Q1.
Write a note on Energy Crisis in India
Ans: 1. Meaning of Energy Crisis: Energy crisis means shortage of energy resources like
coal, petroleum, natural gas and electricity compared to the increasing demand.
2. Rapid Population Growth: Increasing population in India leads to higher demand
for electricity, fuel and transportation energy.
3. Industrialization and Urbanization: Rapid industrial growth and development of
cities increases energy consumption in industries, buildings and transport sector.
4. Dependence on Fossil Fuels: India heavily depends on coal, petroleum and
natural gas for energy production, which are limited and non-renewable.
5. Import Dependency: Large amount of crude oil is imported, which creates
economic pressure and energy insecurity.
6. Inefficient Energy Use: Old technology, poor energy management and wastage of
electricity lead to inefficient use of available energy resources.
7. Electricity Shortage and Power Cuts: Many regions experience power shortages
and load shedding due to demand being higher than generation.
8. Environmental Issues: Excessive use of fossil fuels causes air pollution and
climate change, creating environmental problems.
9. Need for Renewable Energy: Development of solar, wind, biomass and hydro
energy is necessary to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
10. Energy Conservation: Efficient energy use, energy saving technologies and
awareness can help reduce the energy crisis.
2. Explain Fluidized bed combustion system with neat sketch.
Ans: 1. Definition: Fluidized Bed Combustion is a combustion process in which solid fuel is
burned in a bed of inert particles (sand/ash) that behave like a fluid when air is passed
upward through the bed.
2. Main Parts (as shown in figure):
1. Air inlet / Air distributor – supplies air from the bottom of the combustion chamber.
2. Bed of fuel and inert material – mixture of coal and sand/ash particles where combustion takes
place.
3. Heat absorbing tubes – water tubes placed inside the bed to absorb heat.
4. Water inlet – water flows through tubes and gets converted into steam.
5. Steam outlet – steam generated in tubes is collected and sent to the turbine/boiler system.
6. Ash overflow outlet – removes ash particles from the bed.
3. Working Principle:
1. Air is supplied from the bottom of the chamber through the air distributor.
2. The air velocity causes fuel and inert particles to suspend and behave like a fluid (fluidization).
3. Coal or solid fuel is fed into the bed where it mixes uniformly with hot particles.
4. Combustion occurs at about 800–900°C.
5. Heat produced is transferred to water flowing in heat absorbing tubes.
6. Water converts into steam which exits through the steam outlet.
7. Ash formed during combustion is removed through ash overflow.
4. Advantages
• High combustion efficiency
• Low emission of pollutants (SO₂ and NOx)
• Ability to burn low grade fuels
• Uniform temperature distribution
5. Disadvantages
• High initial cost
• Erosion of tubes due to solid particles
3. Explain Lamont Boiler with neat sketch
Ans: 1. Definition
• Lamont boiler is a high-pressure, water tube boiler with forced circulation of
water.
• Water circulation is maintained by a centrifugal pump instead of natural
circulation.
2. Main Components
1. Feed Pump – supplies water to the boiler system.
2. Economizer – preheats feed water using exhaust gases.
3. Evaporator Tubes
o Radiant evaporator (near furnace)
o Convective evaporator (in gas path)
4. Separator Drum – separates steam and water mixture.
5. Circulating Pump – forces water through evaporator tubes.
6. Superheater – converts saturated steam into superheated steam.
7. Air Preheater – heats incoming air using flue gases.
8. Grate/Furnace – where fuel combustion occurs.
9. Exhaust Gas Outlet – releases flue gases to chimney.
3. Working Principle
1. Feed water is pumped through the economizer, where it gets preheated by hot
exhaust gases.
2. Water then enters the separator drum.
3. A circulating pump forces water through the evaporator tubes placed around the
furnace.
4. In the radiant and convective evaporator, water partially converts into a steam-water
mixture.
5. This mixture returns to the separator drum, where steam is separated from water.
6. Separated steam passes through the superheater and becomes superheated
steam.
7. The superheated steam is supplied to the turbine for power generation.
8. Remaining water again circulates through the evaporator tubes by the pump.
4. Advantages
• High rate of steam generation
• Suitable for high pressure operation
• Compact size and high efficiency
• Better heat transfer due to forced circulation
5. Disadvantages
• Requires circulating pump (extra power)
• Higher maintenance cost
• Complex construction
6. Applications
• Used in power plants and industrial boilers where high pressure steam is required.
