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Coal Consumption Calculator

Work out coal consumption instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Coal Consumption Calculator

Coal consumption is the plant's heat requirement divided by the coal's calorific value. Heat requirement is output times heat rate times hours. Specific coal consumption in kilograms per kilowatt-hour is the operational index, typically 0.6-0.8 kg/kWh on Indian coal and 0.35-0.45 on high-grade imported coal.

Formulas

Coal consumption

Heat required (kJ) = output (kW) x heat rate (kJ/kWh) x hours; coal (kg) = heat / CV (kJ/kg)

Unit conversion

1 kcal = 4.1868 kJ

Worked example

With the default values below, Coal Consumption Calculator returns Coal Consumed of 6,482.96. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Plant Outputminimum 0 MW
500 MW
Station Heat Rateminimum 0.01 kJ/kWh
9,500 kJ/kWh
Coal Calorific Valueminimum 0.01 kcal/kg
4,200 kcal/kg
Operating Hoursminimum 0 hours
24 hours

Results

Coal Consumed
6,482.96
Coal Per Hour
270.123
Specific Coal Consumption
0.54025
Calorific Value In kJ/kg
17,584.6

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Coal consumption
  3. 3Unit conversion
  4. 4Coal Consumed= 6,482.96
  5. 5Coal Per Hour= 270.123
  6. 6Specific Coal Consumption= 0.54025
  7. 7Calorific Value In kJ/kg= 17,584.6

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 5 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Coal combustion emissions are regulated. Changes in coal quality or consumption affect particulate, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions and may require permit review.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Coal combustion emissions are regulated. Changes in coal quality or consumption affect particulate, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions and may require permit review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does low-grade coal cost more than its price suggests?

More tonnes must be handled, milled, transported and ashed for the same energy. Freight, mill capacity and ash disposal all scale with tonnage, not with energy.

What is specific coal consumption used for?

Daily performance monitoring and fuel budgeting. A rising trend at constant coal quality points to boiler fouling, air heater leakage or turbine degradation.

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