1

STEAM POWER PLANT

INTRODUCTION
 2
Aim

• To introduce and/or enhance students’ understanding of various

types of conventional and non-conventional power Plants.
• To impart knowledge that will enable students to identify and
understand the basic operation/function of essential components
of such power plants through visual aid.
• To better understand different energy sources, their environmental
impact and value chain.
 Contents 3
• Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………… 4
• Power producers in South Africa (SA)……………………………………………………. 5
• Classification of power plant……………………..……………………………………….. 6-7
• Energy mix in South Africa (SA)……………………………………………………………. 8-12
• Steam (thermal) power plant………………………………………………………………13-17
• Coal-fired power plant………………………………………………………………………18-25
• Boilers/Generators…………………………………………………………………………… 26-30
• Steam turbines………………………………………………………………………………... 31
• Solar energy…………………………………………………………………………………… 32-35
• Wind energy…………………………………………………………………………………… 36-39
• Geothermal energy………………………………………………………………………….. 40-42
• Nuclear energy……………………………………………………………………………… 43-48
• Energy policy on energy…………………………………………………………………….. 49-58
• References……………………………………………………………………………………… 59
 Introduction 4

• A power plant comprises the energy source for initiating power production.
• Multiple energy conversion occurs through various plant components from
the source to the end product (i.e., Chemical-heat-mechanical-electrical
energy).
• The electricity generated from power plants is used in various commercial,
industrial and domestic settings, which are the consumers of such power.
• South Africa, currently has one parastatal power producer, Eskom as a sole
provider.
• The are various power production methods falling under conventional,
non-conventional, small scale and large-scale, as shown slide 6.
 Power Producers in SA 5

ESKOM
• Strategic 100% state-owned electricity utility, strongly supported by the
government. Performed 191 595 household electrification connections
during the 2019 financial year.
As of 31 March 2019:
• 6.2 million direct customers (2017, 5.6 million).
• 30 (including 1 nuclear) operational power stations with a nominal
capacity of 44 172 MW.
• Total sales of 208 319 GWh.
• Approximately 387 633 km of cables and power lines.
Classification of power plants 6

Conventional power plants

Steam Diesel Hydro-electric Gas Nuclear

turbine

Engine Turbine

Figure 1: Conventional energy source diversity in SA)

Classification of power plants 7
(continued…)

Non-Conventional power plants

(Renewables)

Wind Biomass Solar Geothermal Wave and

Tidal wave

Photovoltaic Concentrated
(PV) solar power
(CSP)

Figure 2: Non-conventional energy source diversity in SA)

Energy mix(at max. generation) 8

Wind Nuclear
0.2% 4.0% Gas
5.0% Pumped
storage
6.0%
Hydro
2.0%

Coal
82.8%

Figure 3: Energy mix at maximum capacity (DMRE, 2021)

Power Generation Structure of SA 9

• According to the ministry of energy, SA total domestic electricity

generation capacity is 51,309 MW.
• Renewable energy will most likely be the dominant electricity source in
the future.
• SA Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement
Programme (REIPPPP) for utility-scale transactions signed 27 power
purchase agreements in June 2018 and plans to add 19,400 MW of new
renewable generation by 2030 according to the draft uploaded by the
Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)Released in August 2018.

Table 1: Conventional and non-conventional energy generation contribution

Eskom’s Generation Plant 10

Mix
Table 2: Coal-fired power plants
 Eskom’s Generation Plant 11

Mix(continued…)
Table 3: Various energy sources, power plants
Eskom’s Generation Plant 12

Mix(continued…)
Table 4: Various energy sources, power plants
 13
Steam (thermal) power plant

Figure 4: Essential components of the coal-fired power plant

 14
Steam (thermal) power plant (continued…)

Operating principle
Steam is generated in the boiler through the heat of the fuel burnt in the
combustion chamber. The steam generated is passed through the steam
turbine where part of its thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy,
which is further used for generating electric power. The steam coming out of
the steam turbine is condensed in the condenser, and the condensate is
supplied back to the boiler with the help of the feed pump, and the cycle is
repeated. The function of the boiler is to generate steam.
The condenser’s function is to condense the steam from the steam turbine at
low pressure. The function of the feed pump is to raise the pressure of the
condensate from the condenser pressure (0.015 bar) to the boiler pressure (200
bar). Additional components such as the economiser, superheater and steam
feed heaters (steam from different points of a turbine is fed to the heaters to
heat the condensate to a higher temperature) are used in the primary circuit
to increase the overall efficiency of the thermal power plant.
 15
Steam (thermal) power plant (continued…)

• A power plant comprises sub-assemblies that generate and deliver

mechanical or electrical energy (Raja, 2006:2).

