The main line of the former Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway used to test the coal consumption of locomotive boilers to the limit. It was an everyday ocurrence for a BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 to get from Bath to Bournemouth on the 3.5T of coal in the tender with plenty to spare, whereas it was touch-and-go sometimes on a West Country class 4-6-2 charged with 4.5T of coal with the same weight of train.

A good answer to an obtuse question, though I think the subtleties of the wheel configurations of british steam engines may be lost on Ajit!!

To try and be helpful to Ajit, there are way too many variables in your question to allow for a coherent answer. Different types of coal have widely different energy values (check anthracite and then lignite), boilers have a range of efficiencies, and are you using a turbine or a steam engine to turn the generator?

Talk to suppliers of coal and the makers of the boilers you are going to use, as they are the best source for relavent information.

IPG

Try and get a copy of "Steam" printed by Babcock and Wilcox. This is the definitive book on Steam Production with Industrial Boilers.

ajit upadhyay,

As guest pointed out depending upon quality or grade of the coal , you get energy by burning it, heat is required energy to heat water to steam , and steam energy runs , turbines , steam engines ,to say few ,these engines run the load or generator to creat eletrical energy , now you have to clarify power from hereon , do you want amount of 'power'generated by burning coal ,engine that runs by burning coal , or electricity in watts , basically we measure coal by volumes weight / time , this may change with applications and requirement

i am from basicaly science (non technical) background i wanted to know about boilers.

Since you have been honest about yourself, enclosed formula to work out cost of Steam produced by a Boiler on any Fuel. Change the Rates of Fuel/ Calorific Value (as prevailing in your Country) & Boiler efficiency and you do your own calculations.

India makes Coal-fired Boilers in umpteen. Call them up for their catalogs and there you will find Amount of Coal required/ lb or kg or Ton of Steam.

Cost per 1 lb of Steam Produced by : Gas/ Furnace Oil/ Coal/ Wood/ Baggasse: Year 2005

Steam at 100 psi = 1188 BTU Enthalpy Steam at 150 psi = 1195 BTU Enthalpy

& 90C Feed Water = -162 BTU Enthalpy & 90C Feed Water = -162 BTU Enthalpy

_________________________________________________________________________

Net Value = 1026 BTU Enthalpy Net Value = 1033 BTU Enthalpy

Efficiency(Gas)84% = 1026/.84 = 1221 BTU/lb 1033/.84 = 1230 BTU/lb

Efficiency(F.Oil)88% = 1026/.88 = 1166 BTU/lb 1033/.88 = 1174 BTU/lb

Efficiency(Coal)80% = 1026/.80 = 1282 BTU/lb 1033/.80 = 1292 BTU/lb

Efficiency(Wood)80% = 1026/.80 = 1282 BTU/lb 1033/.80 = 1292 BTU/lb

Efficiency(Baggasse)80% = 1026/.80 = 1282 BTU/lb 1033/.80 = 1292 BTU/lb

1 cft Gas = 970 BTU = 1000BTU

GAS RATES December 2005 Rs. 208.56 GAS RATES January 2006 Rs. 240.91

% RISE 15.51 %

COST STEAM/LB Rs.0.35

COST STEAM/KG Rs.0.77

COST STEAM/TON Rs.770.00

FURNACE OIL Cost = Rs.22000/Ton = Rs.22.0/kg

1 Kg = 37000 BTU

Cost per lb at 100 psi = 1166 x 22.0/37000 = Rs.0.69/lb Steam or Rs.1.53/kg Steam = Rs.1530/T

Cost per lb at 150 psi = 1174 x 22.0/37000 = Rs.0.698/lb Steam or Rs.1.53/kg Steam = Rs.1530/T

Bagasse Cost = Rs. 1800/T= Rs.1.80/kg

1 kg Wood = 7000 BTU = Rs.2.50

Cost/lb at 100 psi = 1282 x1.8/ 7000 = Rs.0.33/lb Steam or Rs.0.73/kg Steam = Rs.730/T

Cost/lb at 150 psi = 1292 x 1.80 / 7000 = Rs.0.33/lb Steam or Rs. 0.73/kg Steam = Rs.730/T

Wood Cost = Rs. 1500/T=Rs.1.50/kg

1 kg Wood = 17000 BTU = Rs.1.50

Cost/lb at 100 psi = 1282 x1.50/17000 = Rs.0.11/lb Steam or Rs. 0.25/kg Steam = Rs.250/T

Cost/lb at 150 psi = 1292 x 1.50/17000 = Rs.0.11/lb Steam or Rs. 0.25/kg Steam = Rs.250/T COAL Cost = Rs.2500/T = Rs.2.50/Kg

1 Kg Coal = 22000 BTU = Rs. 2.50

Efficiency = 80% = 1026/.80 = 1282 BTU/lb

Cost/lb at 100 psi = 1282 x2.50/ 22000 = Rs.0.15/lb Steam or Rs. 0.32/kg Steam = Rs.320/T Cost/lb at 150 psi = 1292 x 2.50/ 22000 = Rs.0.15/lb Steam or Rs. 0.32/kg Steam = Rs.320/T

CALORIFIC VALUE FUELS BTU/LBS

NATURAL GAS 970 ELECTRICITY 3412 FIREWOOD 17000

COAL 22000 LDO 43000 HSD 43000

FURNACE OIL 37000 KEROSENE 43000 LPG 47000

Nice work ducon , I too will keep this page saved for my reference ....thank you ,may be our friend gets what he asked for.

U welcome. But you got to take care to put in your figures of calorific values & rates in your Country. Gas here is 970 btu but never received over 880 btu.