Technological scheme of thermal power plant description. What is CHP and how does it work

Power plant - a power plant that serves to convert natural energy into electrical energy. The type of power plant is determined primarily by the type of natural energy. The most widespread are thermal power plants (TPPs), which use thermal energy released by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas, etc.). Thermal power plants generate about 76% of the electricity produced on our planet. This is due to the presence of fossil fuels in almost all areas of our planet; the possibility of transporting organic fuel from the place of production to the power plant located near energy consumers; technical progress at thermal power plants, which ensures the construction of high-capacity thermal power plants; the possibility of using the waste heat of the working fluid and supplying consumers, in addition to electrical, also thermal energy (with steam or hot water), etc. .

Basic principles of TPP operation (Appendix B). Consider the principles of operation of TPP. Fuel and oxidant, which is usually heated air, continuously enter the boiler furnace (1). Coal, peat, gas, oil shale or fuel oil are used as fuel. Most thermal power plants in our country use coal dust as fuel. Due to the heat generated as a result of fuel combustion, the water in the steam boiler heats up, evaporates, and the resulting saturated steam enters the steam turbine (2) through the steam pipeline, designed to convert the thermal energy of steam into mechanical energy.

All moving parts of the turbine are rigidly connected to the shaft and rotate with it. In the turbine, the kinetic energy of the steam jets is transferred to the rotor as follows. Steam of high pressure and temperature, which has a large internal energy, from the boiler enters the nozzles (channels) of the turbine. A jet of steam at a high speed, often higher than the sound speed, continuously flows out of the nozzles and enters the turbine blades mounted on a disk rigidly connected to the shaft. In this case, the mechanical energy of the steam flow is converted into the mechanical energy of the turbine rotor, or, more precisely, into the mechanical energy of the turbine generator rotor, since the shafts of the turbine and the electric generator (3) are interconnected. In an electric generator, mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy.

After the steam turbine, water vapor, already having a low pressure and temperature, enters the condenser (4). Here the steam is converted into water with the help of cooling water pumped through the tubes located inside the condenser, which is supplied by the condensate pump (5) through the regenerative heaters (6) to the deaerator (7).

The deaerator serves to remove gases dissolved in it from the water; at the same time, in it, as well as in regenerative heaters, the feed water is heated by steam taken for this purpose from the turbine extraction. Deaeration is carried out in order to bring the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide in it to acceptable values ​​and thereby reduce the corrosion rate in the water and steam paths.

The deaerated water is supplied by the feed pump (8) through the heaters (9) to the boiler plant. The heating steam condensate formed in the heaters (9) is cascaded to the deaerator, and the heating steam condensate of the heaters (6) is supplied by the drain pump (10) to the line through which the condensate flows from the condenser (4) .

The most difficult in technical terms is the organization of the operation of coal-fired thermal power plants. At the same time, the share of such power plants in the domestic energy sector is high (~30%) and it is planned to increase it (Appendix D).

Fuel in railway cars (1) is supplied to unloading devices (2), from where it is sent to a warehouse (3) using belt conveyors (4), from the warehouse fuel is supplied to the crushing plant (5). It is possible to supply fuel to the crushing plant and directly from the unloading devices. From the crushing plant, the fuel enters the raw coal bunker (6), and from there through the feeders to the pulverized coal mills (7). The pulverized coal is conveyed pneumatically through the separator (8) and cyclone (9) to the pulverized coal bin (10) and from there by the feeders (11) to the burners. The air from the cyclone is sucked in by the mill fan (12) and fed into the combustion chamber of the boiler (13).

The gases formed during combustion in the combustion chamber, after leaving it, pass sequentially through the gas ducts of the boiler plant, where in the superheater (primary and secondary, if a cycle with reheating of steam is carried out) and the water economizer, they give off heat to the working fluid, and in the air heater - supplied to the steam air boiler. Then, in the ash collectors (15), the gases are cleaned from fly ash and through the chimney (17) are emitted into the atmosphere by smoke exhausters (16).

Slag and ash falling under the combustion chamber, air heater and ash collectors are washed off with water and fed through channels to bager pumps (33), which pump them to ash dumps.

The air required for combustion is supplied to the air heaters of the steam boiler by a draft fan (14). Air is usually taken from the upper part of the boiler room and (for steam boilers of high capacity) from the outside of the boiler room.

