City Water, Light & Power (CWLP) is the largest municipally owned utility in the U.S. state of Illinois. The utility provides the city of Springfield, Illinois with electric power from four coal-fired boilers. The boilers operate with water from the utility's wholly owned Lake Springfield, which also provides drinking water for the city. The utility also owns much of the riparian property around Lake Springfield, some of which is preserved for local recreation and some of which is leased to local nonprofits, such as Lincoln Memorial Gardens.The utility has long-term plans, with no fixed completion date set, to construct a second reservoir, Hunter Lake. In addition, CWLP is moving away from coal into other forms of electrical sourcing and production. On February 4, 2020, the city of Springfield gave final approval to a plan to shut down two of CWLP's four coal boilers by December 2020.
The article describes the process of the formation of coal. In the geochemical phase of coalification, the sequence of materials as coal matures is wood, peat, lignite, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal and anthracite. Carbon content increases from about 44% in wood to over 90% in anthracite. Two tables outline the common properties of several prominent coals (lignite, subbituminous, bituminous and lignite) found in the USA and describes each of these types, including peat. 3 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.
This article examines three examples of countless upsets that clearly indicate that boiler water chemistry must be closely monitored to avoid major problems. Power plant engineers and chemists reduce boiler tube corrosion through quality sampling and analysis of boiler water and steam. However, tube damaging upsets can occur so quickly, even at plants equipped with on-line analyzers, that only prompt detection and warning can prevent serious problems. Endless case histories provide examples of how an unexpected problem caused rapid degradation of boiler water chemistry. Such events illustrate that even with trained personnel and accurate analytical equipment, upsets can occur with frightening speed.
