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Danielle Vaguine Fariha Zaman Harrison Smith

Danielle Vaguine Fariha Zaman Harrison Smith. What is Coal?. Coal is a fossil fuel formed from the decomposition of organic materials that have been subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years.

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Danielle Vaguine Fariha Zaman Harrison Smith

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  1. Danielle Vaguine FarihaZaman Harrison Smith

  2. What is Coal? Coal is a fossil fuel formed from the decomposition of organic materials that have been subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years.

  3. Coal is considered a nonrenewable resource because it takes millions of years to make it from fossilized organic material. The rate that it is made is far too slow to consider it to have more being made. Since we are using it at a rate much faster than it can be made it is nonrenewable.

  4. How Coal Is Created

  5. the youngest type of coal- formed at shallow depths and relatively low temperatures • contains about 25-35 percent carbon • High moisture content making it inferior to other coals • Transportation issues- spontaneously combustible • Used mainly for power generation Lignite

  6. 42 to 52 percent carbon • Contains less water than lignite coals • Easy transportation • Low sulfur content (>1% sometimes) • widely used for generating steam power and industrial purposes • 30% of coal reserve Subbituminous

  7. Most abundant form • Ranked from low-volatile to high-volatile based on carbon content • High sulfur content- pollution • Used in steel and iron making and generating electricity Bituminous

  8. 80-95% carbon • Relatively clean • Very scarce- deep underground • Used to heat homes Anthracite

  9. SHORT HISTORY OF COAL • Coal mining developed during the Industrial Revolution • The earliest known use of coal in the Americas was by the Aztecs who used coal for fuel • Britain developed the main techniques of underground coal mining from the late 18th century • By 2010, coal produces over one fourth of the worlds energy and by 2050 it is expected to produce about one third.

  10. Coal is mined in the Appalachian mountain region, and the Midwest. Most coal now produced in the United States is mined in westernsurface mines, especially in Wyoming's Powder River Basin. • The largest reserves in the United States are found in Wyoming, West Virginia, Illinois, and Montana. • The largest single mine in the United States is the North Antolope Rachelle near Gillette, Wyoming; it produces more coal annually than many states. In 2009, it alone produced over 100 million tons of coal.

  11. Coal regions in the United States

  12. China is the largest producer of coal in the world China and the United States are also among the largest coal consumers.

  13. Coal reserves in BTUs (traditional unit of energy)

  14. China, USA, India, Russia, and Japan use 76% of the global coal use.

  15. 6.6 billion tons of hard coal were used worldwide last year (1 billion tons of brown coal) • Biggest market of coal is Asia which currently accounts for over 67% of global coal consumption. China is responsible for a significant portion • thousands of products have coal or coal byproducts like soap, aspirin, dyes, plastics, and fibers World Usage/Largest reserves

  16. Cost of Coal • The average U.S total cost is $33.15 per short ton, but prices are beginning to rise. • 1,842 kWh per ton of coal or .9 kWh per pound of coal.

  17. electricity generation • steel production • cement manufacturing • liquid fuel Primary uses

  18. How coal is turned into electricity

  19. Number one source of CO2 in the US • Causes Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) which creates acid rain • Causes Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) which damages the troposphere and creates smog Pollutants

  20. Particulates- soot • Mercury- responsible <50% of human-caused mercury emissions in the US (neurotoxin) Solutions • Activated carbon injection (ACI) can reduce emissions up to 90% but only 8% of coal heats have • Scrubbers Pollutants cont.

  21. Human Health Effects • Coal can affect the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and the nervous system. • Can cause asthma, lung disease, lung cancer, artery blockages, heart attacks, and more

  22. Coal Cons • Nonrenewable source • Large contributor of CO2 into the atmosphere • mining (causes human/environmental hazards) • pollution • Human health risks

  23. Coal Pros • Abundant supply • Relatively inexpensive • Reliable • Continuous power. Good utilization. High load factor. • Can be made low carbon and clean with CCS and various scrubbers. • Can be converted to a liquid or a gas.

  24. There is enough coal to last us around 112 years at current rates of production • proven oil and gas reserves are equivalent to around 46 and 54 years at current production levels. • over 861 billion tons of proven coal reserves worldwide Availability

  25. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsefuD___bQ

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