Coal

What is a coal?

Coal is a fossil fuel formed as a result of the increasing ecosystem over the years where plant remains were hoarded by water and mud from the process of oxidation of the material and biodegradation.

Coal is said to be the largest source of energy and electricity worldwide, as well as one of the largest worldwide anthropogenic sources of carbon dioxide releases. Gross carbon dioxide emissions from coal usage are slightly more than those from petroleum and natural gas. It is extracted from the ground by mining, either underground by shaft mining through the seams or in open pits.

Coal is also a combustible rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers, usually black or brownish black in color. The harder forms of coals can be considered as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure. It is primarily composed of carbon along with variable quantities of other elements, sulfur, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. The emission in the likes of coal is somewhat higher then petroleum; and the fossil fuels are being extracted by means of mining. The pulling of the fuel if basically carried out in terms of deep pit mines. Usage of coal as a fuel is approximately outmoded from industries that still continue to use it for price increase.

Coal starts to form when the layers of plant matter accumulate at the bottom of a body of water. The plant matter must be protected from biodegradation and oxidation for a continuous process. The chemical and physical properties of the plant remain were changed by geological action to create a solid material.

The uses coal today

Coal is mainly used as a solid fuel to generate electricity and heat through combustion. World coal consumption was about 6,743,786,000 short tons in 2006, and is expected to go up 48% to 9.98 billion short tons by 2030. In China, they were able to produce 2.38 billion tons in 2006. Then, India, 447.3 million tons produced in 2006. 68.7% of China’s electricity comes from coal. The USA consumes about 14% of the world total, using 90% of it generation of electricity. Coal is usually pulverized and combusted in a furnace with a boiler for electricity generation purposes. The furnace heat converts boiler water to steam, which is then used to spin turbines which turn generators and create electricity. The thermodynamics efficiency of this process has been improved over time. The more efficient method of using coal for electricity production is through solid-oxide fuel cells or molten-carbonate fuel cells, which would be able to get 60%-85% combined efficiency.

 As far as gaseous fuels go, one idea is pulverized coal in a gas carrier, for example nitrogen. Another option is coal gasification with water, which may lower fuel voltage by introducing oxygen to the fuel side of the electrolyte, but may also greatly simplify carbon sequestration. Presently, these fuel cell technologies can only process gaseous fuels, and they are also sensitive to sulfur poisoning, issues which would first have to e worked out before large-scale commercial success is possible with coal.