How is coal used to produce electricity?

Answer 1

Simply and briefly...

The coal is first pulverised to obtain better combustion.
It is then fed into a furnace where it is ignited and burned to add heat energy to water passing through tubes in the furnace.
The water is pressurised and therefore boils at high temperature. (Say..40 bar & 500°C).
The high pressure steam from the water is then heated further to produce superheated steam also at 40 bar but now at maybe..800°C.
This steam now goes to drive high power turbines that, in turn, drive electrical generators producing power to the National Power Grid.
(The pressure and temperatures given are only a guide and will vary with different producers).

Answer 2

Electricity from coal is the electric power made from the energy stored in coal.The process of converting coal into electricity involves so many steps.
pulverizer a machine grinds the coal into a fine powder.
The coal powder mixes with hot air, and the mixture moves to the furnace.
coal heats water in a boiler, creating steam.
Steam released from the boiler powers an engine called a turbine, transforming heat energy from burning coal into mechanical energy that spins the turbine engine.
spinning turbine is used to power a generator, that turns mechanical energy into electric energy.
This is how electricity is produced from coal.

Answer 3

An any industrial power plant, the goal is to heat water into steam which in turn turns a turbine and generates the electricity. Nuclear, coal, petroleum, and natural gas power plants all follow this basic model. The coal is simply burned in order to heat the water.

Answer 4

Just as the previous person answered. One detail is that the coal is often powdered by a hammer mill and blown into the boiler firebox to make sure it mixes well with the combustion air in there.