The most widely used resource for
generating electricity in Indiana
and in the U.S.!
How is coal
used?
Coal is
generally
ground into a
powder and
burned in large
furnaces.
• http://www.turkoglumade
ncilik.com.tr/en/images/Co
al-Dust.jpg
• http://www.scientificameri
can.com/media/inline/buil
ding-coal-powerplants_1.jpg
The Process
• http://holbert.faculty.asu.ed
u/eee463/coalart.gif
This heat is used to boil water to steam.
The steam pressure turns the turbine. (This is converting
heat to mechanical energy.)
The turbine turns giant, powerful magnets inside a huge
copper coil.
This moves the electrons through the wire.
In other words, it generates electricity. (This changes
mechanical energy to electrical energy.)
Here is the whole process
• http://www.carb
orobot.hu/image
Benefits
s/Fuel/Coal%20t
Coal can burn much longer and stronger rain.jpg
(hotter) than wood.
Anthracite coal (the one that burns the
best) is common in the eastern part of The
U.S. Bituminous coal is the second best and
most used in power plants. Bituminous
coal is common in Indiana.
Currently coal is the cheapest way of
generating large amounts of electricity in
The U.S.
Coal is portable, being shipped by train to
places all over the country.
• http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_B
YX14125JUQ/ScMpF0_zsmI/
Cleaner Coal
AAAAAAAAJSU/Xn7EP4dGQK
Coal power plants
E/s400/Fiore_Clean_Coal.jpg
have gotten much
more efficient and • http://www.greentechmedia.
com/content/images/articles
let off much less
/39CleanCoal39ComestoWes
pollution than they
did in the past.
tVirginia_medium_image1_6
25.jpg
This is often
referred to as
• http://c0573862.cdn.cloudfil
“clean coal
es.rackspacecloud.com/1/0/
technology.”
16233/183416/CleanCoal.jpg
Disadvantages • http://www.eco2020.com/image-files/coal(Drawbacks)
•Coal is used much
faster than it is
replenished inside
the earth.
•This means it is
nonrenewable.
•Coal mining causes
pollution.
•Burning coal does
pollute, even when
it is called “clean.”
plant.jpg
• http://www.treehugger.co
m/coal-plant-pollutionepa.jpg
•
http://www.8thfire.net/im
More Disadvantages
ages/mountaintop.jpg
of Coal
Some mining
• http://blahblahtopia.com/i
methods (strip
mages/350pxmining) can destroy
wildlife habitats.
Coal_mine_Wyoming.jpg
(There are laws in
place requiring
• http://graphics8.nytimes.c
companies to do
om/images/2008/12/24/us
their best to restore
habitats/relocate
/25sludge2_600.JPG
wildlife.)
Coal ash spills can
cause major damage
to property and
nature.
Coal Mining
Dangers
In the early part of
the 20th century,
about 1000 coal
miners died each year
in the U.S.
Now the average is
about 30 deaths per
year from coal mining
accidents. (48 in
2010.)
About 500 more U.S.
miners die each year
from
• Remember the Chilean Coal
Mining Accident of 2010?
Not all have a happy ending.
• http://gpssystems.net/wpcontent/uploads/2010/10/mi
ne-blasting-hazards.jpg
• http://www.cargolaw.com/i
mages/disaster2004.coalface5.GIF
• http://www.oldpicture.com/united-stateshistory-1900s--1930s/pictures/caveintunnel.jpg