Chapter 11 Fossil Fuels - Coal. Fossil Fuels are fuels formed from the remains of once living...
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Transcript of Chapter 11 Fossil Fuels - Coal. Fossil Fuels are fuels formed from the remains of once living...
Chapter 11 Fossil Fuels - Coal
Fossil Fuels are
fuels formed from the remains of once living things.
types coal, oil, natural gas
coal formed from the remains of swamp vegetation
oil and natural gas formed from the remains of microscopic marine organisms
All Nonrenewable
Nonrenewable Resources Nonrenewable:
used by humans faster than the earth can create
fossil fuels are still being formed by the same geologic processes but too slowly to replace what we’re using
Fig. 16-2, p. 357
Oil and natural gasOil and natural gasFloating oil drilling
platform Oil storage CoalCoalContour strip miningOil drilling
platform on legs
Geothermal Geothermal energyenergy
Hot water storageOil well
Pipeline Geothermal power plant
Gas well Valves Mined coal
Pump Area strip mining Drilling
tower
Pipeline
Impervious rock
Underground coal mineNatural gasWaterOil
Water is heated and brought up as dry
steam or wet steamWater
Coal seam Hot rock
Water penetrates
down through the rock
Magma
Coal is a Sedimentary Rock. Coal outcrop in Alaska
COALCountries with largest proven coal reserves
United States (~25%)Russia (~17%)China (~13%)
COAL Coal reserves in the United States, Russia,
and China could last hundreds to over a thousand years.
In 2005, China and the U.S. accounted for 53% of the global coal consumption.
Known coal deposits could last 200 years at present rate of consumption
Notice regions with very little coal – developed or developing countries? Any connection?
Coal
solid fossil fuel occurs in different grades based on variations
in heat and pressure during burialLignite SubbitumimousBituminousAnthracite
most, if not all, coal deposits have been identified primarily in northern hemisphere
Fig. 16-12, p. 368
Increasing heat and carbon content
Increasing moisture content
Peat (not a coal)
Lignite (brown coal)
Bituminous
(soft coal)
Anthracite
(hard coal)Heat Heat Heat
Pressure Pressure Pressure
Partially decayed plant matter in swamps and bogs; low heat content
Low heat content; low sulfur content; limited supplies in most areas
Extensively used as a fuel because of its high heat content and large supplies; normally has a high sulfur content
Highly desirable fuel because of its high heat content and low sulfur content; supplies are limited in most areas
Coal Mining Methods
Subsurface Mining Description – excavating a vertical shaft or
horizontal tunnel to the resource Benefits – can get to resources far underground Costs – more expensive, more time-consuming,
more dangerous
Surface Mining Description – if resource is <200 ft. from the
surface, the topsoil is removed (and saved), explosives are used to break up the rocks and to remove the resource, reclamation follows
Benefits – cheap, easy, efficient, relatively safe Costs – tears up the land (temporarily), byproducts
produce acid mine drainage that can accumulate in rivers and lakes
Strip Mining earth movers strip away overburden,
giant shovels remove coal often leaves highly erodible hills of
rubble called spoil banks
Figure 15-12Figure 15-12
Surface Mining
Surface Mining
Strip Mining earth movers strip
away overburden, giant shovels remove coal
often leaves highly erodible hills of rubble called spoil banks
Figure 15-12Figure 15-12
Surface Mining
http://library.ndsu.edu/exhibits/text/greatplains/text.html
Surface Mining
Contour Strip Mining
used on hilly or mountainous terrain
if land not restored, a highly erodible bank called a highwall is left
Figure 15-13Figure 15-13
Surface Mining
Surface Mining
Mountaintop Removal machinery removes
the tops of mountains to expose coal
waste rock and dirt are dumped into surrounding streams and valleys
Figure 15-14Figure 15-14
Surface Mining
Surface Mining
Coal-slurry impoundment in the Appalachian Basin. (Photo courtesy of Ben Stout, Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, W. Va.)
Environmental Impacts of Mining Coal
formation and movement of highly acidic water rich in heavy metals
forms through chemical reaction of surface water (rainwater, snowmelt, pond water) and shallow subsurface water with rocks that contain sulfur-bearing minerals, resulting in sulfuric acid
Heavy metals can be leached from rocks that come in contact with the acid, a process that may be substantially enhanced by bacterial action.
Acid Mine Drainage http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/acid_mne.cfm#content
The resulting fluids may be highly toxic and, when mixed with groundwater, surface water and soil, may have harmful effects on humans, animals and plants.
Acid mine drainage comes mainly from abandoned coal mines and active mining.
