In the economy of any country, the energy complex is of paramount importance. The electric power industry is important in all aspects of the functioning of the state (both in the industrial sector and in everyday life). One of the main links in the electric power industry are thermal power plants. Let's take a closer look at this issue.
Thermal power plants are a set of equipment designed to convert the chemical, thermal energy of natural fuel into electrical energy. Coal, fuel oil, natural gas, peat, shale are used as energy carriers. This type of electricity generation became known at the end of the nineteenth century, when the first thermal power plants were built in New York (in 1882), in St. Petersburg (in 1883), in Berlin (in 1884). Since that time, the generation of electricity at thermal power plants has become the main one in the energy sector, and to this day it remains so.
Thermal power plants are divided into condensing and combined heat and power plants. This division is natural. Condensing thermalpower plants generate only electricity, while the coolant is reused and drained into tanks. Such companies have a low efficiency (30% -40%). The construction of condensing thermal power plants is rational near fuel extraction sites, even if they are located at a considerable distance from the consumer.
The city mainly uses combined heat and power plants, which, in addition to their main task - generating electricity - provide residents with hot water. Experts have long proven that this method of delivering coolant is inefficient, because it is accompanied by large losses of thermal energy, but most of our cities use power plants.
Currently, Russia's thermal power plants generate more than 70% of the country's total electricity. Large industrial power plants that generate more than 2 million kW are Urengoyskaya GRES, Berezovskaya GRES, Surgutskaya GRES, GRES based on the Kansko-Achinsk basin. Thermal power plants in Russia mainly use natural gas, coal and fuel oil.
The use of CHP has both advantages and disadvantages. One of the main advantages of this type of power plant is its free location. Nowadays, the necessary fuel can be delivered to any region. CHPPs are capable of supplying, in addition to electricity, both heat carriers and hot water, which is especially important in the urban economy. Also, electricity generation does not depend on external climatic conditions.
Among the disadvantages of using CHP plants are low efficiency, environmental pollution, work on natural resources, the reserves of which are not restored.
In the energy system of the country, in addition to thermal, hydraulic and nuclear power plants are used, but the role of thermal power plants remains huge. In recent years, more and more people are starting to use wind and solar energy.
