FLY ASH

INTRODUCTION

FLY ASH IS ASH KNOWN AS

PULVERISED FUEL ASH.
IT IS ONE OF THE RESIDUE
GENERATED BY COAL
COMBUSTION AND IS COMPOSED
OF THE FINE PARTICLES THAT
ARE DRIVEN OUT OF THE BOILER
WITH THE FUEL GASES.
IT IS USED AS A REPLACEMENT
FOR PORTLAND CEMENT.
CONCRETE MADE WITH FLY ASH
IS MORE DURABLE THAN
TRADITIONAL CONCRETE.

FLY ASH
FLY ASH, ALSO KNOWN AS "PULVERISED
FUEL ASH", IS ONE OF THECOAL
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS, COMPOSED OF
THEFINE PARTICLESTHAT ARE DRIVEN OUT
OF THEBOILERWITH THEFLUE GASES.
ASH THAT FALLS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE
BOILER IS CALLEDBOTTOM ASH.

IN MODERNCOAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS, FLY

ASH IS GENERALLY CAPTURED
BYELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS OR
OTHER PARTICLE FILTRATION EQUIPMENT
BEFORE THE FLUE GASES REACH THE
CHIMNEYS.
TOGETHER WITHBOTTOM ASHREMOVED
FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BOILER, IT IS
KNOWN ASCOAL ASH.
DEPENDING UPON THE SOURCE AND
MAKEUP OF THE COAL BEING BURNED, THE
COMPONENTS OF FLY ASH VARY
CONSIDERABLY

BUT ALL FLY ASH NCLUDES

SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS
1.SILICON DIOXIDE(SIO2)
(BOTHAMORPHOUSANDCRYSTA
LLINE)
2.ALUMINIUM OXIDE(AL2O3)
3.CALCIUM OXIDE(CAO),
THE MAIN MINERAL
COMPOUNDS IN COALBEARINGROCK STRATA.

FLY ASH
CONSTITUENTS DEPEND UPON THE SPECIFICCOAL BED MAKEUPBUT MAY
INCLUDE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS OR SUBSTANCES
FOUND IN TRACE CONCENTRATIONS (UP TO HUNDREDS PPM):

ARSENIC

BERYLLIUM

BORON

CADMIUM

CHROMIUM

HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM

COBALT

LEAD

MANGANESE

MERCURY

MOLYBDENUM

SELENIUM

STRONTIUM

THALLIUM

VANADIUM

IN THE CASE THAT FLY OR BOTTOM

ASH IS NOT PRODUCED FROM COAL,
FOR EXAMPLE WHEN SOLID WASTE
IS USED TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY
IN AN INCINERATOR,THIS KIND OF
ASH MAY CONTAIN HIGHER LEVELS
OF CONTAMINANTS THAN COAL ASH.
IN THAT CASE THE ASH PRODUCED
IS OFTEN CLASSIFIED AS
HAZARDOUS WASTE.

ALONG WITH VERY SMALL CONCENTRATIONS OFDIOXINSAND PAH

COMPOUNDS.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND CLASSIFICATION

FLY ASH MATERIAL SOLIDIFIES WHILE SUSPENDED IN THE EXHAUST GASES AND IS
COLLECTED BYELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORSOR FILTER BAGS.
SINCE THE PARTICLES SOLIDIFY RAPIDLY WHILE SUSPENDED IN THE EXHAUST
GASES, FLY ASH PARTICLES ARE GENERALLYSPHERICALIN SHAPE AND RANGE IN
SIZE FROM 0.5MTO 300M.
THE MAJOR CONSEQUENCE OF THE RAPID COOLING IS THAT FEW MINERALS HAVE
TIME TO CRYSTALLIZE, AND THAT MAINLY AMORPHOUS, QUENCHED GLASS
REMAINS.
NEVERTHELESS, SOMEREFRACTORYPHASES IN THE PULVERIZED COAL DO NOT
MELT (ENTIRELY), AND REMAIN CRYSTALLINE. IN CONSEQUENCE, FLY ASH IS A
HETEROGENEOUS MATERIAL.
SIO2, AL2O3, FE2O3AND OCCASIONALLY CAO ARE THE MAIN CHEMICAL COMPONENTS
PRESENT IN FLY ASHES. THE MINERALOGY OF FLY ASHES IS VERY DIVERSE.