The superheated steam from the steam boiler (13) goes to the turbine (22).

Condensate from the turbine condenser (23) is supplied by condensate pumps (24) through the low pressure regenerative heaters (18) to the deaerator (20), and from there by feed pumps (21) through the high pressure heaters (19) to the boiler economizer.

Losses of steam and condensate are replenished in this scheme with chemically demineralized water, which is supplied to the condensate line behind the turbine condenser.

Cooling water is supplied to the condenser from the intake well (26) of the water supply by circulation pumps (25). Heated water is discharged into a waste well (27) of the same source at a certain distance from the place of intake, sufficient so that the heated water does not mix with the water being taken. Devices for chemical treatment of make-up water are located in the chemical shop (28).

The schemes may include a small network heating plant for heating the power plant and the adjacent village. The steam is supplied to the network heaters (29) of this unit from the turbine extractions, the condensate is discharged through the line (31). Network water is supplied to the heater and removed from it through pipelines (30).

The generated electrical energy is diverted from the electrical generator to external consumers through step-up electrical transformers.

To supply electricity to electric motors, lighting devices and power plant devices, there is an auxiliary electrical switchgear (32) .

Thermal power plant (CHP) is a type of thermal power plant that produces not only electricity, but is also a source of thermal energy in centralized heat supply systems (in the form of steam and hot water, including for providing hot water and heating residential and industrial facilities). The main difference of the CHP is the ability to take away part of the heat energy of the steam after it has generated electricity. Depending on the type of steam turbine, there are various steam extractions that allow steam with different parameters to be taken from it. CHP turbines allow you to adjust the amount of extracted steam. The extracted steam is condensed in the network heaters and transfers its energy to the network water, which is sent to peak hot water boilers and heat points. At the CHPP, it is possible to block the thermal steam extractions. This makes it possible to operate the CHPP according to two load schedules:

electrical - the electrical load does not depend on the thermal load, or there is no thermal load at all (priority is the electrical load).

When building a CHP, it is necessary to take into account the proximity of heat consumers in the form of hot water and steam, since heat transfer over long distances is not economically feasible.

Thermal power plants use solid, liquid or gaseous fuels. Due to the greater proximity of thermal power plants to populated areas, they use more valuable, less polluting fuel with solid emissions - fuel oil and gas. To protect the air basin from pollution with solid particles, ash collectors are used, to disperse solid particles, sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere, chimneys up to 200–250 m high are built. CHPs built near heat consumers are usually separated from water supply sources at a considerable distance. Therefore, most thermal power plants use a circulating water supply system with artificial coolers - cooling towers. Direct-flow water supply at CHP plants is rare.

At gas turbine CHP plants, gas turbines are used to drive electric generators. The heat supply to consumers is carried out due to the heat taken from the cooling of the air compressed by the compressors of the gas turbine plant, and the heat of the gases exhausted in the turbine. Combined-cycle power plants (equipped with steam turbine and gas turbine units) and nuclear power plants can also operate as CHPPs.

CHP - the main production link in the district heating system (Appendix D, E).

Appointment of thermal power plants. Schematic diagram of CHP

CHP (combined heat and power plants)- designed for centralized supply of consumers with heat and electricity. Their difference from IES is that they use the heat of the steam exhausted in the turbines for the needs of production, heating, ventilation and hot water supply. Due to this combination of electricity and heat generation, significant fuel savings are achieved in comparison with separate energy supply (electricity generation at CPP and thermal energy at local boiler houses). Thanks to this method of combined production, a sufficiently high efficiency is achieved at the CHPP, reaching up to 70%. Therefore, CHP plants have become widespread in areas and cities with high heat consumption. The maximum capacity of a CHPP is less than that of a IES.

CHP plants are tied to consumers, because the radius of heat transfer (steam, hot water) is approximately 15 km. Country CHPPs transmit hot water at a higher initial temperature over a distance of up to 30 km. Steam for production needs with a pressure of 0.8-1.6 MPa can be transferred to a distance of no more than 2-3 km. With an average heat load density, the CHP capacity usually does not exceed 300-500 MW. Only in large cities such as Moscow or St. Petersburg with a high heat load density does it make sense to build plants with a capacity of up to 1000-1500 MW.

