What is steam?
Steam is what water becomes when it's heated to boiling and begins to turn into a gas.
Steam is the
hot
mist that forms when water boils. Steam
vehicles
and
machines
are
operated using steam as a
means
of power.
In an electric power plant the heat converts water into high-pressure steam - the invention
of the steam engine.
What is a steam power plant?
It is the power plant which is used to generate electricity by the use steam turbine. The
major components of this power plant are
boiler
, steam turbine,
condenser
and water feed
pump.
The steam power plant is the important source to produce the electricity. The major
portion of electricity demand is fulfilled by the steam power plant. It is also called as
thermal power plant. It provides the electricity requirement to different areas. In this
article we will study about the construction, working, efficiency, advantages and
disadvantages of steam power plant.
Site Selection
The site selection of steam power plant depends upon various factors. Let’s discuss about
these factors one by one
Cost of the land: The cost of the land which is selected for the installation should be
minimum or economical.
Population density of the land: The distance of the steam power plant from the public
area should be at appropriate distance. So that in case of any failure or hazard happen in
the plant, the population of the area near to the power plant should not be affected.
Availability of water sources: There should be a plenty of water sources in the selected
area. Since the power plant requires a large amount of water for the generation of steam.
Availability of fuel: The availability of required fuel (coal) should be there because
without fuel the plant will not work.
Type of land: The land which is selected for the power plant installation should be plain
enough and it is suitable for the strong foundation for the various machinery of the plant.
Scope for the future demand: The size of the land should be such that it is capable for the
handling of future power demand.
Availability of Ash handling facility: Proper ash handling facility should be available near
the power plant to minimize the adverse effect of the ash produced in the steam power
plant
Availability of transportation facility: The transportation facility is must in the installation
for the power plant, because any material cannot be transported to the power plant form
1
its required location in lack of transport. There should be easy availability of proper
transportation facility at the selected site.
Construction or Layout of Steam Power Plant
There are so many components present in the steam power plant which performs their
specialized function for the efficient working. The various component of the steam power plant
are:
Coal Storage
: It is the place where coal is stored which can be utilized when required.