Environmental Impacts of Mining Coal
Big problem with abandoned mines Shaft and tunnel systems allow water to
come in contact with coal remaining underground
Acid Mine Drainage
Environmental Impacts of Mining Coal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
(1977) Requires filling (reclaiming) of surface mines
after mining Expensive!
Reduces Acid Mine Drainage Requires permits and inspections of active coal
mining sights Prohibits coal mining in sensitive areas
Environmental Impacts of Mining Coal Mountaintop Removal
Fills valleys and streams with debris
Strip & Open Pit Spoil Heaps Debris contains sulfur and mercury
Environmental Impacts of Burning Coal
releases large quantities of CO2 into atmosphere Greenhouse gas
releases Mercury into atmosphere
releases Sulfur into atmosphere Acid Precipitation
Forms Nitrogen oxides also
Figure 11.8
Environmental Impacts of Burning CoalSource of PollutantsCoal naturally contains:
CarbonMercurySulfur
Nitrogen found in atmosphere
Environmental Impacts of Burning Coal Pollutants contained in coal
Carbon Sulfur Mercury
Pollutants created by coal CO2
sulfur acids and nitrogen acids mercury – atmospheric, water, land
Acid Deposition / Acid Precipitation sulfur released as sulfur oxides when coal is
burned sulfur oxides react with water in atmosphere to
form sulfuric acid H2SO4
nitrogen in atmosphere = _____% when super heated N2 forms nitrogen oxides
nitrogen oxides react with water in atmosphere to form nitric and nitrous acids
drawing
Environmental Impacts of Burning Coal
Pollutant in Coal
Pollutant created by
extracting or burning coal
Environmental impact of pollutant
AIR WATER / LAND
________
________
Environmental Impacts of Burning CoalPollutant in
Coal
Pollutant created by extracting or burning
coal
Environmental impact of pollutant
AIR WATER / LAND
Carbon CO2
greenhouse gas contributing to global climate change
ocean acidification
Mercury Mercurytoxicity - heavy metal in atmosphere (but falls out readily)
toxicity - heavy metal in groundwater and soil
Sulfursulfur oxides (SOx)
sulfuric acid
S-acids in atmosphere contributing to acid precipitation
-acid mine drainage leading to acidification of ground and surface water-leaching of heavy metals into groundwater
________nitrogen oxides
(NOx) nitrogen acids
N-acids in atmos. contributing to acid precipitation
________
terms to know Reclamation
land treatment that minimizes adverse effects from surface mining operations so that mine lands are reclaimed to a usable condition and creates no danger to public health or safety
paid for by mining company, not government overseen by gov’t agency
Deplete / Depletion Acid Mine Drainage Acid Deposition Overburden
How do we make Electricity? Need fuel source –
to boil water to make steam to turn a turbine to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy
Fuel sources = fossil fuels, nuclear Exceptions
solar – converts solar energy into electrical energy wind – turns turbine itself
Fig. 16-13, p. 369
Waste heat
Coal bunker TurbineCooling tower
transfers waste heat to
atmosphere
Generator
Cooling loop
Stack
Pulverizing mill
Condenser Filter
Boiler
Toxic ash disposal
Four widely used devices waste large amounts of energy:
Incandescent light bulb: 95% of energy is lost as heat.
Internal combustion engine: 94% of the energy in its fuel is wasted.
Nuclear power plant: 92% of energy is wasted through nuclear fuel and energy needed for waste management.
Coal-burning power plant: 66% of the energy released by burning coal is lost.
The major environmental impact common to all fossil fuels is that they:
A) are not found everywhere.
B) usually have to be processed.
C) produce heat when burned.
D) produce carbon dioxide.
E) have to be transported.
The major environmental impact common to all fossil fuels is that they:
A) are not found everywhere.
B) usually have to be processed.
C) produce heat when burned.
D) produce carbon dioxide.
E) have to be transported.
Which type of coal has the highest sulfur content?
A. lignite
B. subbituminous
C. bituminous
D. anthracite
E. peat
Which type of coal has the highest sulfur content?
A. lignite
B. subbituminous
C. bituminous
D. anthracite
E. peat
Which fossil fuel is most abundant in North America?
A. oil
B. natural gas
C. uranium
D. coal
E. peat
Which fossil fuel is most abundant in North America?
A. oil
B. natural gas
C. uranium
D. coal
E. peat
Which fossil fuel reserves will most likely last the longest?
A. oil
B. natural gas
C. coal
D. peat
E. uranium
Which fossil fuel reserves will most likely last the longest?
