At about 3,000 degrees, a ton of coal can produce 3*10^10Joulesof thermal energy after combustion. Depending on the efficiency, 60% of thermal energy is typically lost, meaning it is actually 40% converted. Calculated, the electricity that can be generated by one ton of coal reaches 3,250 kWh.
You can also calculate electricity production by weight. Still based on standard coal, a thermal power plant needs approximately 350 g of coal to produce 1 kilowatt hour of electricity. The quality of thermal generator equipment can gradually reduce energy consumption per kilowatt hour. Calculated this way, a ton of coal can generate around 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity.
The process of turning coal into electricity
First, the coal is burned in a boiler to produce a flame. The flamecarries a large amount of heat and. heats water to form high-pressure steam, which burns the fuel. Chemical energy is converted into thermal energy; high pressure steam forms energy, rotates the steam turbine at high speed, and converts thermal energy into mechanical energy.
The steam turbine then turns the generator, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. The voltage generated by the generator is 22 kV, which is then increased to around 500 kV via a step-up transformer, and finally transmitted to thousands of homes via transmission lines.
We have five major power generation groups in China, and all Chinese electricity is supplied by them.
And because China has the most large coal reserves in the world, there is Capacity is sufficient to develop thermal energy. Thus, 98% of these companies depend on energy.thermal energy to produce electricity.
But now we have realized that the more coal is mined, the less there will be, and it will become more and more expensive, so we are actively developing other methods of producing coal. electricity
The second is hydroelectricity, which accounts for around 1.2%. Mainly in the south and southwest, the north lacks water and cannot develop at all.
This is again nuclear energy, which represents around 0.5%. The scale of nuclear energy will gradually expand.
The last one is wind power, about 0.4%, mainly in Xinjiang. There is also a geothermal power plant, 0.1%, in Yangpajing, Tibet.