Componen Bitumino SubbitumLignite

t
us
inous
SiO2(%)

20-60

40-60

15-45

Al2O3(%) 5-35

20-30

20-25

Fe2O3(%) 10-40

4-10

4-15

CaO(%)

5-30

15-40

1-12

TYPES OF FLY ASH

TWO CLASSES OF FLY ASH ARE DEFINED BYASTMC618: CLASS F FLY ASH AND CLASS C FLY
ASH. THE CHIEF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE CLASSES IS THE AMOUNT OF CALCIUM,
SILICA, ALUMINA, AND IRON CONTENT IN THE ASH. THE CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE FLY
ASH ARE LARGELY INFLUENCED BY THE CHEMICAL CONTENT OF THE COAL BURNED
(I.E.,ANTHRACITE,BITUMINOUS, ANDLIGNITE).

CLASS C FLY ASH

FLY ASH PRODUCED FROM THE BURNING

OF YOUNGER LIGNITE OR SUBBITUMINOUS COAL,

IN ADDITION TO HAVING POZZOLANIC

PROPERTIES, ALSO HAS SOME SELFCEMENTING PROPERTIES.

IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER, CLASS C

FLY ASH HARDENS AND GETS STRONGER
OVER TIME.

CLASS C FLY ASH GENERALLY CONTAINS

MORE THAN 20% LIME (CAO).
UNLIKE CLASS F, SELF-CEMENTING
CLASS C FLY ASH DOES NOT REQUIRE AN
ACTIVATOR. ALKALI ANDSULFATE(SO
4) CONTENTS ARE GENERALLY HIGHER IN
CLASS C FLY ASHES.

CLASS F FLY ASH

THE BURNING OF HARDER, OLDER
ANTHRACITE AND BITUMINOUS COAL
TYPICALLY PRODUCES CLASS F FLY ASH.
THIS FLY ASH ISPOZZOLANICIN NATURE,
AND CONTAINS LESS THAN 7%LIME
(CAO).
POSSESSINGPOZZOLANICPROPERTIES,
THE GLASSY SILICA AND ALUMINA OF
CLASS F FLY ASH REQUIRES A
CEMENTING AGENT, SUCH AS PORTLAND
CEMENT, QUICKLIME, OR HYDRATED
LIMEMIXED WITH WATER TO REACT
AND PRODUCE CEMENTITIOUS
COMPOUNDS.

ALTERNATIVELY, ADDING A CHEMICAL

ACTIVATOR SUCH ASSODIUM
SILICATE(WATER GLASS) TO A CLASS F
ASH CAN FORM AGEOPOLYMER.

FLY ASH UTILIZATION

USE OF FLY ASH,

BOTTOM ASH OR POND
ASH IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF
BRICKS AND OTHER
CONSTRUCTION
ACTIVITIES.
UTILIZATION OF ASH BY
THERMAL POWER
PLANT.