• Diesel, Nuclear, Gas, Biomass, and Geothermal energy sources produce

steam. These are the thermal power plants, and their cycles have multiple
similarities to the Rankine cycle.

• Hydro, tidal & wave, and wind work similarly, except that the primary

medium or prime mover is water and wind (airflow), respectively.

• Solar – Photovoltaic and concentrated solar power convert the heat from

the sun into electrical energy through solar radiation.

 16
Steam (thermal) power plant (continued…)

Main components
The layout of a modern steam power plant
• A steam power plant must have the following equipment:
• A furnace to burn the fuel.
• Steam generator or boiler contains water. The heat generated in the
furnace is utilised to convert water into steam.
• Main power units such as an engine or turbine use the heat energy of
steam and perform work.
• Piping system to convey steam and water.
 Additional uses of steam 17

Power Plant
Advantages of steam
• Steam is used to drive steam engines and steam turbines due to the
following reasons:
❖ Steam can be raised quickly from the water.
❖ It does not react much with the materials of the equipment used
in power plants.
❖ It is stable at temperatures required in the plant.
❖ Water is abundantly available for use. In the case of brackish or
seawater, desalination technologies are available.
 18

Coal-fired power plant

Coal-fired power plant 19

Figure 5: Essential components of the coal-fired power plant

Advantages Of A Coal- 20

Fired Steam Power Plant

• Life of the plant is more (25-30 years ) compared to a Diesel plant (2-5
years)
• Repair and maintenance costs are low compared to a diesel plant.
• The initial cost is less compared to the nuclear plant.
• Suitable for varying load conditions.
• No radioactive harmful wastes are produced.
• Semi-skilled operators can operate the plant.
• The power generation does not depend on water storage.
• There are no transmission losses, as they are located near load centres.
 Disadvantages Of Coal- 21
Fired Thermal Power Plant
• Less efficient than diesel plants.
• The process of starting up and bringing the plant into service is time-
consuming.
• Cooling water demand is high.
• The plant takes up more space.
• Fuel storage requirement is high.
• Ash handling is a big problem and potentially harmful to health if not
handled properly.
• Not economical in areas which are remote from coal fields.
• High manpower demand.
• For large units, the capital cost is more.
Factors To Be Considered For 22
Site selection
Availability of coal:
• A thermal plant of 400M capacity requires nearly 6000 tons of coal daily.
• Power plants should be located near coal mines.
Ash Disposal Facilities:
• Ash comes out in hot condition, and handling is difficult.
• The ash can be disposed of into the sea or river.
Water Availability :
• Water consumption is high as water is constantly fed into the boiler,
condenser and for ash disposal.
• Water is required for drinking purposes.
• Hence plant should be located near a water source.
 Factors To Be Considered 23

For Site selection(continued…)

Transport Facility :
• Railway lines or another mode of transport for transportation of heavy
machinery for installation and coal.
Public Problems:
• The plant should be far away from a residential area to avoid nuisance
from smoke, fly ash and noise.
Nature of Land :
• Many power plants have failed due to weak foundations.
• Land (soil) should have a good bearing capacity to withstand a dead
load of plants.
 Pollution by Coal-Fired 24
Steam/Thermal Power Plant

• Main pollutants from thermal plants are Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Carbon
dioxide (CO2), and Carbon monoxide (CO) due to minute particles such
as fly ash.
• SO2 causes suffocation and irritation to the throat, eyes, and respiratory.
It also destroys crops.
• CO is a poisonous colourless gas.
• Dust particles cause respiratory troubles like cough, cold, sneezing etc.
 Emissions from coal utilities 25

in South Africa

• There is no official emissions inventory for South Africa.

• Eskom is the largest emitter of particulates such as SO2 and Nitrogen
Oxide (NOx).
• Power generation is responsible for under 75% of the country’s NOx
emissions and just over 75% of the SO2 emissions.
 26

Boiler/Generators
 Boilers/steam generators 27

Utility boilers
• Mostly used by electricity-generating plants, they are divided into the
water-tube drum and once-through types.
• Water-tube drum boilers are subcritical units and operate at steam
pressures of 130 to 180 bar.
• Once-through boilers are supercritical units and operate at steam
pressures of 240oC or higher.
• Superheated steam is produced at temperatures of 540oC to 560oC.
• Steam capacity ranges from 120 to 1300 kg/s, with the corresponding
power output of 125 to 1300 MW.
Boilers/steam generators 28
(continued…)

