1. Oil Storage and Transportation:
- Crude oil is transported to the power plant through pipelines, ships, or railcars.
- It is stored in large storage tanks within the plant.
2. Oil Refining and Preparation:
- Depending on the type of power plant, the oil may undergo refining processes to remove impurities and contaminants.
- The refined or processed oil is then sent to the combustion unit.
3. Combustion:
- The combustion unit, often a boiler or a gas turbine, burns the oil with oxygen in a controlled manner.
- This combustion process generates high-pressure steam and/or hot gases.
4. Heat Recovery and Steam Generation:
- In steam power plants, the hot gases from combustion pass through a heat recovery system, transferring heat to water and converting it into steam.
- The steam is then directed to the turbine.
5. Steam Turbine and Generator:
- In a steam power plant, the high-pressure steam flows through a series of turbine blades, causing them to spin.
- The spinning turbine is connected to a generator, which converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy.
6. Cooling System:
- After passing through the turbine, the steam is cooled and condensed back into water using a cooling system, such as a cooling tower or a condenser.
- The condensed water is then pumped back to the boiler to be reheated and start the cycle again.
7. Electrical Grid:
- The electrical energy generated by the generator is sent to a transformer, which increases the voltage for efficient transmission through power lines.
- The electricity is distributed to consumers through the electrical grid.
8. Emission Control:
- Modern oil power plants incorporate emission control systems to minimize the release of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. These systems include flue gas desulfurization (FGD) to remove sulfur dioxide, selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, and other technologies.
It's important to note that the efficiency and environmental impact of oil-fired power plants can vary based on the type of technology employed, the quality of the oil, and the implementation of emission control systems.
