Discrete element numerical simulation of fly ash triboelectrostatic separation in a nonlinear electric field

Fly ash is solid waste produced by thermal power generation, and its carbon content is a key factor affecting its recycling. Due to the large difference in fly ash quality and insufficient tribocharging, the parallel plate electric field with constant electric field strength cannot meet the practical needs of efficient decarbonization of fly ash particles with wide charge range or small charge to mass ratio (CMR). Therefore, a nonlinear electric field structure is proposed. The separation process of fly ash particles in the nonlinear electric field is explored through the establishment of geometric model and the application of CFD-DEM coupled calculation method, and the main influencing factors of fly ash electrostatic dry separation are studied. The results show that the nonlinear electric field structure is feasible to achieve high efficiency decarbonization of fly ash. With the increase of air flow velocity, the loss on ignition of positive electrode first increases and then decreases. The loss on ignition (LOI) of positive electrode products is directly proportional to the voltage and the CMR of the input, but inversely proportional to the feed quantity. Air flow velocity of 20 m/s, voltage of 30 kV, charge-mass ratio of 1.1–1.2 nC/g and feed quantity of 5000/s are suitable conditions for efficient decarbonization of fly ash. Compared with parallel plates, hyperbolic nonlinear electric field has higher decarbonization efficiency and lower energy consumption in experiment.     

The role of calcium in blended fly ash geopolymers

In this research effort, the role of calcium in geopolymers was investigated through a series of syntheses where a high-calcium fly ash was blended with a low-calcium fly ash. Increased calcium content led to accelerated set-up times, increased compressive strength, and increased product formation. Powder X-ray diffraction results showed the majority of that product to be geopolymer framework with only minor contributions from calcium silicate phases. Thermal analysis confirmed the absence of a calcium silicate hydrate phase. Analysis of fly ash dissolution showed that calcium aided in aluminosilicate dissolution and therefore the geopolymerization reaction. While aiding in this reaction, calcium became incorporated into the pore structure of the geopolymer as a counter-balancing cation, according to ion exchange experiments. Thus, geopolymer synthesis with increased calcium content through the use of a high-calcium fly ash under these experimental conditions produced a quick-setting, strong, calcium incorporated geopolymer material.     

The permeability of fly ash concrete

Oxygen permeability tests were carried out on plain ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and fly ash concretes at three nominal strength grades. Prior to testing the concretes were subjected to a wide range of curing and exposure conditions. The results emphasize the importance of adequate curing to achieve concrete of low permeability, especially when the ambient relative humidity is low. In addition, the results demonstrate the considerable benefit that can be achieved by the use of fly ash in concrete. Even under conditions of poor curing, fly ash concrete is significantly less permeable than equal-grade OPC concrete, the differences being more marked for higher-grade concretes. Attempts were made to correlate strength parameters with permeability but it is concluded that neither the strength at the end of curing nor the 28-day strength provides a reliable indicator of concrete permeability. A reliable correlation was established between the water to total cementitious material ratio [w/(c+f)] and the permeability of concretes subjected to a given curing and exposure regime.     

The behaviour of Al in MSW incinerator fly ash during thermal treatment

Fly ash from municipal solid waste (MSW) incinerators contains leachable metals, including potentially hazardous heavy metals. The metal content of the fly ash can be reduced by thermal treatment, which vaporizes the volatile metal compounds. After heat treatment of fly ash at 1000 degrees C for 3 h, less metal was able to be leached from the thermally treated ash than from the ash without thermal treatment. Al and Cr were the exceptions. These metals were more soluble in the ash that had been thermally treated. This paper focuses on the leaching behaviour of Al only. Both simple and sequential extraction leaching tests showed that the leachable Al for the heat-treated fly ash is about twice that of the untreated fly ash. The sequential test further revealed that (i) the majority of the leachable Al is associated with Fe-Mn oxides in the fly ash, and (ii) most of the unleachable Al resides in the silicate matrices of the heat-treated and untreated fly ash. Pure chemicals, Al(2)O(3), CaO and CaCl(2), simulating the relevant ingredients in the fly ash, were used for studying their reactions at 1000 degrees C. The aluminum compounds were identified by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Two new chemical phases produced by the thermal treatment were identified; Ca(AlO(2))(2) and 12CaO.7Al(2)O(3). Their formation suggests a mechanism whereby thermal treatment of fly ash would produce more soluble Al.     

