FACTS and

THEORIES of

COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT

By: Engr. Boy A. Ramos

TURBINE

SIMPLE DIAGRAM OF A COAL-FIRED STEAM POWER PLANT

CHIMNEY (PANGHAW)

BOILER (BUKALANAN SA TUBIG)

FLUE GAS HEAT + CO2 + N2O+ CO+ NO2+SO2

OTHER POLLUTANTS

HEAT REJECTED TO THE

COOLING WATER

POWER

OUTPUT HEAT INPUT to

boiler

PUMP

WORK

HEAT FROM THE

BURNED COAL

600MW

FURNACE

(PUGON)

200MWe

Generator

CONDENSER

(TRANSFORMS STEAM TO

LIQUID PHASE)

Solid waste as bottom

ash containing toxic

pollutants

Solid waste as fly ash

containing toxic

pollutants

Greenhouse

gases with air

pollutants

ESP

Thermal Pollution to Environment (Colorless)

Environmental impacts of coal-fired power plant: fuel supply

- Mining

-- Washing --- Transport

Underground mining is one of the most hazardous of occupations, killing and injuring many in accidents, and causing chronic health problems. COAL TRANSPORT A typical coal plant requires 40 railroad cars to supply 1.4 million tons in a year. Railroad locomotives, which rely on diesel fuel, emit nearly 1 million tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and 52,000 tons of coarse and small particles in the United States. Dust blowing from coal trains contributes particulate matter to the air.

(Greenpeace)

In the US , the 1.05 billion tons of coal burn each year contain

109 tons of MERCURY

7,884 tons of ARSENIC

1,167 tons of BERYLLIUM

750 tons of CADMIUM

8,810 tons of CHROMIUM

9,339 tons of NICKEL

2,587 tons of SELENIUM

Mountaintop Coal-Mining

Coal Mining Site in Iowa, USA

NASA Image Captures Destruction of Island from Coal Mining A photograph taken by an astronaut on the International Space Station on March 31 captures a rare

cloud-free glimpse of the Panian Coalfield, one of the largest coal mines in Asia and one of three coal

operations on Semirara Island in the Philippines. The Semirara Mining Corporation, which operates the

coal field, uses open-pit methods in which rock and soil are removed to reach coal seams below. In this

image, released by NASA, several huge piles of rock and other mining debris can be seen ringing the

northern half of the pit, with the dark coal seams visible along the southern wall of the mine. Also visible

are plumes of sediment emanating from the piles of rock and soil known as overburden into the Sulu Sea off the islands northern coast. In recent years the mining company has denied allegations that waste from the coal operation has contaminated or damaged the islands coastal areas. The island is located about 174 miles south of Manila . Source: http://e360.yale.edu/content/images/0410-semirara-mining-nasa.html. Accessed: 7/7/2010

Per 1.05 billion tons of coal/year,

13 tons of MERCURY, 3,236 tons of ARSENIC,

189 tons of BERYLLIUM , 251 tons of CADMIUM ,

2,754 tons of NICKEL, 1,098 tons of SELENIUM

(Greenpeace)

Environmental impacts of coal-fired power plant: fuel burning - Stack Emissions -- Waste Heat --- Solid wastes

Situations in the USA

Per 1.05 billion tons of coal, 52 tons of

MERCURY, 47 tons of ARSENIC, 8 tons of BERYLLIUM, 3 tons of CADMIUM, 62 tons of

CHROMIUM , 52 tons of NICKEL, 184 tons of

SELENIUM, and Greenhouse gases such CO2, NO2, SO2, CO, H20, N2O, etc.

Emissions during

burning

ESP

PER 1.05 billion tons of coal,

44 tons of MERCURY, 4,601 tons of ARSENIC, 970

tons of BERYLLIUM , 496 tons of CADMIUM , 6,275

tons of CHROMIUM , 6,533 tons of NICKEL, 1,305

tons of SELENIUM which are trapped with the ashes

(Bottom ash and fly ash). Greenpeace

For the Proposed

200-MWe Coal-Fired Power Plant (Circulating Fluidized Combustion Technology)

Bituminous Coal has

MERCURY content of

12.5 52.4 nanogram/g

Source: Mercury Analysis of Various Types of Coal

By: Jae Young Park, et. Al. Department of Chemical Engineeering Yonsel University, Seoul, South Korea

Important!

