Coal as a Fuel Source

What is the primary component of coal?

Why does coal not impact the environment when left undisturbed?

What happens to carbon dioxide when it is released into the atmosphere?

What is the result of the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Why is the term 'greenhouse effect' used to describe the warming of the earth?

What is the primary reason why coal is considered a problematic fuel?

What is the goal of clean coal technologies?

What is the term for the gases and pollutants that are released into the air from a coal-burning plant?

What is the main purpose of coal washing?

What is the function of flue gas desulfurization systems?

What is the term for when nitrogen atoms break apart and join with oxygen to form a pollutant?

What is the purpose of low-NOx burners?

What is the result of the gasification process?

What is the term for the process of capturing carbon dioxide and transporting it to permanent underground storage?

Where is the captured carbon dioxide typically stored?

Coal is a promising fuel for the future due to its abundance, with the US having approximately 486 billion short tons in 2007, enough to provide hundreds of years of energy.
Despite being a non-renewable fossil fuel that takes millions of years to form, coal is still widely available.

Coal is primarily composed of carbon and found underground, where it does not impact the environment when left undisturbed.
When coal is extracted and burned to generate electricity, it is converted to carbon dioxide, releasing pollutants into the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, absorbing infrared radiation and trapping heat, contributing to the greenhouse effect.
The buildup of carbon dioxide creates an invisible layer in the atmosphere, allowing sunlight to pass through while trapping heat, leading to global warming.

Coal washing is a preparation process that removes impurities by crushing coal into small chunks and washing it, separating coal from sulfur and other impurities.
Flue gas desulfurization systems (scrubbers) remove sulfur dioxide from flue gas, using limestone and water to combine with sulfur, forming a wet paste.
Low-NOx burners reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by restricting oxygen and manipulating the combustion process when coal is burned.
Gasification converts coal into a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which can generate electricity, while removing impurities from coal.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) involves capturing carbon dioxide after coal is burned, transporting it to permanent underground storage, preventing its release into the atmosphere.