4. Write a note on Energy Policy of India.
Ans: 1. Definition: Energy Policy is the plan or strategy adopted by the
Government to manage challenges related to energy production, distribution and
consumption.
• It aims to ensure efficient energy use, economic growth and reduction of carbon
emissions.
• In India, the energy policy focuses on energy security, affordability and
sustainability.
2. Key Aspects of Energy Policy
Energy policy mainly focuses on:
• Economic growth through reliable energy supply.
• Energy affordability for industries and households.
• Security of energy supply to avoid shortages.
• Environmental sustainability by reducing pollution and carbon emissions.
3. Objectives of Energy Policy
1. Development of national energy resources such as coal, hydro, solar and wind.
2. Efficient energy delivery system through improved infrastructure and technology.
3. Optimal utilization of energy resources to reduce wastage.
4. Promotion of renewable energy sources like solar, wind and biomass.
5. Maintaining balance between energy demand and supply.
4. Importance
• Ensures energy security for the country.
• Supports industrial and economic development.
• Encourages clean and sustainable energy technologies.
• Reduces dependence on imported fuels.
5. What do you mean by high pressure boilers?
Ans: High pressure boilers are boilers that produce steam at pressure greater than
about 80 bar for power generation and industrial use.
Points:
1. Operate at very high steam pressure (above 80 bar).
2. Used for large power plants and electricity generation.
3. Mostly water tube type boilers.
4. Provide high efficiency and high steam generation rate.
5. Require forced circulation of water in many designs.
6. Produce superheated steam for turbines.
7. Examples include Lamont Boiler, Benson Boiler, and Loeffler Boiler.
8. Used where high power output and better thermal efficiency are required.
Q. 6. Discuss the construction and working of Benson boiler with neat sketch.
Ans: Working:
The fuel is burnt on the grate and the hot flue gases flow over radiant evaporator,
convection super heater, convection evaporator, economizer and air preheater and
then pass through chimney. The feed water is pumped through the economizer tubes
and receives heat from the flue gases. Then this heated water flows into the radiant
super heater where it receives further heat from the flue gases and gets evaporated. The
remaining water is evaporated in the convection super heater. The steam now becomes
saturated steam in the convection super heater. Then the steam is delivered out
through the stop valve.
The water is passed to the radiant evaporator through the economizer. In the economizer,
the major amount of water is converted into steam. The remaining water is evaporated in
the final evaporator absorbing the heat from the hot gases by convection. The main
disadvantage is salt deposition in this system in the transformation zone when all
remaining water is converted into steam. To avoid this, for every 4000 hrs, after working
periods, the boiler is cleaned by high pressure water. The maximum pressure obtained from
Benson boiler is 500 atm.
Advantages:
1. In this system, there is no drum. So the total weight of the Benson boiler is reduced
by 20%, when compared to other boilers.
2. The erection of this boiler is easier and quicker.
3. Transformation is easy.
4. It occupies very less space.
5. It can be started very quickly, since it has welded joints.
6. It is an economical one.
7. Sudden fall of demand creates circulation problems due to bubble formation in the
natural circulation boiler which never occurs in Benson boiler.
8. Around only 4% of blow down losses are occurred in Benson boiler.
9. There is no explosion hazards.
Q. 7. Explain in brief site selection criteria for thermal power plants. State the types of
coal based on carbon content with suitability on thermal power plant.
To select a suitable site for the construction of a thermal power plant proper selection of
the site has
to be made. The site is selected based on the following criteria.
1- Availability of fuel : • Coal is used as a fuel in thermal power plants.
• Thermal power plants use a bulk amount of coal per annum. For example, a 100MW plant
uses
1200-1500 tonnes of coal per day. Thereby leading to a huge amount of coal per year.
• Therefore to reduce the transportation cost of the fuel it is always recommended to
choose a
site near to coal mine.
• In case the site is far from the coal mine, a sufficient amount of coal has to be stored in
the plant. Also, the plant has to be connected to the railway for fuel transport.
2- Availability of water : • In a thermal power plant, water is the main substance that is
used as a working fuel.
• The water is used as feed water to make up for the loss due to evaporation and
condensation.
Water is also used in condensers, cooling towers, and also for ash disposal.
