Coal power...

Dr_Josh001

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The endless battle between media/fickle minds/politicians and the people with "real" experience. Have a read:


This article appeared in the Rockhampton morning Bulletin on 22.12.09. The author Terry is now retired and is in excellent health at age 69. Nobody paid him to write the article which was, (to their credit), published by the local press. Terry told me I could distribute his article as I saw fit.

Written By Terence Cardwell <terrycar@iinet.net.au>

The Editor
The Morning Bulletin.

I have sat by for a number of years frustrated at the rubbish being put forth about carbon dioxide emissions, thermal coal fired power stations and renewable energy and the ridiculous Emissions Trading Scheme. Frustration at the lies told (particularly during the election) about global pollution. Using Power Station cooling towers for an example. The condensation coming from those cooling towers is as pure as that that comes out of any kettle.

Frustration about the so called incorrectly named man made 'carbon emissions' which of course is Carbon Dioxide emissions and what it is supposedly doing to our planet. Frustration about the lies told about renewable energy and the deliberate distortion of renewable energy and its ability to replace fossil fuel energy generation. And frustration at the ridiculous carbon credit programme which is beyond comprehension. And further frustration at some members of the public who have not got a clue about thermal Power Stations or Renewable Energy. Quoting ridiculous figures about something they clearly have little or no knowledge of.

First coal fired power stations do NOT send 60 to 70% of the energy up the chimney. The boilers of modern power station are 96% efficient and the exhaust heat is captured by the economisers and reheaters and heat the air and water before entering the boilers. The very slight amount exiting the stack is moist as in condensation and CO2. There is virtually no fly ash because this is removed by the precipitators or bagging plant that are 99.98% efficient. The 4% lost is heat through boiler wall convection. Coal fired Power Stations are highly efficient with very little heat loss and can generate massive amount of energy for our needs. They can generate power at efficiency of less than 10,000 b.t.u. per kilowatt and cost wise that is very low. The percentage cost of mining and freight is very low. The total cost of fuel is 8% of total generation cost and does NOT constitute a major production cost.

As for being laughed out of the country, China is building multitudes of coal fired power stations because they are the most efficient for bulk power generation. We have, like, the USA, coal fired power stations because we HAVE the raw materials and are VERY fortunate to have them. Believe me no one is laughing at Australia - exactly the reverse, they are very envious of our raw materials and independence. The major percentage of power in Europe and U.K. is nuclear because they don't have the coal supply for the future.

Yes it would be very nice to have clean, quiet, cheap energy in bulk supply. Everyone agrees that it would be ideal. You don't have to be a genius to work that out. But there is only one problem---It doesn't exist. Yes - there are wind and solar generators being built all over the world but they only add a small amount to the overall power demand. The maximum size wind generator is 3 Megawatts, which can rarely be attained on a continuous basis because it requires substantial forces of wind. And for the same reason only generate when there is sufficient wind to drive them. This of course depends where they are located but usually they only run for 45% -65% of the time, mostly well below maximum capacity. They cannot be relied for a 'base load' because they are too variable. And they certainly could not be used for load control.

The peak load demand for electricity in Australia is approximately 50,000 Megawatts and only small part of this comes from the Snowy Hydro Electric System (The ultimate power Generation) because it is only available when water is there from snow melt or rain. And yes they can pump it back but it cost to do that. (Long Story). Tasmania is very fortunate in that they have mostly hydro electric generation because of their high amounts of snow and rainfall. They also have wind generators (located in the roaring forties) but that is only a small amount of total power generated. Based on a average generating output of 1.5 megawatts (of unreliable power) you would require over 33,300 wind generators.

As for solar power generation much research has been done over the decades and there are two types. Solar thermal generation and Solar Electric generation but in each case they cannot generate large amounts of electricity.

Any clean, cheap energy is obviously welcomed but they would NEVER have the capability of replacing Thermal power generation. So get your heads out of the clouds, do some basic mathematics and look at the facts not going off with the fairies (or some would say the extreme greenies.)

We are all greenies in one form or another and care very much about our planet. The difference is most of us are realistic. Not in some idyllic utopia where everything can be made perfect by standing around holding a banner and being a general pain in the backside.

Here are some facts that will show how ridiculous this financial madness the government is following. Do the simple maths and see for yourselves.

According to the 'believers' the CO2 in air has risen from 0.034% to 0.038% in air over the last 50 years.

To put the percentage of Carbon Dioxide in air in a clearer perspective;

If you had a room 12 ft x 12 ft x 7 ft or 3.7 mtrs x 3.7 mtrs x 2.1 mtrs, the area carbon dioxide would occupy in that room would be 0.25m x 0.25m x 0.17m or the size of a large packet of cereal.

