About this lesson
The simplest coal-fired plant is a Rankine cycle: coal is burned in a boiler, the steam drives a turbine and generator, then it is condensed and pumped back.
How it works
- Coal is burned in the boiler and the furnace heat makes steam.
- The steam is superheated and sent to the turbine.
- The turbine drives the generator.
- The exhaust steam is condensed; the cooling tower rejects the heat.
- The boiler feed pump returns the water to the boiler.