• Hence the plant have to be located near water source such as river or lake to maintain the
supply of water throughout the year.
• Also, the source of water should be as clean as possible to reduce the cost of the water
treatment plant.
3- Ash disposal facility : • The main byproduct of the thermal power plant is ash.
• The problem of ash handling is always greater than coal handling as they cause
environmental
pollution and are injurious to lives.
• Burning of the coal produces a large amount of ash depending on the quality of the coal.
• Therefore the site for the power plant should be selected for convenient ash disposal.
• If the plant is near to the coal mine, they are dumped into the unused mine.
• Ash produced is also used in some industries and brick-making for construction.
4- Availability of Land : • Thermal power plants require a large area of land for
construction and also for staff colony, coal
storage, ash disposal, etc…
• Land at a reasonable price should be considered as it gets added up with the final cost of
the
power plant.
• The size of the land should be such that it should have extra space for future expansion.
• The nature of the land should be such that it should be able to withstand the heavy
machinery
load and also the force transmitted to the foundation of the plant while operation.
5- Load center : • The distance of the plant from the load center should be kept as
minimum as possible.
• Thereby reducing the transportation cost and transmission losses.
6- Transportation : • The location of the power plant should choose for convenient
transportation of the labor, fuel,
and machinery.
• Hence the plant should be connected to the rail or road to facilitate efficient and
adequate
transportation.
7- Distance from the populated area : • The site should be located far away from a
densely populated area.
• This is done to reduce the impact caused by the smoke, fly ash, and heat discharged from
on
the plant.
Q. 8. Coal Handling System in details
Ans: Coal delivery equipment is one of the major components of plant cost. The various steps involved in
coal handling are as follows:
1. Coal delivery. 2. Unloading 3. Preparation 4. Transfer 5. Outdoor storage
6. Covered storage 7. In plant handling 8. Weighing and measuring
9. Feeding the coal into furnace.
i) Coal delivery: The coal from supply points is delivered by ships or boats to power stations situated near to
sea or river whereas coal is supplied by rail or trucks to the power stations which are situated away from sea
or river. The transportation of coal by trucks is used if the railway facilities are not available.
ii) Unloading: The type of equipment to be used for unloading the coal received at the power station depends
on how coal is received at the power station. If coal delivered by trucks, there is no need of unloading device
as the trucks may dump the coal to the outdoor storage. Coal is easily handled if the lift trucks with scoop are
used. In case the coal is brought by railways wagons, ships or boats, the unloading may be done by car
shakes, rotary car dumpers, cranes, grab buckets and coal accelerators. Rotary car dumpers although costly
are quite efficient for unloading closed wagons.
(iii) Preparation: When the coal delivered is in the form of big lumps and it is not of proper size, the
preparation (sizing) of coal can be achieved by crushers, breakers, sizers, driers and magnetic separators.
iv)Transfer: After preparation coal is transferred to the dead storage by means of the following systems.
[Link] conveyors 2. Screw conveyors [Link] elevators [Link] bucket elevators
[Link] hoists [Link] conveyor
Unit 2 1. What are types of Ash handling systems? Elaborate all ash handling with
simple diagram.
Ans: Ash handling system is used in thermal power plants to collect, transport and dispose
ash produced during coal combustion.
Types of Ash Handling Systems
1. Hydraulic Ash Handling System
2. Mechanical Ash Handling System
3. Pneumatic Ash Handling System
4. Steam Jet Ash Handling System
1. Hydraulic Ash Handling System
Working:
• In this system, water is used to carry ash from the furnace to the disposal area.
• Ash from the furnace falls into a water trough.
• Water flow converts ash into slurry.
• The slurry is transported through pipes to the ash pond.
Simple Diagram
Advantages
• Simple operation
• Low maintenance
Disadvantages
• Large water requirement
• Possibility of corrosion in pipelines
2. Mechanical Ash Handling System
Working:
• Uses mechanical equipment such as belt conveyors, bucket elevators or screw
conveyors.
• Ash from the furnace is collected and mechanically transported to storage or
disposal area.
Simple Diagram
Advantages
• Less water required
• Suitable for short distances
Disadvantages
• More mechanical wear and maintenance
3. Pneumatic Ash Handling System
Working:
• Uses high pressure air to carry ash through pipelines.
