non renewable energy

Coal Production for Electricity

  • Transportation to Power Plant

    • Coal is carried from the mine to the power plant using special trains.

  • Crushing Coal

    • At the power plant, coal is crushed into a very fine powder.

  • Mixing with Air

    • The fine, powdered coal is mixed with a stream of rushing air and blown into the boiler.

    • The mixture of fine coal and air burns easily and produces a significant amount of heat.

  • Heating Water

    • Water flowing through pipes inside the boiler is heated and turned into steam.

  • Driving Steam Turbine

    • The steam is used to drive a steam turbine, which consists of hundreds of slanted blades.

    • When the jet of steam hits the blades, the turbine spins very quickly.

  • Generating Electricity

    • The spinning steam turbine is connected to an electrical generator.

    • As the generator turns, electricity is produced.

  • Transmission of Electricity

    • The electricity is carried away on transmission lines to where it is needed.

  • Cooling Steam

    • Once the steam has done its job in the turbine, it is cooled in a condenser until it turns back into water and returns to the boiler.

    • This starts the cycle all over again.

Formation of Coal

  • Origin

    • Coal originates from the remains of trees and ferns from ancient swampy jungles on Earth.

    • When these plants died, they fell into swamps and were covered by layers of mud and sand.

    • Over time, these layers turned into sedimentary rock, and heat and pressure converted the remains into coal.

  • Types of Coal

    • Anthracite: Highest grade, hard, and shiny black.

    • Bituminous: Softer, dull black.

    • Lignite: Lowest grade, soft and dark brown.

  • Non-Renewable Resource

    • Coal is a non-renewable source of energy and was the first fossil fuel used extensively by humans.

    • Around 1900, coal provided about 90% of the total energy used worldwide.

  • Disadvantages of Coal

    • Dangerous working conditions in coal mines.

    • Environmental damage from mining.

    • Coal transportation is dirty and heavy.

    • Burning coal contributes to air pollution, smog, and acid rain.

  • Uses of Coal

    • Coal is used to produce many products, including soaps, batteries, and medicines.

    • Greater utilization of coal is expected in the future due to its abundant reserves compared to oil and natural gas.

Energy from Natural Gas

  • Formation

    • Natural gas comes from remains of plants and animals that lived in ancient shallow seas, undergoing similar transformation as oil.

    • Methane remains trapped under layers of rock until extracted by drilling.

  • Historical Significance

    • Natural gas was revered in ancient cultures, such as fire worshippers in the Middle East.

  • Extraction and Processing

    • Natural gas is cleaned at processing plants before being transported via pipelines.

    • A special smell is added for leak detection.

  • Usage

    • Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel and is used for heating, cooking, and generating electricity.

    • Widely used in many industries due to its hot, clean flame.

  • Non-Renewable Resource

    • Natural gas is also a non-renewable energy source with ongoing exploration worldwide.

Crude Oil

  • Formation

    • Crude oil is formed from the remains of ancient marine life, trapped under sedimentary rock.

  • Historical Discoveries

    • In the 1800s, kerosene and lubricants were derived from crude oil, leading to increased demand.

  • Refining Process

    • Oil refining produces various fuels (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel) and petrochemicals (plastics, paint).

  • Dependence on Oil

    • Oil accounts for about 50% of the world's energy but is non-renewable and supplies are dwindling.

  • Environmental Concerns

    • Pollution from oil use and transport can lead to harmful spills and significant environmental damage.

Nuclear Energy

  • Definition

    • Nuclear energy is the energy contained within atoms, specifically through nuclear fission of uranium in reactors.

  • Process

    • Uranium atoms split to generate heat, which boils water to produce steam to turn a turbine for electricity generation.

  • Safety Concerns

    • Power plants must ensure safety to prevent radiation leaks and manage radioactive waste, which remains hazardous for centuries.

  • Advantages

    • Does not rely on fossil fuels and does not produce air pollutants like carbon dioxide or acid rain.

  • Disadvantages

    • It is a non-renewable resource, produces radioactive waste, and poses public opposition and high construction costs for plants.

Recap of Fossil Fuels Formation

  • Swampy Landscape

    • Millions of years ago, the earth had a swampy landscape where plants thrived on solar energy.

  • Process of Coal Formation

    • When plants died, their energy was trapped, and layers of rock and dirt converted them into coal through heat and pressure.

  • Mining

    • Miners access coal as a fossil fuel to supply energy to homes and schools.

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Recap of Fossil Fuels Formation

  • Swampy Landscape: Fossil fuels began as solar energy captured in ancient plant life.

  • Process of Coal Formation: Heat and pressure converted buried organic material into coal.

  • Mining: Miners extract coal as a key fossil fuel for energy supply.