Why Are Smokestacks Tall?

A smokestack, stack, or chimney is a tall vertical pipe or channel used by power plants to exhaust combustion gases into the air. ... This technique is to build the stack very high, because wind speeds are greater at high elevations, and the dispersion of the gases results in less gas remaining in a given area.

What is the purpose of these tall smokestacks?

Tall smokestacks—which are used primarily at coal power plants—release air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) high into the atmosphere to help disperse them and limit their impact on air quality in local communities.

Why is chimney so tall?

making the chimney taller increases the flow through it due to the stack effect. This may be useful if you need to get rid of a lot of exhaust gases quickly as it avoids the cost of having to pump the exhaust gases.