The capacity of the CHP plant and the type of turbogenerator are chosen according to the heat demand and the parameters of the steam used in the production processes and for heating. Turbines with one and two controlled steam extractions and condensers have received the greatest application (see fig.). Adjustable extractions allow you to regulate the production of heat and electricity.

CHP mode - daily and seasonal - is determined mainly by heat consumption. The station operates most economically if its electric power corresponds to the heat output. At the same time, a minimum amount of steam enters the condensers. In winter, when the demand for heat is maximum, at the estimated air temperature during the hours of operation of industrial enterprises, the load of CHP generators is close to the nominal one. During periods when heat consumption is low, for example, in summer, as well as in winter when the air temperature is higher than the calculated one and at night, the electric power of the CHPP, corresponding to heat consumption, decreases. If the power system needs electrical power, the CHP plant must switch to mixed mode, which increases the flow of steam to the low pressure part of the turbines and to the condensers. At the same time, the efficiency of the power plant is reduced.

The maximum generation of electricity by cogeneration stations "on heat consumption" is possible only when working together with powerful CPPs and HPPs, which take on a significant part of the load during hours of reduced heat consumption.

combined heat and power plant (CHP)

CHP plants were most widely used in the USSR. The first heat pipelines were laid from power plants in Leningrad and Moscow (1924, 1928). From the 30s. the design and construction of a thermal power plant with a capacity of 100-200 MW By the end of 1940, the capacity of all operating thermal power plants reached 2 gwt, annual heat supply - 10 8 gj, and the length of thermal networks (See Thermal network) - 650 km. In the mid 70s. the total electric power of the CHPP is about 60 gwt(with the total capacity of power plants Thermal power plant 220 and thermal power plants Thermal power plant 180 gwt). The annual electricity generation at the CHPP reaches 330 billion kWh. kWh, heat release - 4․10 9 GJ; capacity of individual new CHPPs - 1.5-1.6 gwt with hourly heat release up to (1.6-2.0)․10 4 GJ; specific electricity generation during supply 1 GJ heat - 150-160 kWh. Specific reference fuel consumption for production 1 kWh electricity is on average 290 G(whereas at GRES - 370 G); the lowest average annual specific consumption of standard fuel at CHP about 200 g/kW․h(at the best state district power plants - about 300 g/kW․h). Such a reduced (compared with the GRES) specific fuel consumption is explained by the combined production of two types of energy using the heat of the exhaust steam. In the USSR, thermal power plants save up to 25 million t reference fuel per year (Heat and power plant 11% of all fuel used for electricity generation).

CHP is the main production link in the district heating system. The construction of a thermal power plant is one of the main directions in the development of the energy economy in the USSR and other socialist countries. In the capitalist countries, thermal power plants are of limited distribution (mainly industrial thermal power plants).

Lit.: Sokolov E. Ya., Heat supply and heat networks, M., 1975; Ryzhkin V. Ya., Thermal power stations, M., 1976.

V. Ya. Ryzhkin.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what "Heat and Power Plant" is in other dictionaries:

- (CHP), a steam turbine thermal power plant that produces and supplies consumers simultaneously with 2 types of energy: electrical and thermal (in the form of hot water, steam). In Russia, the capacity of individual CHPPs reaches 1.5 1.6 GW with an hourly vacation ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

- (CHP cogeneration power plant), a thermal power plant that produces not only electrical energy, but also heat supplied to consumers in the form of steam and hot water ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

THERMAL POWER CENTER, and, for women. Thermal power plant that generates electricity and heat (hot water, steam) (CHP). Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary Big polytechnical encyclopedia

CHPP 26 (Southern CHPP) in Moscow ... Wikipedia

What is and what are the principles of operation of TPP? The general definition of such objects sounds approximately as follows - these are power plants that are engaged in the processing of natural energy into electrical energy. Natural fuels are also used for these purposes.

The principle of operation of TPP. Short description

To date, it is at such facilities that the most widespread is burned, which releases thermal energy. The task of TPP is to use this energy to get electricity.

The principle of operation of TPPs is the generation of not only but also the production of thermal energy, which is also supplied to consumers in the form of hot water, for example. In addition, these energy facilities generate about 76% of all electricity. Such a wide distribution is due to the fact that the availability of organic fuel for the operation of the station is quite large. The second reason was that the transportation of fuel from the place of its production to the station itself is a fairly simple and well-established operation. The principle of operation of the TPP is designed in such a way that it is possible to use the waste heat of the working fluid for secondary delivery to its consumer.

