Re: Coal Burning Power Plant.

[RADPROJECT@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/11/99 9:08:31 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
DEMAYES@dera.gov.uk writes:

<< Figures published in 1990 by Nuclear Electric plc in the UK gave the
 following figures:-
 
 A 2000 MW power station burns approximately 5,000,000 tons of coal each
 year.  This produces
 
 CO2                10,000,000 tons
 Ash                  1,000,000 tons >>

The above numbers for C to CO2 seem incorrect. Given the 5,000,000 tons of 
coal to fire a 2,000 MW(e) plant which is right for reasonable capacity [80% 
of so], with 1,000,000 tons ash, this leaves about 4,000,000 tons of carbon. 
C combusted to CO2 changes mass from 12 to 44 or the ratio of CO2 to C is  
44/12=3.66. Thus the total CO2 produced should be about 4,000,0000 x 3.66 or 
about 14,666,000 tons not 10,000,000. 

What's wrong with the above math which shows the Nuclear Electric plc 
estimates for CO2 production to be low by about 32%?

Stewart Farber
Public Health Sciences
radproject@aol.com
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