• Ash is collected in a hopper and air pushes it through pipes to a storage silo.
Simple Diagram
Furnace
↓
Ash Hopper
↓
Air Compressor → Pipeline → Ash Silo
Advantages
• Clean operation
• Suitable for long distance transport
Disadvantages
• High power consumption
4. Steam Jet Ash Handling System
Working:
• High velocity steam jets are used to remove ash from the furnace.
• Steam carries ash to a collection tank where ash settles.
Simple Diagram
Furnace
↓
Ash Hopper
↓
Steam Jet
↓
Ash Tank / Disposal
Advantages
• Simple system
• No moving mechanical parts
Disadvantages
• Steam consumption is high
Q. 2. What function of following main components of closed type cooling system?
1. Air Pump: Air pump is used to remove air and non-condensable gases from the
condenser to maintain proper vacuum and improve heat transfer.
2. Hot Well: Hot well is a tank located at the bottom of the condenser used to collect
condensed steam (condensate) before it is pumped back to the boiler.
3. Cooling Tower: Cooling tower is used to cool the hot circulating water from the
condenser by contact with air so that the water can be reused in the cooling system.
4. Make-up Water Pump: Make-up water pump is used to supply additional fresh water to
the system to compensate for water losses due to evaporation and leakage.
Q 3. Write a note on carbon credits and footprints.
1. Carbon Credit : A carbon credit is a permit that allows the emission of a certain
amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.
• One carbon credit = permission to emit 1 ton of CO₂.
• It is used to control pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Organizations that reduce emissions can sell carbon credits to others.
• Carbon credits support global climate agreements like the Kyoto Protocol.
2. Carbon Footprint: A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases
released into the atmosphere due to human activities.
• It is usually measured in tons of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e).
• Major sources include transportation, electricity generation, industries, and fuel
consumption.
• Reducing energy use, using renewable energy, and improving efficiency helps
reduce carbon footprint.
3. Importance: Helps in controlling global warming.
• Encourages environmentally friendly technologies.
• Promotes sustainable development and energy conservation.
Q 4. Write note on-single and double deck cooling pond.
Cooling ponds are large water reservoirs used in power plants to remove heat from
circulating water before it is reused.
1. Single Deck Cooling Pond
• Definition: A pond with only one water surface used for heat dissipation.
• Working:
o Hot water from the condenser enters the pond.
o Heat is lost to the atmosphere through evaporation, radiation, and
convection.
o Cooled water is collected at the outlet and pumped back to the condenser.
• Advantages:
o Simple construction
o Low maintenance
• Disadvantages:
o Requires large land area for efficient cooling
o Less effective in high ambient temperature
Simple Diagram:
Hot Water Inlet → [Single Deck Pond] → Cooled Water Outlet
2. Double Deck Cooling Pond
• Definition: A pond with two water layers (decks) separated by partitions or
platforms.
• Working:
o Hot water flows into the upper deck, partially cooled.
o Water then flows into the lower deck, achieving further cooling.
o Cooled water is returned to the condenser.
• Advantages:
o More effective cooling in the same land area
o Can handle higher heat load
• Disadvantages:
o More complex construction
o Slightly higher maintenance cost
Simple Diagram:
Hot Water Inlet → [Upper Deck] → [Lower Deck] → Cooled Water Outlet
Q 5. What do you mean by ESP? Discuss the working principle and function of the same
with simple diagram.
1. Definition
• ESP is a device used in thermal power plants and industries to remove dust
particles or fly ash from flue gases using electrostatic forces.
• Helps in reducing air pollution and meeting environmental standards.
2. Working Principle
1. Flue gas containing dust/fly ash enters the ESP through the inlet.
2. The ESP has high-voltage electrodes that ionize the gas, giving dust particles a
negative or positive charge.
3. Charged dust particles are attracted to oppositely charged collecting plates.
4. Dust accumulates on the plates while clean gas passes out through the outlet.
5. Dust is periodically removed by rapping or vibration and collected in a hopper.
Key Principle: Electrostatic attraction of charged particles removes dust from gas.
3. Functions
1. Removes fly ash and dust particles from flue gases.
2. Reduces air pollution from thermal power plants.
3. Ensures cleaner emissions meeting environmental standards.
4. Protects downstream equipment like chimneys, fans, and ducts from dust
deposition.
4. Simple Diagram of ESP