Coal (Pros and Cons of an energy source)

Pros of Using Coal:

* Broad and easily distributed throughout the world

* The relatively low cost because of large reserves and simple Accessibility

* Very large amounts of electricity can be produced in one place using coal, fairly cheaply.

Cons of coal Energy

* Coal mining is non-renewable and rapidly depleting the ozone layer

* coal production pollutes the environment

* It can not be reused.

* Burning produces carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming.

and one day coal will run out, and new sources of energy must be used, such as nuclear power plants

Coal (Pros and Cons as

an energy source)

Surface Mining

By: Josh Curtis

In surface mining, giant machines remove the top soil known as "overburden" to expose the coal seam. Once the mining is finished, the dirt and rock are returned to the pit, the topsoil is replaced.

Non benifits:

Coal production requires large amounts of water, which affects the habitats of both aquatic and land-based wildlife. Water that comes into contact with coal during extraction, cleaning, storage or energy production collects heavy metals like lead. This polluted water can contaminate groundwater and nearby surface water sources.

Underground Mining

To remove coal in these underground mines, miners ride elevators down deep mine shafts where they run machines that dig out the coal.

Fossil Fuels

Coal, Oil, and natural gasses are all

Fossil Fuels. All Three of these Fossil Fuels are used to generate electricity. they are all mined and turned into electricity.

Coal miners use two methods: surface and underground mining. Most mining done in the U.S. is surface mining because it is a lot cheaper than underground mining. Surface mining can be used when the coal is buried less than 200 feet underground. Underground mining, sometimes called deep mining, is used when the coal is buried several hundred feet below the surface. Some underground mines are 1,000 feet deep. lucky for the us most of the coal beds in the U.S. are less than 200 feet.

Processing the coal:

After coal comes out of the ground, it usually goes on a conveyor belt to a preparation plant that is located at the mining site. The plant cleans and processes coal to remove other rocks, dirt and unwanted materials.

Transporting the coal:

After coal is mined and processed, it is ready to be shipped to market. Coal is transported by train, barge, ship, truck, and even pipeline.

Processing and

Transporting coal.

Benefits of Coal Energy:

The U.S. contains one-quarter of the world's coal reserves, which could provide more energy potential than all the known oil reserves. More than half of the nation's energy comes from coal. This domestic energy source reduces the U.S.'s reliance on foreign fuel sources and provides jobs to Americans.

In a coal-fired steam station—much like a nuclear station—water is turned into steam, which in turn drives turbine generators to produce electricity. Here’s how the process works.

1. Heat is created

Before the coal is burned, it is then made into a powder. It is then mixed with hot air and blown into the firebox of the boiler. Burning in suspension, the coal/air mixture provides the most complete combustion and maximum heat possible.

2. Water turns to steam

Highly purified water, pumped through pipes inside the boiler, is turned into steam by the heat. The steam reaches temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and pressures up to 3,500 pounds per square inch, and is piped to the turbine.

3. Steam turns the turbine

The enormous pressure of the steam pushing against a series of giant turbine blades turns the turbine shaft. The turbine shaft is connected to the shaft of the generator, where magnets spin within wire coils to produce electricity.

4. Steam turns back into water

After doing its work in the turbine, the steam is drawn into a condenser, a large chamber in the basement of the power plant. In this important step, millions of gallons of cool water from a nearby source (such as a river or lake) are pumped through a network of tubes running through the condenser. The cool water in the tubes converts the steam back into water that can be used over and over again in the plant.