Coal Energy Presentation Christian Ornelas

What is Coal? Coal is a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits and widely used as fuel.

Types of Coal Lignite: Coal with low organic maturity. Color can be from dark black to brown. Used mainly for power generation. Makes up 17% of World Reserves. Sub Bituminous: Over time, temperature and pressure change the lignite, increasing its organic maturity. Used in power generation, cement manufacturing, and industrial use. Makes up 30% of World Reserves. Bituminous: As time goes on, with added temp and pressure, the sub bituminous coal undergoes physical and chemical changes, and gets blacker and harder. It can be used in power generation, cement manufacturing, industrial use, and manufacturing iron and steel. Makes up 52% of World Reserves. Anthracite: is made when bituminous coal undergoes more organic maturity. Mainly used for smokeless fuel. Makes up 1% of World Reserves.

Bituminous Sub Bituminous Lignite Anthracite

Sources of Coal It has been estimated that there are over 861 billion tons of coal reserves in the world, which could last us 112 more years at the current rate. The biggest coal reserves are in the USA, Russia, China, and India. Coal exists underground in formations call “coal beds” http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/where-is-coal-found/

Coal Extraction: Underground Mining Room and pillar mining: coal deposits are mined by cutting 'rooms' into the coal seam and leaving behind 'pillars' of coal to support the roof of the mine. Some of the coal is left behind, but the rest is carried out on conveyor belts

What is needed to extract coal? Motor Scraper Drag Lines Bucketwheel Excavator conveyors

Coal Extraction: Surface/Strip mining Usually only used when coal seams are near the surface This method is able to recover more coal Top soil and rocks are first broken up with explosives Once the coal seam is visible, it is drilled, fractured, and mined in strips This method uses heavy machinery

Uses of Coal Electricity Generation steam/thermal coal Steel Production metallurgic/coking coal Cement Manufacturing used as energy source Liquid Fuel dissolved in solvent at high temps with pressure

How is Coal refined? Coal is washed in water or a chemical bath, this gets rid of some impurities. It is then pulverized into a heavy powder just before being burned.

How is coal turned into electricity? Coal is made into a fine powder Burned in a Boiler The heat and gases are then used to turn water into steam Steam is pushed into a turbine, causing propellers to spin Generator gets the electricity that the turbine produces Steam is condensed and reused http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/coal-electricity/

How is coal used in steel production? Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon Coking cole is turned into coke, leaving almost pure carbon Coal is heated in coking ovens for 12-36 hours To make Steel, coke, iron ore, and other minerals that collect impurities are put in a blast furnace and the coke reacts with the iron ore and melts it Then the molten iron and the impurities are drained off Then go to a basic oxygen furnace where the iron is combined with steel scraps. 99% pure oxygen is blown in, causing the temperature rise. The scrap melts, impurities are oxidized, and the carbon content is reduced by 90%, resulting in liquid steel http://www.worldcoal.org/media/jpg/585/1519045_2_steel_page_steel_production_diagram.jpg

Average Sale Price of Coal in the U.S. Coal prices are usually always lower than gas and oil 1 Short ton = 2,000 pounds Average bituminous coal price: $66.04/short ton Average sub bituminous coal price: $15.34/short ton Average Lignite coal price: $19.60/short ton Average Anthracite coal price: $80.21/short ton

Ecological Problem: Kingston Fossil Plant Coal Ash Spill A failure at Kingston Fossil Plant let 5.4 million cubic yards spill into rivers and over 300 acres of land. December 22, 2008 It was the largest coal ash spill in history Damaged 12 homes and hundreds of properties Testing of river water near the spill showed elevated levels of lead and thallium, which can cause birth defects and nervous and reproductive system disorders Killed hundreds of fish and other wild life in the region

Disadvantages of Coal Non-Renewable Soil Erosion, dust, noise, and water pollution. Air Pollution Decrease in local biodiversity. Burning coal can emit carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphuric acids, arsenic, and ash which are all harmful. Large scale coal burning can lead to acid rain in some places. Can potentially cause health problems for employees

Advantages of Coal More abundant than oil and natural gas Cheaper than other energy sources Can be safely stored transporting coal is easy reliable energy is produced from coal coal is versatile burning coal can profuse useful by-products

U.S. Consumption In 2013, The US consumed about 900 million short tons of coal, while it only produced about 1000 millions short tons Since 1950, coal consumption in the United States has increased by almost 500 million short tons The United States has enough recoverable coal reserves to last at least another 250 years http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/topics/encyclopedia/coal/

Global Coal Consumption (2013) Unit: MT (Megaton) refers to 1 million tons China consumed 3,588 MT of coal U.S. consumed 845 MT of coal India consumed 828 MT of coal Germany consumed 252 MT of coal Russia consumed 211 MT of coal Japan consumed 186 MT of coal South Africa consumed182 MT of coal Poland consumed 137 MT of coal Australia consumed 135 MT of coal South Korea consumed 127 MT of coal Top 10 coal consuming countries in order

sources http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/http:// www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/coal-electricity/ http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/coal-to-liquids/ http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/coal-steel/ http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses-of-coal/coal-cement/ http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/what-is-coal/ http://www.worldcoal.org/coal-the-environment/ http://fossil-fuel.co.uk/coal/the-disadvantages-of-coal http://fossil-fuel.co.uk/coal/advantages-of-coal https://yearbook.enerdata.net/coal-and-lignite-world-consumption.html http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/coal-mining/