DISPOSAL AND MARKET SOURCES

IN THE PAST, FLY ASH PRODUCED FROM COAL COMBUSTION WAS SIMPLY
ENTRAINED INFLUE GASESAND DISPERSED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THIS
CREATED ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH CONCERNS THAT PROMPTED LAWS THAT
HAVE REDUCED FLY ASH EMISSIONS TO LESS THAN 1% OF ASH PRODUCED.
WORLDWIDE, MORE THAN 65% OF FLY ASH PRODUCED FROM COAL POWER
STATIONS IS DISPOSED OF INLANDFILLSANDASH PONDS, ALTHOUGH COMPANIES
SUCH AS DUKE ENERGY ARE STARTING INITIATIVES TO EXCAVATECOAL ASH
BASINSDUE TO THE NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT INVOLVED.
THE RECYCLING OF FLY ASH HAS BECOME AN INCREASING CONCERN IN RECENT
YEARS DUE TO INCREASING LANDFILL COSTS AND CURRENT INTEREST
INSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
AS OF 2005, U.S. COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS REPORTED PRODUCING 71.1 MILLION
TONS OF FLY ASH, OF WHICH 29.1 MILLION TONS WERE REUSED IN VARIOUS
APPLICATIONS.IF THE NEARLY 42 MILLION TONS OF UNUSED FLY ASH HAD BEEN
RECYCLED, IT WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE NEED FOR APPROXIMATELY
27,500ACREFT (33,900,000M3) OF LANDFILL SPACE.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS TO RECYCLING FLY ASH INCLUDES REDUCING
THE DEMAND FOR VIRGIN MATERIALS THAT WOULD NEEDQUARRYINGAND
CHEAP SUBSTITUTION FOR MATERIALS SUCH ASPORTLAND CEMENT.
AS OF 2006, ABOUT 125 MILLION TONS OF COAL-COMBUSTION BYPRODUCTS,
INCLUDING FLY ASH, WERE PRODUCED EACH YEAR, WITH ABOUT 43% OF THAT
AMOUNT USED IN COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS

FLY ASH BRICKS

FLY ASH BRICK CONTAINS CLASS C

FLY ASH AND WATER.
THEY DONT BREAK DURING
TRANSPORTATION AND USAGE.
SIZE OF BRICKS IS UNIFORM.
MORTAR REQUIREMENT FOR
JOINTS AND PLASTERS REDUCED
BY ALMOST 50%.
GYPSUM PLASTER CAN BE
DIRECTLY APPLIED ON THESE
BRICKS, WITHOUT A BACKING COAT
OF LIME.

POSSIBLE CONSIDERED USES OF

FLY ASH

POLLUTANT MOVEMENT AROUND

ASH DISPOSAL FACILITY

ITS INGREDIENTS INCLUDE FLY ASH,

WATER, QUICK LIME OR LIME SLEDGE,
CEMENT, ALUMINUM POWDER AND
GYPSUM.
IT NEED NOT BE SOAKED IN WATER FOR 24
HRS, AS SPRINKLING OF WATER IS
ENOUGH.

ADVANTAGES OF FLYASH

FLY ASH IS MADE FROM WASTE MATERIALS. HENCE,

THE MANUFACTURING IS NOT EXPENSIVE.
FLY ASH CONCRETE IS STRONGER AND DURABLE.
IT IS EASIER TO POUR IN THE MIX AND WORK WITH.
IT HAS LOW PERMIABLILITY AND RESIST ALKALI
SILICA REACTION, AND BECAUSE OF THIS IT HAS
A LONGER LIFE.
ITS COMPOSITION IS SIMILAR TO ORGANIC ASH,
WHICH WAS USED 1000 OF YEARS AGO TO
PRODUCE ROMAN CONCRETE STRUCTURES, THAT
EXIST AND FUNCTION TILL TODAY.
FOR EG., THE PANTHEON AND ANCIET AQUEDUCTS.

REDUCES WATER DEMAND.

REDUCES SEGREGATION AND
BLEEDING.
LOWERS HEAT OF HYDRATION.
IT ACTS AS A POZZOLAN WITH
LIME IN CEMENT, AS IT
HYDRATES.
IT IS LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO
CHEMICAL ATTACKS.
IT IS LESS HARMFUL TO
HEALTH THAN OTHER
AGGREGATES.
IT CAN BE STORED AT COAL
POWER PLANTS OR PLACED IN
LAND FILLS.
IT IS USED AS GROUT.
SPHERICAL IN SHAPE.

DISADVANTAGES

MECHANICAL STRENGTH OF FLY ASH BRICK IS WEAK.