Laboratory compaction of fly ash and fly ash with cement additions

The use of power-industry wastes as a material for earthen structures depends on its compactibility. It has been confirmed that a fly ash/bottom ash mix compacted several times in Proctor's moulds are not representative. The relationship between dry density of solid particles and water content for re-used waste samples was determined. The re-compaction effect on grain-size distribution, density of solid particles, specific surface and sand equivalent of wastes was investigated. Tests were conducted on fly ash samples compacted by the Standard and Modified Proctor methods. Another aim of the paper was to investigate the influence of cement additions on the compactibility of a fly ash/bottom ash mix. Waste samples in the natural state and with different percentages of cement additions (2, 5 and 10%) were compacted by both impact compaction methods to obtain compactibility curves rhod(w). It was found that cement addition resulted in an increased rhod max value, while wopt decreased. Linear regression relationships for changes in compaction parameters after cement stabilisation are also given.     

粉煤灰粒径分布对硅酸盐水泥水化性能的影响

为研究粉煤灰粒径对硅酸盐凝胶材料水化性能的影响,经球磨仪研磨得到3种不同粒径的粉煤灰,探讨其对硅酸盐水泥水化放热速率、水化放热总量、水化反应程度和粉煤灰自身水化反应程度的影响。结果表明:随粉煤灰粒径的减小,粉煤灰的水化活性明显增大,水化反应程度增大,养护龄期为7 d时,水化程度增加20.7%;粉煤灰粒径分布对硅酸盐水泥水化放热总量的影响较小,主要影响其水化放热速率、水化反应程度,养护龄期为28 d时,胶凝材料水化程度增加3%。     

Chromium behavior during thermal treatment of MSW fly ash.

Energy-from-waste incineration has been promoted as an environmentally responsible method for handling non-recyclable waste from households. Despite the benefits of energy production, elimination of organic residues and reduction of volume of waste to be landfilled, there is concern about fly ash disposal. Fly ash from an incinerator contains toxic species such as Pb, Zn, Cd and Cr which may leach into soil and ground water if landfilled.Thermal treatment of the fly ash from municipal solid waste has been tested and proposed as a treatment option for removal of metal species such as Pb, Cd and Zn, via thermal re-volatilization. However, Cr is an element that remains in the residue of the heat treated fly ash and appears to become more soluble. This Cr solubilization is of concern if it exceeds the regulatory limit for hazardous waste. Hence, this unexpected behavior of Cr was investigated. The initial work involved microscopic characterization of Cr in untreated and thermally-treated MSW fly ash. This was followed by determining leaching characteristics using standard protocol leaching tests and characterization leaching methods (sequential extraction). Finally, a mechanism explaining the increased solubilization was proposed and tested by reactions of synthetic chemicals.     

The conversion technology of fly ash into zeolites

This paper presents a sub-pilot scale process of synthesis of Na-P1 zeolite from the coal fly ash. After establishing the appropriate synthesis conditions (20 kg of fly ash, 12 kg of NaOH, 90 dm³ of water, the reaction temperature: 80 °C and reaction time: 36 h), the high-purity (81 wt%) Na-P1 zeolite product was obtained. Its chemical, mineralogical, and textural properties were determined (by means of XRD, XRF, SEM–EDS and ASAP 2020). The synthesized material has a specific BET surface area (88 m²/g) c.a. six times higher than the fly ash from which it has been derived (15 m²/g). The pore-size distribution indicates a mesoporous character of the obtained zeolite, with the following pores size contents: micropores (2.76 %), mesopores (61.81 %), and macropores (35.43 %). The presented technological/production line is fully automated and allows to regulate the conditions of the synthesis process, therefore different types of zeolite materials (including: Na-X, Linde-A, and Na-P1) can be obtained using the same equipment.     

The surface chemistry of leaching coal fly ash

The utilization of coal fly ash in the construction and non-construction areas has seen a rapid growth in the last decade. As production outweighs the utilization of fly ash, its disposal as a dilute or dense slurry is still practiced in coal fired power stations. In this review the surface chemistry of leaching coal fly ash is presented to highlight the role of mass transfer in providing resistance and consequently delayed leaching of elements, when fly ash is disposed or used for value addition.     