Separation of stations by type

It is worth noting that thermal stations can be divided into types depending on what kind they produce. If the principle of operation of a TPP is only in the production of electrical energy (that is, thermal energy is not supplied to the consumer), then it is called condensing (CPP).

Facilities intended for the production of electrical energy, for the release of steam, as well as the supply of hot water to the consumer, have steam turbines instead of condensing turbines. Also in such elements of the station there is an intermediate steam extraction or a counter-pressure device. The main advantage and principle of operation of this type of thermal power plant (CHP) is that the exhaust steam is also used as a heat source and supplied to consumers. Thus, it is possible to reduce heat loss and the amount of cooling water.

Basic principles of TPP operation

Before proceeding to consider the very principle of operation, it is necessary to understand what kind of station we are talking about. The standard arrangement of such facilities includes such a system as reheating of steam. It is necessary because the thermal efficiency of a circuit with an intermediate superheat will be higher than in a system where it is absent. In simple words, the principle of operation of a thermal power plant with such a scheme will be much more efficient with the same initial and final given parameters than without it. From all this, we can conclude that the basis of the station's operation is organic fuel and heated air.

Scheme of work

The principle of operation of the TPP is constructed as follows. The fuel material, as well as the oxidizing agent, the role of which is most often assumed by heated air, are fed into the boiler furnace in a continuous stream. Substances such as coal, oil, fuel oil, gas, shale, peat can act as fuel. If we talk about the most common fuel in the Russian Federation, then this is coal dust. Further, the principle of operation of a thermal power plant is constructed in such a way that the heat that is generated due to the combustion of fuel heats the water in the steam boiler. As a result of heating, the liquid is converted into saturated steam, which enters the steam turbine through the steam outlet. The main purpose of this device at the station is to convert the energy of the incoming steam into mechanical energy.

All elements of the turbine capable of moving are closely connected with the shaft, as a result of which they rotate as a single mechanism. To make the shaft rotate, in a steam turbine, the kinetic energy of the steam is transferred to the rotor.

The mechanical part of the station

The device and principle of operation of the TPP in its mechanical part is associated with the operation of the rotor. The steam that comes from the turbine has a very high pressure and temperature. Because of this, a high internal energy of steam is created, which flows from the boiler into the turbine nozzles. Steam jets, passing through the nozzle in a continuous flow, at a high speed, which is often even higher than the sound speed, act on the turbine blades. These elements are rigidly fixed to the disk, which, in turn, is closely connected to the shaft. At this point in time, the mechanical energy of the steam is converted into the mechanical energy of the rotor turbines. Speaking more precisely about the principle of operation of a thermal power plant, the mechanical effect affects the rotor of the turbogenerator. This is due to the fact that the shaft of a conventional rotor and generator are closely connected. And then there is a fairly well-known, simple and understandable process of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy in a device such as a generator.

Steam movement after the rotor

After the water vapor passes the turbine, its pressure and temperature drop significantly, and it enters the next part of the station - the condenser. Inside this element, the reverse transformation of vapor into liquid occurs. To accomplish this task, there is cooling water inside the condenser, which enters there through pipes passing inside the walls of the device. After the steam is converted back into water, it is pumped out by a condensate pump and enters the next compartment - the deaerator. It is also important to note that the pumped water passes through the regenerative heaters.

The main task of the deaerator is to remove gases from the incoming water. Simultaneously with the cleaning operation, the liquid is also heated in the same way as in regenerative heaters. For this purpose, the heat of the steam is used, which is taken from what follows into the turbine. The main purpose of the deaeration operation is to reduce the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the liquid to acceptable values. This helps to reduce the impact of corrosion on the paths that supply water and steam.

Stations on the corner

There is a high dependence of the principle of operation of TPPs on the type of fuel that is used. From a technological point of view, the most difficult substance to implement is coal. Despite this, raw materials are the main source of nutrition at such facilities, which account for approximately 30% of the total share of stations. In addition, it is planned to increase the number of such objects. It is also worth noting that the number of functional compartments required for the operation of the station is much larger than that of other types.