TRANSPORTATION COST IS VERY HIGH.
LIMITATION OF SIZE: ONLY MODULAR SIZE IS
PRODUCED, AS LARGE SIZE WILL HAVE MORE
BREAKAGE.
ONLY HIGH QUALITY FLY ASH MUST BE USED,
OTHERWISE PERMEABILITY OF CONCRETE INCREASES.
SLOWER STRENGTH GAIN CONCRETE CHANGES FROM
LIQUID TO SOLID A FEW HOURS AFTER POURING BUT
THE CURING PROCESS TAKES LONGER.
IT CONTINUES TO GAIN STRENGTH, FOR WEEKS AFTER
ITS INITIAL SETTING PERIOD. THE ADDITION OF FLY
ASH INCREASES THE LENGTH OF TIME. CONCRETE
TAKES TO REACH ITS FULL STRENGTH WHICH MEANS
DELAYS IN CONSTRUCTION.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS :

CASE STUDY
THE GOVT OF INDIA IS GREATLY
CONCERNED ABOUT TOP SOIL EROSSION
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MASSIVE
QUANTITIES OF CLAY BRICKS FOR
ENORMOUS HOUSING NEEDS.
THE MINISTRY OF POWER ISSUED
CIRCULARS TO ALL CONCERNED
DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANISATIONS TO
PROMOTE THE USE OF FLY ASH IN THE
PRODUCTION OF BUILDING MATERIALS.

IN WEST BENGAL PRESENTLY 65 NUMBERS OF

FLY ASH BASED BRICKS UNIT ARE RUNNING
THERE ARE MORE THAN 16 UNITS UPCOMING
IN 2015.
WITH A SINGLE MACHINE 20,000 BRICKS CAN BE
MADE IN TWO SHIFTS PER DAY.
THE PRICE OF CEMENT BASED FLY ASH BRICKS
IS LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THE LIME GYPSUM
BASED BRICKS, BUT LOWER THAN
TRADITIONAL CLAY BURNT BRICKS.

EXPOSURE CONCERNS

CRYSTALLINE SILICAANDLIMEALONG WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS REPRESENT

EXPOSURE RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. ALTHOUGH
INDUSTRY HAS CLAIMED THAT FLY ASH IS "NEITHER TOXIC NOR
POISONOUS,THIS IS DISPUTED.
EXPOSURE TO FLY ASH THROUGH SKIN CONTACT, INHALATION OF FINE
PARTICULATE DUST AND INGESTION THROUGH DRINKING WATER MAY WELL
PRESENT HEALTH RISKS.
FLY ASH CONTAINS CRYSTALLINE SILICA WHICH IS KNOWN TO CAUSE LUNG
DISEASE, IN PARTICULARSILICOSIS. CRYSTALLINE SIILICA IS LISTED BY
THEIARCAND US NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM AS A KNOWN
HUMANCARCINOGEN.
LIME (CAO) REACTS WITH WATER (H2O) TO FORMCALCIUM
HYDROXIDE[CA(OH)2], GIVING FLY ASH A PH SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND
12, A MEDIUM TO STRONG BASE. THIS CAN ALSO CAUSE LUNG DAMAGE IF
PRESENT IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS RECOMMEND A NUMBER OF SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS BE TAKEN WHEN HANDLING OR WORKING WITH FLY
ASH.THESE INCLUDE WEARING PROTECTIVE GOGGLES, RESPIRATORS AND
DISPOSABLE CLOTHING AND AVOIDING AGITATING THE FLY ASH IN ORDER TO
MINIMISE THE AMOUNT WHICH BECOMES AIRBORNE.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NOTED IN 2007 THAT "THE PRESENCE
OF HIGH CONTAMINANT LEVELS IN MANY CCR (COAL COMBUSTION
RESIDUE)LEACHATESMAY CREATE HUMAN HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL
CONCERNS".

CONCLUSION

FLY ASH THUS HOLDS A VAST POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVING THE

MODERN DAY CONCRETE WHEN IT COMES TO QUALITY IN THE
LONG TERM.
IN SPITE OF BEING AN INDUSTRIAL WASTE, IT CAN IMPROVE
DURABILITY AND REDUCE HEAT OF HYDRATION.
THE PROSPECTS OF FLY ASH ARE STILL BEING UNDERUSED,
EVEN TODAY.
THUS, KEEPING IN MIND ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CONCERNS AND ITS INDISPENSABILITY AS A MINERAL
ADMIXTURE, THE VALUES OF FLY ASH SHOULD BE EFFECTIVELY
GARNERED.

THANK YOU