47.71% of MERCURY content of coal

is emitted to the atmosphere during combustion

40.37% of MERCURY content of coal, by

weight, is TRAPPED with the FLY & BOTTOM ASHES which are bound

for disposal to the ASH POND

Proponent had distributed flyers claiming negligible emission of arsenic, lead, and

cadmium.

But, 58.35 % ARSENIC and 66.13% CADMIUM

in coal are trapped with the fly ash and are bound for disposal to a

LANDFILL (7 hectares of unknown depth and without roof)

Table 3. Estimated waste stream (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, P. 4)

Project phase

Type of generation

Estimated generation

Daily generation Annual generation

Construction Generation of sewage

118m3/day 118m3 43070m3

Operation Heated Effluents

8.7m3/sec 751,680m3 27.44M m3

Wastewater 260.4m3/day 68,790.4 gals. 25.11 million gals.

Emissions from boiler

0.01 kg/s TSP 0.12 kg/s SO2 0.05 kg/s NO2 53.34 kg/s CO2

864 kg TSP 10,368 kg SO2 4,320 kg NO2 4,608.6 tons CO2

315360 kg TSP 3,784 tons SO2 1,577 tons NO2 1,682,130 tons CO2

Ash 1.3 kg/s FA 0.14 kg/s BA

112320 kg FA 12096 kg BA

40,997 tons FA 4,415 tons BA

Domestic Solid Waste

871 kg/day 871 kg 317915 kg

Limestone

400MW thermal heat to

the environment

NO2 (1,576,800kg/yr),

SO2 (3,784,320kg/yr),

CO2 (1,682,130,240 kg/yr)

& Hg (3.33-13.91kg /yr), etc.

Fly ash (40,997 tons/yr) with Hg

(2.81-11.77kg/yr) & other toxic

matters such as arsenic, lead, etc.

Bottom ash

(4,415tons/yr) with

pollutants

Note: 45,412 tons of Ashes are for disposal in a 7 ha.-landfill

without roof & unknown depth. Hg (61.8-259.2 ppb)

SO2 react w/

limestone @

temp > 750oC

40.37 % of Hg

content of coal

47.7% of Hg

content of

coal

1,524,706 kg

coal/day

NOx

abatement

Optimum @

300-400oC

Colorless GHG

ESP

50% of Hg emitted

from CFPPs can

travel up to 600 miles

(966 km) from source

1 cu. meter of ash would range from 2100 3000 kg

Therefore,

7 hectares landfill @ 20 meters deep

may be filled with Coal Combustion By-Products in four (4) years.

ON CARBON SINK

A hectare of rubber trees (415 trees) can absorb 7.69 tons of CO2 per year

A mango tree absorbs

302 kg CO2/yr

Coffee/cacao trees absorb approximate 70 tons CO2/year-

hectare at 1100 trees per hectare

CO2 Absorption of trees: Rubber Tree - 7.69 Tons of CO2/(ha)(yr) International Rubber Research & Development Board @ 415 trees/ha

Mango (carabao) - 302 kg CO2/(tree)(yr) http://www.mangoseedling.com/advocacies2.htmlhttp://www.mangoseedling.com

For Mango, 1,682,130,240 kg CO2/yr would need 55,700 hectares @ 100 trees/ha.

Coffee/cacao (shaded) - 70 ton CO2/(ha)(yr)@ http:/www.agrometeorology.org 1,100 trees per ha.

24,030 hectares is necessary to

absorb the projected emission

Proponents forestation is only 7,500 hectares. Pls. take note of

this!

