Thermal power is a branch of heat engineering that produces and converts heat into other forms of energy, such as mechanical and electrical. The basis of this industry is thermal power plants. One of the type of these plants is fossil fuel power station. The most used types of fuel are natural gas, fuel oil and coal.

Types of fossil fuel power stations.

There are following types of fossil fuel power stations:

• Boiler power plants;
• Gas turbine power plants;
• Power plants based on combined cycle;
• Power plants based on piston engines;
• Combined power plants.

Boiler power plants.

The main principle of this type is heating feedwater in a boiler plant, converting it into superheated steam, which rotates a steam turbine connected to an electric generator.

There are two types of boiler turbine thermal power plants:

• Condensation power plants - the main product of production is electric energy.
• Cogeneration plants - this type of station, in addition to electricity, provides hot water and heating for residential and industrial facilities.

Gas turbine power plants.

The principle of operation of gas turbine power plants is to compress the air with a compressor, mix it with fuel and ignite in the combustion chamber, after which the energy of the hot gases is supplied to the turbine, which rotates the generator. Gas is used as fuel in this type of thermal power plant.

Power plants based on combined cycle plants.

Combined-cycle plant is a device consisting of gas turbine and steam generators. In a gas turbine, fuel is burned, as a result of which part of the energy of the hot gases is converted into mechanical energy and rotates the generator. Another part of the energy is converted into heat and heats the steam in the boiler plant, which rotates the steam turbine, which is also connected to an electric generator. This type of power plants has the highest efficiency among all thermal power plants.

Power plants based on piston engines.

This type of power plant uses reciprocating internal combustion engines that drive electric generators. The fuel used for these thermal power plants is mainly gas or diesel.