How coal-fired thermal power plants work

In order for the station to work continuously, coal is constantly brought along the railway tracks, which is unloaded using special unloading devices. Further, there are such elements as through which the unloaded coal is fed to the warehouse. Next, the fuel enters the crushing plant. If necessary, it is possible to bypass the process of supplying coal to the warehouse, and transfer it directly to the crushers from unloading devices. After passing through this stage, the crushed raw material enters the raw coal bunker. The next step is the supply of material through feeders to the pulverized coal mills. Further, coal dust, using a pneumatic method of transportation, is fed into the coal dust bunker. Passing this way, the substance bypasses such elements as a separator and a cyclone, and from the bunker it already enters through the feeders directly to the burners. The air passing through the cyclone is sucked in by the mill fan, after which it is fed into the combustion chamber of the boiler.

Further, the gas flow looks approximately as follows. The volatile matter formed in the combustion chamber passes sequentially through such devices as the gas ducts of the boiler plant, then, if a steam reheating system is used, the gas is supplied to the primary and secondary superheaters. In this compartment, as well as in the water economizer, the gas gives off its heat to heat the working fluid. Next, an element called an air superheater is installed. Here, the thermal energy of the gas is used to heat the incoming air. After passing through all these elements, the volatile substance passes into the ash collector, where it is cleaned of ash. The smoke pumps then pull the gas out and release it into the atmosphere using a gas pipe.

TPP and NPP

Quite often the question arises of what is common between thermal and whether there is a similarity in the principles of operation of thermal power plants and nuclear power plants.

If we talk about their similarities, then there are several of them. Firstly, both of them are built in such a way that they use a natural resource for their work, which is a fossil and excavated. In addition, it can be noted that both objects are aimed at generating not only electrical energy, but also thermal energy. The similarities in the principles of operation also lie in the fact that thermal power plants and nuclear power plants have turbines and steam generators involved in the process. The following are just some of the differences. These include the fact that, for example, the cost of construction and electricity received from thermal power plants is much lower than from nuclear power plants. But, on the other hand, nuclear power plants do not pollute the atmosphere as long as the waste is properly disposed of and there are no accidents. While thermal power plants, due to their principle of operation, constantly emit harmful substances into the atmosphere.

Here lies the main difference in the operation of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants. If in thermal facilities, thermal energy from fuel combustion is most often transferred to water or converted into steam, then at nuclear power plants, energy is taken from the fission of uranium atoms. The resulting energy diverges to heat a variety of substances and water is used here quite rarely. In addition, all substances are in closed sealed circuits.

Heat supply

At some TPPs, their schemes may provide for such a system that heats the power plant itself, as well as the adjacent village, if any. To the network heaters of this unit, steam is taken from the turbine, and there is also a special line for condensate removal. Water is supplied and discharged through a special piping system. The electrical energy that will be generated in this way is diverted from the electric generator and transferred to the consumer, passing through step-up transformers.

Basic equipment

If we talk about the main elements operated at thermal power plants, then these are boiler rooms, as well as turbine installations paired with an electric generator and a condenser. The main difference between the main equipment and the additional equipment is that it has standard parameters in terms of its power, productivity, steam parameters, as well as voltage and current strength, etc. It can also be noted that the type and number of basic elements are selected depending on how much power you need to get from one TPP, as well as on the mode of its operation. Animation of the principle of operation of a thermal power plant can help to understand this issue in more detail.

Once, when we were driving into the glorious city of Cheboksary, from the east, my wife noticed two huge towers standing along the highway. "And what is it?" she asked. Since I absolutely did not want to show my ignorance to my wife, I dug a little in my memory and issued a victorious one: “These are cooling towers, don’t you know?”. She was a little embarrassed: “What are they for?” “Well, something to cool there, it seems.” "And what?". Then I was embarrassed, because I did not know at all how to get out further.

Maybe this question has remained forever in the memory without an answer, but miracles do happen. A few months after this incident, I see a post in my friend feed about the recruitment of bloggers who want to visit the Cheboksary CHPP-2, the same one that we saw from the road. Having to drastically change all your plans, it would be unforgivable to miss such a chance!

So what is CHP?

According to Wikipedia CHP - short for combined heat and power plant - is a type of thermal power plant that produces not only electricity, but also a source of heat, in the form of steam or hot water.

I will tell about how everything works below, and here you can see a couple of simplified schemes for the operation of the station.

So, everything starts with water. Since water (and steam, as its derivative) is the main heat carrier at the CHP, before it enters the boiler, it must first be prepared. In order to prevent the formation of scale in the boilers, at the first stage, the water must be softened, and at the second, it must be cleaned of all kinds of impurities and inclusions.

