Thermal power generation is the procedure for obtaining renewable energy by burning fuels like LNG, etc., to convert into electrical energy by employing power generating facilities.

Steam Power Generation

Steam electricity generation is a power generation method using the growth ability of steam. Steam using warm and high pressure is generated from the heat by burning off heavy crude oil, LNG (liquefied natural gas), coal, etc.. This steam is used to rotate the impeller at a turbine, which triggers a generator to generate electricity. Steam power generation uses thermal energy using a comparatively low temperature (600°C or reduced ).

Combined Cycle Power Generation

Combined cycle power production is a power generation method combining the usage of a gas turbine and a steam turbine.

High thermal efficiency can be achieved by combining these two methods of electricity generation:
Gas turbine power production by rotating the generator by using the growing power of combustion gas generated by burning fuels inside compressed air, and
Steam power generation by rotating the steam turbine using the accumulated residual heat of the exhaust gas.

Due to the composition of steam turbines and gas turbines, the operation/stoppage can be changed, which quickly responds to necessity.

For a better understanding of how a thermal power plant works, the following are its power plant operations,

Initially, the pulverized coal is burnt into the furnace of a steam boiler.
High-pressure steam is generated in the boiler.
This steam is then moved through the superheater, where it further heated up.
This superheated steam is then entered into a turbine at high speed.
In the turbine, this steam force rotates the turbine blades that means here in the turbine, the stored potential energy of the high pressured steam is converted into mechanical energy.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermal Power Station

Advantages:
Economical for low initial cost other than any generating plant.
Land required is less than hydropower plant.
Since coal is the primary fuel and its cost is quite cheap than petrol/diesel, so the generation cost is economical.
Maintenance is easier.
A thermal power plant can be installed in any location where there’s an availability of transportation and water.
Disadvantages:
The running cost for a thermal power station is comparatively high due to fuel, maintenance, etc.
A large amount of smoke causes air pollution. The thermal power station is responsible for Global warming.
The heated water that comes from a thermal power plant harms the aquatic lives in the water and disturbs the ecology.
The overall efficiency of the thermal power plant is low (less than 30%).

A thermal power station or even a coal-fired thermal electricity plant is the most convenient way of generating electric power with reasonably high efficiency. It uses coal as the primary fuel to boil the water available to generate superheated steam and then drive the steam turbine. The steam turbine is mechanically coupled to an alternator rotor, the rotation of which results in the generation of electric power.

Generally in India, coal or brown coal is employed as the fuel of boiler which has material ranging from 8 to 33% and ash material 5 to 16 percent. To enhance the thermal efficiency of the plant, the coal is used from the boiler in its own pulverized form.