Treatment of fly ash from coal combustion to improve its marketability

Abstract

A system and method for treating unmarketable fly ash and improve its properties as an additive for concrete is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a gas stream containing ionized air, and an amount of fly ash containing carbon having all adsorption capacity. The fly ash is then exposed to the gas stream to expose the carbon to the ionized air to promote the attachment of the ions to the carbon to reduce the adsorption capacity of the carbon.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of my provisional application having Ser. No. 60 / 852,318, filed Oct. 17, 2006, now abandoned, and includes much of the same material disclosed in my co-pending application filed on even date herewith, titled “Plasma Treatment of Fly Ash From Coal Combustion to Improve Its Marketability.”BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of Application[0003]Coal combustion fly ash has been marketed for a variety of applications. The addition of fly ash to cement is an expanding industry and accounts for a huge opportunity for the coal burning power plants to defray operating costs for disposal. However if the ash does not meet certain guidelines in terms of residual carbon; or has surfactant adsorption problems-measured in terms of a foam index; or contains ammonia, the fly ash is not only unusable but becomes a disposal problem. This application is concerned with ways and means to treat unmarketable fly ash and improv...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present patent application proposes a method for upgrading fly ash materials that have high foam index or are contaminated with ammonia. The method uses ionized air to modify the surface of the fly ash, which requires minimal energy and does not require heating or special construction requirements. Compared to other methods, the ionized air route is more efficient, cost-effective, and safe. The method uses a contacting method that requires no excess reactant or by-products, and the final breakdown products are innocuous. The method also avoids the need for expensive drying systems or excessive energy consumption. The ionized air can be generated using a device with planar or concentric arrays of electrodes, without the need for a dielectric intermediary to nullify power arc or thermal discharge. The ionized air will further progressively attack adsorbed am, reducing the foam index."

Problems solved by technology

Fly ash is a commodity and cannot stand high costs in processing to bring it into a marketable state.

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