A. oil
B. natural gas
C. coal
D. peat
E. uranium
Anthracite coal:
A. causes the most air pollution
B. has the highest sulfur content
C. is very hard and is the cleanest burning coal
D. is the most abundant grade of coal
E. is very soft and burns at high temperatures
Anthracite coal:
A. causes the most air pollution
B. has the highest sulfur content
C. is very hard and is the cleanest burning coal
D. is the most abundant grade of coal
E. is very soft and burns at high temperatures
Bituminous coal:A. is the most common grade of coal
B. causes the least amount of air pollution of any type of coal
C. is very soft and burns at high temperatures
D. is very hard and burns cleanly
E. has the lowest sulfur content of any type of coal
Bituminous coal:A. is the most common grade of coal
B. causes the least amount of air pollution of any type of coal
C. is very soft and burns at high temperatures
D. is very hard and burns cleanly
E. has the lowest sulfur content of any type of coal
Which pollutant is a result of burning coal?
A. carbon dioxide
B. sulfur oxides
C. mercury
D. nitrogen oxides
E. all of these
Which pollutant is a result of burning coal?
A. carbon dioxide
B. sulfur oxides
C. mercury
D. nitrogen oxides
E. all of these
Which pollutant is not contained within coal?
A. carbon
B. sulfur
C. mercury
D. nitrogen
E. all of these
Which pollutant is not contained within coal?
A. carbon
B. sulfur
C. mercury
D. nitrogen
E. all of these
Sulfur and Nitrogen oxides lead to:
A. acid indigestion
B. acid mine drainage
C. acid precipitation
D. A & B
E. B & C
Sulfur and Nitrogen oxides lead to:
A. acid indigestion
B. acid mine drainage
C. acid precipitation
D. A & B
E. B & C
Sulfur and Nitrogen oxides lead to:
A. acid indigestion
B. acid mine drainage
C. acid precipitation
D. A & B
E. B & C
Which of the following has the largest proven coal reserves?
A. South America
B. The United Sates
C. Australia
D. Indonesia
E. China
Which of the following has the largest proven coal reserves?
A. South America
B. The United Sates
C. Australia
D. Indonesia
E. China
Scrubbers in smoke stacks remove large amounts of what major air pollutant?
A. carbon dioxide
B. sulfur oxides
C. nitric acid
D. sodium oxides
E. mercury
Scrubbers in smoke stacks remove large amounts of what major air pollutant?
A. carbon dioxide
B. sulfur oxides
C. nitric acid
D. sodium oxides
E. mercury
The concern about global warming is directly related to increased levels of what chemical in the atmosphere?
A. mercury
B. carbon dioxide
C. sulfur oxide
D. nitrogen oxide
E. chlorofluorocarbon
The concern about global warming is directly related to increased levels of what chemical in the atmosphere?
A. mercury
B. carbon dioxide
C. sulfur oxide
D. nitrogen oxide
E. chlorofluorocarbon
Today the world's main energy source is
A. coal
B. hydroelectric
C. natural gas
D. nuclear
E. oil
Today the world's main energy source is
A. coal
B. hydroelectric
C. natural gas
D. nuclear
E. oil
The legislation that has regulated mining activities in the United States since 1977 is the:
A. Wilderness Act
B. Clean Water Act
C. Endangered Species Act
D. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
E. Soil Conservation Service Act
The legislation that has regulated mining activities in the United States since 1977 is the:
A. Wilderness Act
B. Clean Water Act
C. Endangered Species Act
D. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
E. Soil Conservation Service Act
All of the following statements are true about surface mining except
A. It accounts for 60% of the coal mined in the United States
B. It is also known as strip mining
C. It is generally safer for miners than other coal mining processes
D. It is a less expensive mining process than subsurface mining
E. It is the most hazardous type of mining for workers
All of the following statements are true about surface mining except
A. It accounts for 60% of the coal mined in the United States
B. It is also known as strip mining
C. It is generally safer for miners than other coal mining processes
D. It is a less expensive mining process than subsurface mining
E. It is the most hazardous type of mining for workers
Which of these statements about coal is false?A. Some types of coal contain a lot of sulfur.
B. Subsurface mining accounts for about 40% of the coal mined in the U.S.
C. Coal powered the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution.
D. Coal produces far less SO2 than natural gas or oil.
E. Coal supplies about 20% of the energy used in the United States.
Which of these statements about coal is false?A. Some types of coal contain a lot of sulfur.
B. Subsurface mining accounts for about 40% of the coal mined in the U.S.
C. Coal powered the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution.
D. Coal produces far less SO2 than natural gas or oil.
E. Coal supplies about 20% of the energy used in the United States.