Industrial boilers
• Are relatively small and are used in a wide range of applications, such
as hospitals, building complexes etc. They are also used in the sugar
and paper-producing industries.
• They have the ability to recover heat and use waste heat from other
processes.
• They operate at pressures ranging from 5 to 105 bar with a steam
capacity of 125 kg/s.
• They produce heated water or saturated steam but not superheated
steam.
 29

Figure 6: Typical coal-fired boiler

 30
Boilers/steam generators
(continued…)

Marine boilers
• Mainly oil-fired and used in steam engines of marine vessels and coastal
installations.
• The steam production of 540oC is possible while operating at 60 to 65
bar.
Boiler diagram 31

Figure 7: Oil-fired pressurized boiler

 Drum 32

Figure 8: Boiler drum and separation system

Steam turbines diagram 33

Figure 9: Various steam turbine configurations

 34

Solar Energy
Concentrated solar power 35

plant

Figure 10: Bokpoort concentrated solar power plant, Northern Cape, SA (DMRE, 2021)
Photovoltaic (PV) power 36
plant

Figure 11: De Aar Solar PV power plant, SA (DMRE, 2021)

Solar radiation 37

Figure 12: Components of solar radiation

 38

Wind Energy
 Wind farm 39

Figure 13: Hopefield wind farm, WC, SA (DMRE, 2021)

 40

Figure 14: Wind power plant progress over time

Advantages & disadvantages 41
of wind power plant
Disadvantages
• Land requirement is high.
• The technology is not as efficient as its counterparts.
• The higher the demand, the larger the rotor diameter, translating to
excessive vibrations on the mast.
• Some installations require a one-directional wind direction.
• They are not suitable for some geographical locations.
• Operation entirely depends on the availability of wind. Thus, demand
may outstretch its output.
 42

Geothermal energy
Geothermal power plant 43

Figure 15 Geothermal power plant

Geothermal power plant (continued…) 44

Working principle
Geothermal fluid enters the circuit from the Production well (PW). The silencer
(S) absorbs the noise caused by fluid under pressure. The steam proceeds in the
system piping (SP) through the wellhead valve (WV). The liquid substance is
then separated from the steam/vapour in the cyclone separator (CS). The
liquid product is directed to the injection well (IW) through the well piping (WP),
while the vapour is directed to the ball check valve (BCV). The moisture
remover (MR) further processes the liquid vapour to minimise the water content
before entering the turbine. Remaining water content is sent to the steam
ejector/condenser (SE/C) while the pure steam flows into the control and stop
valve (CSV) and finally into the turbine/generator (T/G). The expanded steam is
then sent into the condenser (C) for a phase change process into a liquid.
Condensed moisture is sent into the condenser pump (CP), while the water-
vapour mixture is sent to the cooling tower (CT) for further condensation. The
cooling water pump is installed for circulation. The condensed liquid is sent into
the injection well while the mixture is recirculated in the condenser.
 45

Nuclear Energy
 About nuclear power 46

• Of the 396 GW produced globally, Africa, through SA, only contributes 2

GW currently in SA.
• Future installations in Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana are in the
pipeline.
• Nuclear energy is now rated as clean energy, which can contribute to
decreasing Greenhouse gas emissions.
• Koeberg power plant design life span will end in 2024, as things stand.
There are measures put in place to extend its life and the nuclear
programme.
• Koeberg power plant is a pressurized water reactor (PWR) type.
 47
Types of nuclear reactors

Figure 16: Boiling and pressurized water reactors

 48
Boiling water reactor (BWR)
• The BWR operates at around 70 bar
and boils the feedwater directly in its
core to temperatures of approximately
285oC.
• Feedwater and condensate mixture
are recirculated in the core.
• The reactor produces wet steam, which
is dried before entering the turbine.
• The feed water is also used as a
coolant and a moderator in the reactor
• Since the BWR is not pressurized,
feedwater can be supplied naturally
(gravitational influence). Figure 17: BWR schematic
• The core consists of 800 assemblies of 8
by 8 array of fuel rods.
 Pressurized water reactor (PWR) 49

• The PWR pressure is maintained at

about 155 bar to prevent bulk liquid
boiling, and the outlet temperature of
working fluid is around 310oC.
• The assembly consist of two series
loops, namely, the coolant loop and
the working fluid.
• It typically consists of about 200 fuel
cell assemblies, each containing an
array of rods.
• Heat exchange occurs in a steam Figure 18: PWR schematic
generator (tube or once-through)
between the coolant and the working
fluid.
 Other related factors 50

• It produces radioactive waste requiring further treatments before disposal

into the environment.
• Cost of storing nuclear waste, in SA onsite wet storage is used (DMRE,2020)
• Cryogenic distillation columns compress radioactive waste in the long term
(years).
• BWR faces a threat of reactor power level reduction at high boiling rates
due to insufficient cooling.
• PWR operates at very high pressure, which requires re-enforced reactor
core vessel.
• Air exceeding the predetermined acceptable radioactive levels can be
treated (standby gas treatment facilities). Thus, preventive mechanisms are
in place.
 51

Energy policies and

legislation in SA
 Policy aims 52

1. Increasing access to affordable energy services.

2. Improving energy governance.
3. Stimulating economic development.
4. Managing energy-related environmental and health impacts.
5. Securing supply through diversity.

