Thermal Power Station

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A thermal power station is a power plant in which the prime mover is steam driven.

The operation of a thermal power station is such that the water is heated first, and turns into steam. This steam is used for rotating a steam turbine which drives an electrical generator. After passing through the turbine, the steam is condensed in a condenser; this is called as a Rankine cycle. The variation in the design of thermal power stations depends on the different fuel sources. Some countries prefer to use the term energy center in place of the power plant because such facilities convert forms of heat energy into electrical energy. The term power plant is the most common in the United States (US), while power station term is common in many Commonwealth countries and especially in the United Kingdom (UK).

Almost all coal, geothermal, nuclear, solar thermal electric, and waste incineration plants, as well as many natural gas power plants, are thermal.

Coal-fired thermal power station

1. Cooling tower	10. Steam control valve	19. Superheater
2. Cooling water pump	11. High-pressure steam turbine	20. Forced draught (draft) fan
3. Three-phase transmission line	12. De-aerator	21. Re-heater
4. Step-up transformer	13. Feed water heater	22. Combustion air intake
5. Electrical generator	14. Coal conveyor	23. Economizer
6. Low-pressure steam turbine	15. Coal hopper	24. Air pre-heater
7. Boiler feed water pump	16. Coal pulverize	25. Precipitator
8. Surface condenser	17. Boiler steam drum	26. Induced draught (draft) fan
9. Intermediate pressure steam turbine	18. Bottom ash hopper	27. Flue gas stack