The chimney of GRES-2 at Ekibastusz is with a height of 419.7 metres world's
tallest chimney and the tallest free-standing structure of Kazhakstan.
Why does this power station has such a tall chimney? ( in my opinion a 300 metre tall chimney would have also worked). What was the reason for this enormous height?

Please post also pictures of the chimney and the 1150 kV powerline running from Ekibastusz to Kokshetau.

I'm not a specialist but I read that the GRES-2 is one of the world's largest coal-fired plants. According to Wikipedia, it produces a transmission voltage of 1150 kV(!), the highest transmission voltage in the world. Perhaps it has something to do with the plant's high capacity? Or, perhaps, the chimney was intended to shoot smoke higher into the atmosphere to avoid excessive pollution levels on the ground?


And I believe this belongs to the local Skybar section, not the development forum.

Or, perhaps, the chimney was intended to shoot smoke higher into the atmosphere to avoid excessive pollution levels on the ground?


Agree!!!
And the tall chimney makes the coal burn out completely, because the coal in Ekibastuz Coal Deposit leaves a lot of coke and rocks. It's hard to utilize them later on...

leaves a lot of coke

it sure does :cheers:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2313/2213549265_cc03c3781b_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2022/2213549331_34760c8dc9_o.jpg

FYI:

It was sold by Government for ~6 mln tenge (80 000 USD at that time).
Nowadays, you cannot even buy an appartment for this price.
I believe someone got a huuuuuuge bribe.
:bash:

There are other comparable power plants in the world, which use chimneys approximately 300 metres tall. An example therefore is Belchatow power station ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be%C5%82chat%C3%B3w_Power_Station ) with a power of 4320 MW.

Of course for a power plant situated in a valley a taller chimney is very sensitive ( an example for such power plant is Trbvolje Power Plant ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trbovlje_Chimney ) in Slovenia, which is much smaller.

Ekibastusz however is situated in a flat area. Does the chimney of GRES-2 Ekibastusz carry radio antennas?

Кстати это вроде самая высокая промышленая труба в мире! :)

Obelixxx, I believe the world's tallest chimney used to be the Inco Superstack in Ontario, Canada until it was overtaken by GRES-2 in 1987. The one in Ontario is shorter than the GRES-2 by just about 40 meters and the surrounding area is relatively flat as well. Why do you think they had to build such a tall tower in Ontario?

Inco Superstack:

http://www.ecivilnet.com/images/art_Inco_Superstack.jpg

Obelixxx, I believe the world's tallest chimney used to be the Inco Superstack in Ontario, Canada until it was overtaken by GRES-2 in 1987. The one in Ontario is shorter than the GRES-2 by just about 40 meters and the surrounding area is relatively flat as well. Why do you think they had to build such a tall tower in Ontario?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chimneys

Does the coal of Ekibastusz contain many toxic components?

In this case the enormous height of the chimney of GRES-2 would make sense. Otherwise a 300 metres chimney would fullfill in my opinion all requirements.

But you are not assuming there is a clean-burning coal, right? :)

I think here lies your answer, by analogy:

the structure was built to disperse sulphur gases and other byproducts of the smelting process away from the city itself. As a result, these gases can be detected in the atmosphere around Greater Sudbury in a 150 mile radius of the Inco plant. Prior to the construction of the Superstack, the waste gases caused severe ecological damage in the area around Sudbury. This included an almost total loss of native vegetation in some areas, giving the city a not-entirely deserved reputation as a barren, rocky wasteland.

Coal ist not equal. Each coal contains sulphuric compounds, which gives toxic sulphur dioxide when burnt. But amount of sulphur compounds vary much from each coal deposit.
Beside this, some coals contain also arsenic compounds or other elements, which deliver toxic compounds when burn.

This one was taken recently

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2215/2232391132_8f9b00b1c5_o.jpg

bawnya eta vrode 420 metrov, a ne smotritsya takoi visokoi :(

That's the best photo of the chimney I've seen so far. Great work.