How does coal-fired power plant work?

A coal-fired power plant works by burning coal to produce heat. The heat is used to boil water, creating steam. The steam is then piped through a turbine, which spins a generator to create electricity. The steam is cooled, condensed back into water, and returned to the boiler to start the process all over again. The steam turbine drives the alternator, which produces electric power. The exhaust from the combustion of the coal is made up of nitrogen, oxygen, and other molecules, and is either released into the air or sent to a concentrated air pollution control system to be cleaned before release.