Coal

Coal is a black or dark brown combustible rock made primarily of carbon. it was formed millions of years ago when ferns plants and trees died and fell into swamps. the swamp conditions prevented the organisms from decaying completely and after millions of years of intense heat and pressure coal was formed.

Coal is classified into four main types or ranks based on carbon and heat content. lignite sub-bituminous bituminous anthracite. the general rule is that the higher the grade of coal the cleaner it burns and the more versatile its uses.

Coal is extracted from the earth through underground mining or surface mining. the choice of mining method is largely determined by the geology of the coal deposit and its distance from the surface. underground mining currently accounts for a larger share of world. coal production than surface mining.

Coal can be burned for heating or to produce electricity to convert thermal coal to electricity it is first milled to a fine powder which increases the surface area and allows it to burn more quickly. the hot gases and heat energy produced from combustion converts water into steam to run a turbine and generator.

High quality coal is also a useful raw material for example it can be converted to Coke for steelmaking. coal can also be converted to liquid or synthetic gas by advanced chemical processes making it a possible but costly replacement for natural gas or liquid fuels for transportation. Coal is a highly abundant and cheap energy resource.

Coal has powered the industrialization of many nations over history and continues to today. it is a big player in today’s energy system providing 40% of the world’s electricity. one major concern with coal is the mining practices used to extract the resource. ecological impacts and human safety issues both for workers and neighboring communities are growing concerns for the industry.

Coal is the most co2 intensive fossil fuel when combusted because it is composed largely of carbon. coal also contains other elements that cause pollution problems including sulfur nitrogen mercury and heavy metals. Sox is a leading cause of acid rain and NOx emissions contribute to smog.

In addition particulates from coal combustion can be harmful to human health. concerns about climate change from greenhouse gas emissions have put a spotlight on coal plants and have prompted the development of clean coal technologies like carbon capture and storage.

that’s coal.