Fossil fuel power plants?

Question

how exactly to fossil fuel power plants work?

Answer 1

the short answer is they use the fuel to heat water and create steam and use the steam in a turbine to create  electricity

Answer 2

Fossil fuel power plants burn fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and heat water to produce steam which turns a turbine to drive a generator which produces electricity.

Answer 3

Depends on the type of power plant.  There are some, like coal and furnace-type natural gas plants, that burn fossil fuels in a furnace or combustor.  The burning of the fuel heat water flowing through a boiler, evaporator, or steam generator to produce steam.  This steam is directed to a steam turbine which turns a generator and sends power to the grid.

Fossil fuels can also be used in a gas turbine (basically a jet engine mounted stationary) to directly turn a generator and send power to the grid.  This is known as simple cycle.  The waste exhaust from the gas turbine can be sent through a heat recovery steam generator to produce steam.  This steam is directed to a steam turbine which turns a generator and sends power to the grid.  This would be a combined-cycle operation.

Fossil fuels can be used to run a diesel generator.