Fly Ash Beneficiation via Fluid Bed Drying and Combustion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Substantial amounts of fly ash particles from coal burning plants disposed in landfills remain unusable due to high moisture content, lacking commercially viable techniques for reclamation and beneficiation.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for reclaiming and beneficiating fly ash particles from landfills, involving a reclaim system, supply system, and beneficiation system, which includes a fluid bed reactor to dry and separate fly ash particles, reducing carbon content and making them suitable for use as a cement substitute.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If fly ash particles are disposed of in landfills, then disposal capacity is utilized, but the fly ash particles become unusable due to high moisture content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefly ash particlesVSAvoidhigh moisture content

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the moisture content parameter of landfill fly ash through thermal processing. The fly ash is heated to evaporate excess moisture, transforming it from an unusable high-moisture state to a usable low-moisture state suitable for cement substitution applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes phase transitions by heating the landfill fly ash to cause water evaporation. The moisture content is reduced through phase change from liquid water to vapor, converting the fly ash from a high-moisture unusable form to a low-moisture usable form for commercial applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

2Manufacturing precision

If combustion processes are used to thermally beneficiate fly ash particles, then carbon content is reduced, but high moisture content prevents utilization of landfill fly ash

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarbon content reductionVSAvoidhigh moisture content

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing moisture removal through drying before the thermal beneficiation process. By pre-drying the landfill fly ash to reduce moisture content, the subsequent combustion process can effectively reduce carbon content without interference from excessive moisture, enabling successful beneficiation of previously unusable material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies multiple parameters sequentially: first reducing moisture content through drying, then reducing carbon content through controlled combustion. This parameter transformation approach converts landfill fly ash from a high-moisture, high-carbon unusable state to a low-moisture, low-carbon usable state suitable for cement substitution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If no reclamation techniques are developed, then landfill sites remain operational, but substantial amounts of fly ash particles remain unusable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusable fly ash particlesVSAvoidreclamation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical reclamation systems with a simplified thermal processing system. Instead of using elaborate mechanical separation or processing equipment to handle high-moisture landfill fly ash, the invention uses straightforward drying and combustion processes that are easier to implement and operate, thereby increasing the quantity of usable fly ash particles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables the effective and economic reclamation and beneficiation of previously unusable fly ash particles, converting them into a commercially viable product for use in concrete and other applications, while reducing landfill site waste.

Implementation Method 1

techniques to utilize these fly ash particles for a beneficial purpose have been developed. More specifically, these patents disclose systems and methods for using combustion processes to thermally beneficiate fly ash particles by reducing the carbon content

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

The present invention provides an effective system and method for reclaiming and beneficiating fly ash particles from reclaimed feed from one or more disposal sites

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS7670424B2Methods for reclaiming and beneficiating fly ash particles and systems thereof

Publication Date: 2010.03.02 EM RESOURCES LLC

AI summary

A method and system for reclaiming and beneficiating fly ash particles includes recovering at least a portion of fly ash particles from reclaimed feed and supplying at least a portion of the recovered fly ash particles to at least one mixing reactor with a chamber where at least a portion of the supplied fly ash particles are thermally beneficiated.