Australia emits 1 percent of the world's total carbon Dioxide and the government wants to reduce this by twenty percent or reduce emissions by 0.2 percent of the world's total CO2 emissions. What effect will this have on existing CO2 levels? By their own figures they state the CO2 in air has risen from 0.034% to 0.038% in 50 years.

Assuming this is correct, the world CO2 has increased in 50 years by 0.004 percent. Per year that is 0.004 divided by 50 = 0.00008 percent. (Getting confusing -but stay with me).

Of that because we only contribute 1% our emissions would cause CO2 to rise 0 .00008 divided by 100 = 0.0000008 percent.

Of that 1%, we supposedly emit, the governments wants to reduce it by 20% which is 1/5th of 0.0000008 = 0.00000016 percent effect per year they would have on the world CO2 emissions based on their own figures. That would equate to a volume in the same room, as the size of a small pin!!! For that they have gone crazy with the ridiculous trading schemes, Solar and roofing installations, Clean coal technology. Renewable energy, etc, etc.

How ridiculous it that. The cost to the general public and industry will be enormous. Cripple and even closing some smaller business.

T.L. Cardwell

To the Editor: I thought I should clarify. I spent 25 years in the Electricity Commission of NSW working, commissioning and operating the various power units. My last was the 4 X 350 MW Munmorah Power Station near Newcastle. I would be pleased to supply you any information you may require.
 
hmm will post later but i have some issues with his "efficency".

i will make a proper post when i get home...
 
I got lost after 'The Editor'. :bored:

One thing I got thinking about (after seeing my wife's house built), is why it isn't being mandated (along with water tanks) to have solar panels on people's roofs? To think of all the sun we get in this country whose power isn't being harnessed.

What about all the gym junkies? Can't he harness their kinetic energy into generators too?
 
Normally I don't read through these kinds of things, but it was quite interesting and well written! Hopefully he gets more exposure and same with this letter
 
Just a few things about this letter,

1) the efficiencies of the boilers are a redundant measure, one would only assume that it should be close to 100%, the more important measure is the efficiency of the whole cycle (which without specifics i would estimate to be less than 50%).

2) a rise of 34PPM to 38PPM is close to a 12% increase in CO2 levels, not sa insignificant as the letter would lead you to belive.

i could go on but i will stop there, although i will say i am very sceptical of anyone quoteing bad/dodge science, using figures out of context, etc. really annoys me.
 
I don't find that letter to be at all well written. I'm on my phone, so I can't copy and paste some examples, however the grammar and punctuation is atrocious.

Without a major paradigm shift we're doomed, and bumblefucking our way through cumbersome schemes, all following the same agenda, is just wasting our precious time.
 
Also, Munmorah Power Station is nowhere near Newcastle as he says.

Well over an hour's drive away south.

Though everyone loves our coal. The lineup of tankers waiting along the coast to get into Newcastle Port is just amazing...
 
How many of you critics have worked in the coal industry? This man has much experience and has worked with "real" figures. I have worked in the coal and mining industry for six and half years as has my brother and we know exactly what Terry is talking about. The figures I'm sure any of you have access to would be manipulated crap generated by journalistic press release. If thermal power generators were only 50% efficient then they would have been phased out long ago. And if gramma or the location not being with 1 hour of Newcastle is your beef then that's just petty nit picking and go back to your television sets and believe what you want.

The main point of this article is that our production vs the cost to reduce is a poofteenth compared to that of China or the US and will make very little difference in the world wide scheme of things. Many of us like our jobs and having some disposable income to spend on our toys. Well all that will disappear unless things don't get put into perspective.

I am a greeny and am looking forward to when I build my house with solar panels, solar hot water and various other cost effective/emission reducing devices.
 
journalistic figures? I think you should have a look at the second law of thermodynamics, which is the basis for most of the thermodynamic cycles we use. BTW whats the efficiency of a internal combustion engine (which is based on the otto cycle)? and they have not been phased out.

As an enginer i do know that we will not find any electricity scouce that will be as cheap and reliable as coal, but the boiler efficincy has almost nothing to do with the efficincy of the power station, the main limit is the second law of thermodynamics.
 
Its an interesting letter indeed, while i dont think coal powerstations are as inefficient as most are lead to beleive, im not sure they are as efficient as 99.8% or something. Im also wary of letters or propoganda that quote lots of numbers or statistics, its easy to get caught up and wowed by it all and not question the source, calculation etc. Rann does the same thing here in state polotics, reels off some 'amazing' figure of what will happen or has happened as a result of one of his policies, it shits me off no end. Thankfully it looke like people might have had enough of his shit, but thats a ddifferent matter.

Yes, i agree Australias output of carbon is bugger all compared to more populated countries, but per head, we are pretty inefficient. I disagree with this push to create a carbon tax that will cost mega $$$ BUT....

Australia needs to take a lead and do something as an example to the rest of the world. I think reducing peoples impact through lifestyle changes (such as embracing solar technology for elec. and water heating etc) will go a long way
 
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