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COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT ASH UTILIZATION IN THE TVA REGION
Citation:
Church, R., D. Weeter, AND W. Davis. COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT ASH UTILIZATION IN THE TVA REGION. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-80/172.
Description:
The report gives results of a study: (1) to summarize (a) production of coal ash nationally and by TVA's 12 major ash-producing steam/electric power plants, and (b) the physical/chemical characteristics of coal ash that affect ash disposal and/or use; (2) to review reported methods of coal ash use, emphasizing potential markets in the TVA system; and (3) to recommend potential R and D for coal ash use in the TVA system. Uses discussed include: concrete mixtures, mineral and magnetite recovery, lightweight aggregate, wastewater treatment, sanitary landfill liners, cenosphere reuse, agriculture, mineral wool insulation, and bituminous paving mixtures. The TVA region's predominant historical use of fly ash has been as a concrete additive; however, extensive pilot scale development is underway to advance ash use in the TVA region in such areas as mineral and magnetite recovery, and mineral wool insulaton. Recommended studies include: (1) the feasibility of converting existing wet fly ash collection systems to dry collection and storage; (2) mechanical properties of ash to learn how to separate nonfloating cenospheres from ash; (3) other mineral recovery process choices (in addition to the one with Mineral Gas Co.); and (4) the potential uses, markets, generation points, transportation, and feasibility of extensive coal ash utilization in the TVA area.