STUDY OF RADON, THORON EXHALATION AND NATURAL RADIOACTIVITY IN COAL AND FLY ASH SAMPLES OF KOTA SUPER THERMAL POWER PLANT, RAJASTHAN, INDIA.

Electricity generation in India is largely dependent on coal-based thermal power plants, and increasing demand of energy raised the coal consumption in the power plants. In recent years, study of natural radioactivity content and radon/thoron exhalation from combustion of coal and its by-products has given considerable attention as they have been recognised as one of the important technically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials. In the present study, radon, thoron exhalation rate and the radioactivity concentration of radionuclides in coal and fly ash samples collected from Kota Super Thermal Power Plant, Rajasthan, India have been measured and compared with data of natural soil samples. The results have been analysed and discussed.