Adopted from the Republic of South Africa Energy Policy approved by

the cabinet on the 2nd December 1998.
 Pollution by Steam/Thermal 53
Power Plant

Thermal Pollution:
Thermal plants produce 40 million kJ of heat to the environment through
condenser water and exhaust gases.
Thermal pollution of the atmosphere can be reduced using low-grade
energy-exhausted steam.
Noise Pollution:
The noise sources in a power plant are turbo alternators, fans and power
transformers.
Soundproofing can be done to reduce the noise.
 Policy and emission limits 54

Table 5: Emission limit set by the country (Government Gazette, 2010)

Sulfur dioxide: SO2 , Nitrogen Oxide: NOx

Table 6: Control technologies on the Eskom fleet 55
 National Energy Regulator 56

of South Africa (NERSA)

• The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) is a regulatory

authority established as a juristic person in terms of Section 3 of the
National Energy Regulator Act, 2004 (Act No. 40 of 2004).
• Aims at regulating the electricity, piped-gas and petroleum
pipelines industries in terms of the Electricity Regulation Act, 2006
(Act No. 4 of 2006), Gas Act, 2001 (Act No. 48 of 2001) and
Petroleum Pipelines Act, 2003 (Act No. 60 of 2003).
NERSA Responsibilities 57

The mandate of NERSA as contained in relevant legislation, is summarized as

follows:
• Issuing of licenses and setting pertinent conditions;
• Setting and or approving tariffs and prices;
• Monitoring and enforcing compliance with license conditions;
• Dispute resolution including mediation, arbitration and the handling of
complaints;
• Gathering, storing and disseminating industry information;
• Setting of rules, guidelines and codes for the regulation of the three
industries;
• Determination of conditions of supply and applicable standards; and
• Registration of import and production activities.
 Independent Power 58

Producers (IPP) in SA
• White Paper on Energy Policy which articulated the objective to stimulate
the introduction of renewable energy sources into the energy mix, was
introduced in 1998.
• In November 2003, the government adopted the White Paper on
Renewable Energy, which provided for renewable energy generation to
be included in the energy mix.
• The Green Economy Accord was negotiated with all parties involved and
signed in Parliament on the 17th of November 2011.
• The National Development Plan (NDP) was adopted in 2012, stating that
SA needs at least 20 000 MW of renewable energy by 2030.
 Integration of Independent 59
Power (IP) into the National
Grid
The Minister of Energy, acting in terms of the Electricity Regulation Act
and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), and subject to the
concurrence of the Energy, will procure new capacity, and Eskom will
be the buyer of electricity from the IPP through a 20 year Power
Purchase Agreement (PPA). This is backed by the Government Support
Framework Agreement (GSFA), whereby government shall make
support available to Eskom in an Eskom event of default.
To date, 6 422 MW has been procured from more than 100
Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
Policies, Acts and Legislation 60

Policies, Acts and Legislations on energy are subcategorised under the

following areas:
1. Energy Planning
2. Petroleum
3. Natural Gas
4. Electricity
5. Coal
6. Clean Energy
7. Nuclear
8. Energy Efficiency
 References 61

1. Eskom.
https://www.eskom.co.za/ourcompany/companyinformation/pages/companyinformat
ion.aspx
2. Department of Minerals Resources and Energy, 2021. South African Energy sector
report.
https://www.energy.gov.za/files/media/explained/2021-South-African-Energy-Sector-
Report.pdf
3. Raja, A.K. and Srivastava, A.P., 2006. Power plant engineering. New Age International.
4. Duffie, J.A. and Beckman, W.A., 2013. Solar engineering of thermal processes. John
Wiley & Sons.
5. Gasch, R., and Twele, J. 2012. eds. Fundamentals Design, Construction and
Operation./Robert Gasch, Jochen Twele.
6. DiPippo, R., 2012. Geothermal power plants: principles, applications, case studies and
environmental impact. Butterworth-Heinemann.
7. Department of Minerals Resources and Energy, 2020. Strategic plan 2020 – 2025.
https://www.energy.gov.za/files/aboutus/DMRE-Strategic-Plan-2020-2025.pdf