102 billion tons

of CO2 /year

Kept in BALANCE by

NATURAL SINKS

COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS, TRANSPORT,

DEFORESTATION DUE TO MINING

2006, NEW BOOK OF POPULAR SCIENCE

THE OCEAN SLIGHTLY ABSORBS MORE THAN IT EMITS

OCEAN

INCREASING

AMOUNT OF GHG

CONSTANTLY

DISRUPTED THE

BALANCE CAUSING

GLOBAL WARMING

HEAT WASTE AS THERMAL POLLUTANT

TURBINE

SIMPLE DIAGRAM OF A COAL-FIRED STEAM POWER PLANT

CHIMNEY (PANGHAW)

BOILER (BUKALANAN SA TUBIG)

FLUE GAS HEAT + CO2 + N2O+ CO+ NO2+SO2

OTHER POLLUTANTS

HEAT REJECTED TO THE

COOLING WATER

POWER

OUTPUT HEAT INPUT to

boiler

PUMP

WORK

HEAT FROM THE

BURNED COAL

600MW

FURNACE

(PUGON)

200MWe

Generator

CONDENSER

(TRANSFORMS STEAM TO

LIQUID PHASE)

Hot water

being

aerated

at the

cooling

tower

Cooling Tower Condenser

Waste Water

Pond

Wastewater

treatment Recycled Cooling Water

Make-up Cooling Water

From Raw Water Source

Steam from

the turbine

Cold Air entering the

Cooling Tower

Waste water to somewhere w/ temp higher than the receiver

Heat emitted to the

surrounding air which is the

main portion of the 400,000 kJoules per second

Water to

boiler

Equivalent HEAT released when BURNING

25 kg of woods/sec

or

90,000 kg of woods/hour

WATER CONSUMPTION

WATER FOR STEAM GENERATION AND CONDENSER COOLING WATER

the power plant will need

750 CUBIC METER/HOUR (198,150 GALLONS/HOUR)

(Will be drawn from Siguil River or DEEP WELLS and to be supplied by a third

party) (THIS HOURLY CONSUMPTION WOULD BE ENOUGH TO SUPPLY TO 30 HOUSEHOLDS

WITH MONTHLY CONSUMTION OF 25 CUBIC METERS.)

Note: 1 cu m = 264.2 US gallons = 6.3 barrels

Adverse Impacts of Coal-Fired Plants in the Philippines * Impacts on Health Due to Emitted Substances * Flooding Due to Global Warming

Substances Emitted by Coal Fired Power Plants

Mercury

Cadmium

Chromium

Lead

Manganese

Arsenic

Boron

Selenium

Molybdenum

Uranium

Radium 226, 228

Thorium 232

Aluminum

Sulfate

Beryllium

Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

US Environmental Protection Agency

Adverse Impacts of CFPPs Philippine Experience

Increase in respiratory diseases like

bronchitis & pneumonia (Brgy

Dacanlao near Calaca plant)

Lower forced vital capacity in almost all

male children (Brgy Dacanlao)

Increased incidence of skin, respiratory &

heart ailments, & eye irritation (Calaca)

Wilson Manuba, with his family. This Calancan Bay fisherman had his leg amputated due to arsenic poisoning

Photograph by David

Sproule/Oxfam Australia

Effects of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

Potent respiratory irritant NOx + Hydrocarbons + sunlight = GROUNDLEVEL OZONE Ozone respiratory irritant burning

sensation & difficulty of breathing during exercise

--high risk groups: children,

elderly, persons w/ lung diseases, people who exercise outdoors

Effects of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

Inflammation of nose & lungs Triggering of asthma attacks Triggering of heart attacks in

people with heart ailments

Toxic Effects of Mercury nervous system

heart

kidneys

Eyes, Ears, Mouth and throat

Muscle weakness

Reproductive system

Minamata Disease

The US EPA has set a limit of 2 parts of mercury per billion parts

of drinking water (2 ppb)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set a

maximum permissible level of 1

part of methylmercury in a million

parts of seafood (1 ppm).

LEAD

Lead is one out of four metals that have the most damaging effects on

human health.

It can enter the human body through uptake of food (65%), water (20%)

and air (15%).

