How wastes generated in Thermal Power Plant get treated? A Review

Although Thermal Power Plant has its great utility, though it releases huge amount of wastes in the environment. For the generation of electricity, our environment is kept at stake. For the training purpose, I visited Obra Thermal Power Plant, Uttar Pradesh where I have studied the operation and management and conducted experiments for its credibility. This paper consists of the results of the detailed study and experimentation conducted on the management of wastes during my training period. The major concern for the plant is of low graded coal supply which generates huge amount of ash and also the required proportion of ash doesn’t get collected by the cement factories for some reasons. Concerning Environmental issues, harmful gases like Carbon Monoxide, Nitrous Oxide, Sulphur etc are changed into harmless gases before releasing into the chimneys through installation of Fly Gas Chamber and Electrostatic Precipitator. The treated and untreated waste water have been compared and found positive results for various essential parameters. However, the problem is with the Effluent Treatment Plant which doesn’t run frequently as per the need. The huge ash generation is also pumped to Ash Pond, 5 km away from the plant by making slurry and the water gets used up is recycled through Ash Water Recirculation System. If the height of embankment is not maintained properly then contaminated water gets drained into the Renu River, a tributary of river Ganga and pollute the river. The findings provide major concerns raised for the environment and the plant as well. These must be sorted out in order to ensure eco-friendly generation of electricity through Thermal Power Plant. Keywords: Thermal Power Plant, Waste management, Fly Gas Chamber, Electrostatic Precipitator, Effluent Treatment Plant, Ash Pond, Ash Water Recirculation System, Embankment, Eco-friendly.