1. Fuel Extraction:
- Mining (for coal), Drilling (for oil and gas)
2. Fuel Preparation:
- Coal crushing and pulverizing
- Separation and purification of oil and gas components
3. Combustion:
- For coal and natural gas, they are burned in a boiler to produce hot gases.
- For oil, it can be combusted in a boiler or a gas turbine.
4. Steam Generation:
- The heat from combustion turns water in the boiler into high-pressure steam.
5. Steam Turbine:
- The high-pressure steam expands and passes through the blades of a steam turbine, causing it to rotate.
6. Generator:
- The rotating steam turbine's shaft is connected to an electric generator.
- Inside the generator, the rotation of the turbine shaft induces a magnetic field that interacts with stationary conductors to generate electricity.
7. Transmission:
- The electricity is sent through power lines for distribution to consumers.
The efficiency of electricity generation from fossil fuels is typically around 30-40% due to the losses during combustion, steam generation, and transmission. Additionally, fossil fuel-based electricity generation releases greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to environmental impacts.