10ug/dl impair mental and physical development in children

>80 ug/dl causes convulsions, coma and death

Lead

From www.kdheks.gov/ables/images/later.gif

House painter with wasted muscles and wrist drop affected by chronic lead poisoning

Photo credit: www.corrosion-doctors.org

Specific Effects of LEAD

Toxic effects are noted after chronic exposure

Neurotoxicity encephalopathy, dizziness, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, headache, convulsions, lethargy, coma

Harms the digestive systems, blood, kidneys

Causes learning and behavioral problems in children

Causes miscarriages

Specific effects of ARSENIC

Cancers of the bladder, prostate, kidney, liver, lungs & skin

Dysfunctions of the digestive system & kidneys

Nervous system involvement w/ impairment in movement & sensation

Photo credit: arsenic project www.physics.harvard.edu

Specific Effects of CHROMIUM

Hexavalent form is among the strongest known causes of lung cancer

Nasal cancers Respiratory tract disturbances Liver & kidney damage Stomach ulcers Convulsions Hematologic disturbances anemia, intravascular

hemolysis

Ocular disturbances corneal opacification, keratitis, conjunctivitis

increased risk of bone, prostate, lymphomas, Hodgkins, leukemia, stomach, genital, renal and bladder cancer

EXISTING COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS IN THE

PHILIPPINES WITH HSTORY OF FLY ASH EMISSIONS

CONTAINING SOME TOXIC POLLUTANTS

Sual Location: Pangasinan

Operator: TeaM Energy Corp Configuration: 2 X 647 MW

Operation: 1999 Fuel: coal

Boiler supplier: Stein T/G supplier: GEC_Alstom

EPC: Alstom, Arup, Slipform Quick facts: Development started when Consolidated

Electric Power Asia Ltd (a subsidiary of Hopewell Holdings) bid and won a $900mn BOOT tender for a 1,000-MW power station at Sual. Site prep started in 1995 and construction started in Feb 1996. The 30ha site is on Bangayao Point on Lingayen Gulf. The plant

has wet limestone FGD scrubbers from Alstom. Photograph courtesy of Sound Research Laboratories Ltd

Posted 18 Oct 2006

Sample Number M10202

Description fly ash

Power Facility Sual

Element (dry wt) mg/kg

Arsenic (As) 8.4 =8.4 ppm

Cadmium (Cd)

Mauban, Quezon Location: Quezon

Operator: Quezon Power Ltd Configuration: 1 X 490 MW

Operation: 1999 Fuel: coal

Boiler supplier: FW T/G supplier: GE

EPC: Bechtel Quick facts: This IPP on a 100ha site in Mauban has electrostatic

precipitators, low-NOX burners, and an FGD scrubber. Union Bank of Switzerland agreed to underwrite up to $600mn of bank financing for

the $860mn project, which also includes a 31km transmission line. The project has a 25yr PPA with Meralco. In late 1997, lead developer InterGen sold a 26% stake in Mauban to Global Power Investments

LP, formed in 1994 by GE Capital, Soros Fund Management, and International Finance Corp. InterGen retains a 46% stake, with

Covanta having a 26% share and PMR holding 2%. The plant has a long-term coal supply contract with Indonesias PT Adaro and Kaltim Prima and burns about 1.65mn tons per year. Dedicated port and coal

handling facilities were built.

Photograph courtesy of Covanta Posted 28 Sep 2005

Sample Number M102013

Description fly ash

Power Facility Mauban

Element (dry wt) mg/kg

Arsenic (As) 41.8=41.8ppm

Cadmium (Cd)

Masinloc Location: Zambales

Operator: Masinloc Power Partners Co Ltd Configuration: 2 X 300 MW

Operation: 1998-1999 Fuel: coal

Boiler supplier: MHI T/G supplier: MHI, Melco

EPC: Stone & Webster, Commonwealth Engineers, MHI Quick facts: In Dec 2004, PSALM awarded the Masinloc plant to a

consortium of YNN Holdings Corp and Great Pacific Financial Group for $561.7mn. This was the largest sale by far to that date and was both double the next highest bid and substantially above

the expected bid. In the event, the consortium could not consummate the sale and the plant was rebid in Jul 2007 and

eventually sold to a consortium led by AES Corp. Financing closed in mid-April 2008, with the participation of the ADB, IFC and a

syndicate of commercial banks. A new 600-MW unit is in planning.

