The Efficiency Of Coal
According to the production and the coal power plants across the world, most coal-power plants are not very efficient most of the power plants are under 40% efficient, yet some can reach a maximum of 45% efficient. There is a theoretical limit to the percentage of energy that can be converted from heat to mechanical energy in any heat engine, which is the first part of what a coal-fired power station does. This limit depends on the difference in temperature between the heat source (burning coal) and the heat sink (the steam coming out). The higher the difference in temperature, the more efficient.
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Coal quality also has an impact on efficiency. For example, coal with a high moisture content will be less efficient, because some of the heat energy in the coal will be used up converting the water in the coal into steam, rather than into heat. State change from liquid to gas uses energy without producing heat, which is why when you boil water, the thermometer rises steadily to the boiling point, stays there for a while, and then once boiling starts, it keeps rising.
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