Wow, Am i a Space Captain. I thought you meant Power Plants. Living Plants that tell you things and give ideas when you ask.Plants that Carlos casteneda spoke of when dealing with Don Juan.The Iris Oil collected by Gaia worshippers on Crete 2000 B.C. Ask your son if he too would like to know about the first power plant. The Flower.

Re:Flower Power

Heres some Power Plants that spoke out to me . Think to the flowers and the flowers will send you dreams.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/50724390/50745316RBUCMS

Turbine & Generator Room, N.S.P. steam plant, Fargo, N.D. 1928



Water power plant of Mankala



Power Plant Switchyard Transformers

About 150 years ago scientists started to figure out the relationship between electricity and magnetism. What they learned is that electric fields and magnetic fields are two sides of the same coin - they are inverses of each other. In practical terms - if you spin a magnet, you generate electricity ( that is- a generator). If you do the reverse - you can produce rotating motion (a motor).

To generate electricity you need heat. This usually comes by burning natural gas or coal, but can also come from focusing the sun's rays (there's a demonstration plant in California that does this), geothermal power (the deeper you go underground the hotter it gets) or by splitting U235. With the heat you turn BFW (boiler feed water) into steam. The steam turns a turbine, which is connected to the generator.

so what is the purpose of the cooling towers in a power plant? as far as i know the shape has some effect but i cant remember what?