Photograph courtesy of National Power Corp Re-posted 18 Oct 2006

Sample Number M02014

Description fly ash

Power Facility Masinloc

Element (dry wt) mg/kg

Arsenic (As) 10.4

Cadmium (Cd)

Mindanao Location: Misamis Oriental

Operator: STEAG State Power Inc Configuration: 2 X 116 MW

Operation: 2006 Fuel: bituminous coal

Boiler supplier: Kawasaki T/G supplier: Toshiba

EPC: Kawasaki, Commonwealth Engineers Co Quick Facts: This plant at the Phivdec Industrial Estate near Cagayan de Oro City was approved by NPC and PSALM in Sep 2003. The lead financing was by Taiwans State Investment Trust which has an 11% stake in the project with STEAG taking an 89% stake. The project dates to 1996 when a 25yr PPA was signed. This was formalized in Oct 2001 and in Apr 2002, Kawasaki was awarded the EPC contract for the plant, which burns Indonesian coal. Construction started in

Jan 2004 and the plant cost $305mn. Financial close was in Dec 2003 with a group of lenders including JBIC, Nippon Export and Insurance

Corp,and Germanys KfW, Bayerische Hypo-und Vereinsbank, and Dresdner Bank.

Photograph courtesy of STEAG

Posted 13 Jan 2007

* No data available yet as to fly ash emissions. Necessary investigation should be done soonest.

* Another area for investigation is the temperature rise in sea water. The plant is not using cooling tower and the cooling water is

drawn directly from the sea disposed back to the sea.

STEAM FROM

TURBINE

CONDENSATE

TO BOILER

CONDENSER

HE

AT

RE

JE

CT

ED

BY

ST

EA

M

=

HE

AT

AB

SO

RB

ED

BY

CO

OL

ING

WA

TE

R

TI

TE HEAT REJECTED

TO THE

ENVIRONMENT

(THE SEA WATER)

Power Supply Situation in Mindanao

--Will there be a power crisis

in 2010 or 2015?

Table 1

The peak demand for the whole of Mindanao in 2006 & 2007 Grid 2007 2006 % change

Luzon 6,643 6,466 2.74

Visayas 1,102 1,066 3.38

Mindanao 1,241 1,228 1.06

Table 2 MINDANAO POWER SUPPLY CAPACITY AS OF April 2008

Capacity in MW

INSTALLED* DEPENDABLE**

DIESEL 594.29 477.94

GEOTHERMAL 108.48 99.50

HYDRO 997.65 902.39

COAL THERMAL 232.00 201.25

1932.42 1681.08

Year 2015: Power Demand = 1,241X(1.03)8 = 1,572MW

To determine the year when the power shortage may be experience

n = ln(1,681.08/1,241)/ln(1.03) = 10.3 In Year 2018, the peak demand will be approximately equal to the dependable power

supply in Mindanao Grid. Except if a mining company will be operated sooner.

Precautionary Principle

We should not proceed whenever

there is no certainty for HEALTH

and ENVIRONMENT

BETTER BE SAFE THAN

SORRY!

Excerpt from the Political Hotsheet 4/22/2009 Posted by Brian Montopoli

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. , an environment lawyer, says, There is nothing radical about protecting water and air for our children, he said, adding that it is a false choice to either protect the economy or the environment. Our children are going to pay for our JOYRIDE.

We are great people- natural geniuses in our love of Mother Earth. After all, we live in the richest and most beautiful country on earth. However, some of our so-called leaders had distracted our focus to the false expense of the real wealth of life that lies in our land, our air, our waters and in our hearts

Quoted by: ANTONIO OPOSA

Oposa Wins Environmental Law Award

Philippine Daily Inquirer

15 April 2009

Wind Energy

The best wind resource areas, principally good (utilityscale) to excellent (rural scale), in Southern Mindanao are the higher terrain areas east of Davao Gulf, along the mountains that separate Davao del Sur from southern Cotabato, west of Sarangani Bay, and west of Isulan. Two locations, Sharp Peak and Saddle Peak, in Davao del Sur, are classified as having an excellent wind resource

Sources:

PEDP Sustainable Energy Development Program

USAID & USDOE

This beautiful forest will remain as is even w/o CO2 supply from Coal-Fired Power Plant

Thank You For Opposing the Establishment &

Operation of a Coal-Fired Power Plant!

Let us defend NATURE & HUMANITY