All this takes place on the territory of the chemical workshop, in which all these containers and vessels are located.

Water is pumped by huge pumps.

The work of the workshop is controlled from here.

Lots of buttons around...

Sensors…

And also completely obscure elements ...

Water quality is tested in the laboratory. Everything is serious here...

The water obtained here, in the future, we will call "Pure Water".

So, we figured out the water, now we need fuel. Usually it is gas, fuel oil or coal. At Cheboksary CHPP-2, the main type of fuel is gas supplied through the main gas pipeline Urengoy - Pomary - Uzhgorod. At many stations there is a fuel preparation point. Here, natural gas, as well as water, is purified from mechanical impurities, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide.

The CHPP is a strategic facility, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Therefore, here everywhere, and for everything, there is a reserve. Fuel is no exception. In the absence of natural gas, our station can run on fuel oil, which is stored in huge tanks located across the road.

Now we have Clean water and prepared fuel. The next point of our journey is the boiler and turbine shop.

It consists of two departments. The first one contains boilers. No not like this. In the first one there are BOILERS. To write differently, the hand does not rise, each, with a twelve-story building. In total, there are five of them at CHPP-2.

This is the heart of the CHP plant, and here the main action takes place. The gas entering the boiler burns out, releasing a crazy amount of energy. This is where Pure Water comes in. After heating, it turns into steam, more precisely into superheated steam, having an outlet temperature of 560 degrees and a pressure of 140 atmospheres. We will also call it "Pure steam" because it is formed from prepared water.

In addition to steam, we also have exhaust at the exit. At maximum power, all five boilers consume almost 60 cubic meters of natural gas per second! To remove the products of combustion, you need a non-childish "smoke" pipe. And there is one too.

The pipe can be seen from almost any area of ​​the city, given the height of 250 meters. I suspect that this is the tallest building in Cheboksary.

Nearby is a slightly smaller pipe. Reserve again.

If the CHP plant is coal-fired, additional exhaust treatment is required. But in our case, this is not required, since natural gas is used as fuel.

In the second section of the boiler and turbine shop there are installations that generate electricity.

Four of them are installed in the engine room of the Cheboksary CHPP-2, with a total capacity of 460 MW (megawatts). It is here that superheated steam from the boiler room is supplied. He, under huge pressure, is sent to the turbine blades, forcing the thirty-ton rotor to rotate at a speed of 3000 rpm.

The installation consists of two parts: the turbine itself, and a generator that generates electricity.

And here is what the turbine rotor looks like.

Sensors and gauges are everywhere.

Both turbines and boilers can be stopped instantly in case of an emergency. For this, there are special valves that can shut off the supply of steam or fuel in a fraction of a second.

Interestingly, is there such a thing as an industrial landscape, or an industrial portrait? It has its own beauty.

There is a terrible noise in the room, and in order to hear a neighbor, you have to strain your hearing a lot. Besides, it's very hot. I want to take off my helmet and strip down to my T-shirt, but I can't do that. For safety reasons, short-sleeved clothing is prohibited at the CHP plant, there are too many hot pipes.

Most of the time, the workshop is empty, people appear here once every two hours, during a round. And the operation of the equipment is controlled from the Main Control Board (Group Control Panels for Boilers and Turbines).

This is what the duty station looks like.

There are hundreds of buttons around.

And dozens of sensors.

Some are mechanical and some are electronic.

This is our excursion, and people are working.

In total, after the boiler and turbine shop, at the output we have electricity and steam that has partially cooled down and lost part of its pressure. With electricity, it seems to be easier. At the output from different generators, the voltage can be from 10 to 18 kV (kilovolt). With the help of block transformers, it rises to 110 kV, and then electricity can be transmitted over long distances using power transmission lines (power lines).

It is unprofitable to release the remaining “Clean Steam” to the side. Since it is formed from "Pure Water", the production of which is a rather complicated and costly process, it is more expedient to cool it and return it to the boiler. And so in a vicious circle. But with its help and with the help of heat exchangers, you can heat water or produce secondary steam, which can be safely sold to third-party consumers.

In general, this is how we get heat and electricity into our homes, having the usual comfort and coziness.

Oh yes. Why are cooling towers needed anyway?