How is the electricity generated in a coal-fired power plant?

Answer 1

Coal is made from dead plants.
In the United States a little about 50%. See http://www.eia.doe.gov for more details.
Simplest version:

Burn the coal, which generates heat. Use the heat to boil water. The steam from the boiling water forces blades on a generator fan to turn, which turns the generator. Electrical current is then produced. This is a gross oversimplification, but you get the point.


More detailed version:

1. A machine called a pulverizer grinds the coal into a fine powder.
2. The coal powder mixes with hot air, which helps the coal burn more efficiently, and the mixture moves to the furnace.
3. The burning coal heats water in a boiler, creating steam.
4. Steam released from the boiler powers an engine called a turbine, transforming heat energy from burning coal into mechanical energy that spins the turbine engine.
5. The spinning turbine is used to power a generator, a machine that turns mechanical energy into electric energy. This happens when magnets inside a copper coil in the generator spin.
6. A condenser cools the steam moving through the turbine. As the steam is condensed, it turns back into water.
7. The water returns to the boiler, and the cycle begins again

Coal is burnt and heats water. Water vapor makes a turbine move and generates electricity. When the coal is burnt, poisonous gases are diffused but has no entry in making electricity and pollutes the air.
A coal-fired power station, burns coal to heat water so that it turns into steam. The steam is used to turn turbines. The turbines spin generators which generates electricity. A generator operates by moving coils of wire in a magnetic field, as the wires move, electricity is generated within the wires.
Traditionally, coal is burned to produced heat, gasses, and solid waste. The heat is used to boil water. The steam produced turns a turbine which turns a generator. The generator produces electricity. That technique has an efficiency of 40%. China claims it has developed a technique with 60% efficiency. It will be interesting to find out what it is. China has also claimed that it has discovered an inexpensive way to remove Carbon Dioxide from coal fired electric plants. If so, that is a fantastic break through.
burning coal is used to boil water. The steam the pushes turbine blades, turning the turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator which produces electricity.
-- Coal is burned in air, releasing heat.

-- The heat is used to boil water.

-- The steam is directed through turbine vanes.

-- The turbine spins an electrical generator.

Answer 2

in your question itself you have said that coal-fired yes electricity is generated by burning coal a large amount of heat is generated as a result. this heat energy is used to heat water inside the boiler tubes. the water is converted to dry saturated steam at this state the temperature is about 540 degree celcius and pressure about 140 kg/sq.cm. this steam is made to expand in a turbine whose shaft is coupled to a generator. when turbine blade rotates due to steam the generator armature also rotates resulting in generation of electricity. simply the heat energy produced by burning coal to heat steam is converted into mechanical energy in steam turbine and then into electrical energy by the generator.....

Answer 3

1 tonne of coal generates 2,460 Kilowatt hours of electricity.

Answer 4

Coal is one of the fossil fuels burned to fire up steam turbines which in turn power massive generators which create the electrical energy.

Answer 5

-- Coal is burned in air, releasing heat.

-- The heat is used to boil water.

-- The steam is directed through turbine vanes.

-- The turbine spins an electrical generator.