Short-term natural weathering of MSWI bottom ash

The release of heavy metals from MSWI bottom ash has been the key concern in the management of this material. The leaching distribution values obtained from 100 freshly quenched bottom ash samples, according to the German DIN 38414-S4 procedure test, showed the release of lead, zinc and copper to be the main hazards associated with bottom ash utilisation as a secondary building material. Currently, natural weathering of MSWI bottom ash, for an estimated period of 1-3 months, is the most economic treatment available to ensure the eventual utilisation of this material. The leaching of natural weathered bottom ash in the short-term (up to 9 months) was studied. The most significant changes in the bottom ash were found to occur in the first 90 days. At pH values greater than 12, lead, zinc and copper were the main heavy metals to be released from the MSWI freshly quenched bottom ash samples studied. Natural weathering for a period of about 90 days reduced the leaching of heavy metals, stabilising the bottom ash pH to minimise the solubility of metal hydroxides, and enabled the residue to be used as secondary building material. The profile of the pH neutralisation curve is similar to that described by carbonates, which would suggest that the reaction is controlled by CO(2). The formation of insoluble oxides as well as carbonates control the immobilisation of certain heavy metals, e.g. lead and zinc. The leaching of aluminium increases during this short natural weathering stage due to elemental metal oxidation. Aluminium solubility is controlled by the precipitation of gibbsite or other aluminium-sulphate neoformations. The latter may contribute to the immobilisation of heavy metals.     

Dielectric properties of fly ash

This paper reports the dielectric properties of fly ash. The dielectric measurements were performed as a function of frequency and temperature. The sample of fly ash shows almost similar behaviour in the frequency and temperature range studied. The large value of dielectric constant in the typical frequency range is because of orientation polarization and tight binding force between the ions or atoms in the fly ash. The sample of fly ash is of great scientific and technological interest because of its high value of dielectric constant (10⁴).     

Kinetics of fly ash geopolymerization

Based on the wet chemical analysis, we measured and modeled the kinetics of reactions between fly ash and KOH at various temperatures and water-to-solid mass ratios (W/S). We find that three consecutive rate-limiting processes control reaction progress: (1) dissolution or alteration of the glass phase in the fly ash, (2) classical Fick diffusion through a surface layer, and (3) diffusive transport through a more complex gel structure (interstitial gel). This sequence of processes is independent of W/S (0.35–40), temperature (22–75 °C), and KOH concentration (5–10 M). The relative contribution of each process to the overall reaction progress changes with experimental conditions. Only if and when the third process is rate limiting, a fly ash geopolymer forms and develops mechanical strength (sufficiently low W/S ratio provided). The rate of reaction progress decreases significantly, due to slow transport of reacting species to the surface of the glass particles.     

粉煤灰分级用旋流器试验研究

针对目前粉煤灰综合利用问题,通过使用直径150 mm旋流器,对粉煤灰进行分级试验研究。通过控制变量的方法,改变旋流器的底流口直径、粉煤灰质量分数和进料压力等参数,得到粉煤灰在底流和溢流中的不同粒度分布,研究各变量对分级性能的影响规律。研究结果表明,随旋流器底流口直径增大,粉煤灰质量分数减小,进料压力增大,得到溢流中粉煤灰的质量分数减小,溢流中小于45μm颗粒质量分数增大,粉煤灰的分级效率相应提高。当底流口直径为18 mm,粉煤灰的质量分数为15.53%,进料压力为0.04 MPa时,溢流中分离粒度d50为43.9μm,质效率达到64.18%,量效率为88.09%,溢流中小于45μm粉煤灰质量分数达到90.58%,达到一级粉煤灰标准。     

粉煤灰陶粒在污水处理中的应用进展

粉煤灰陶粒是由粉煤灰为主要原料，掺加少量粘结剂和固体燃料，经混合、成球、高温焙烧而成。由于其比表面积大、表面能高，且内部存在着铝、硅氧化物等活性点，具有良好的吸附性能，并且易于再生，便于重复利用，因此粉煤灰陶粒是一种廉价的吸附剂。综述了粉煤灰陶粒用作水处理滤料以及其在含金属离子的废水、腐殖废水、含磷废水、含氟废水、含油废水处理中的应用，并对今后的研究方向进行了展望。     

The cluster charge and size distribution during ion sputtering of metals

The process of elastic sputtering of a metal in the form of large neutral and charged clusters (with the number of atoms N≥5) during ion bombardment of the metal target was theoretically studied. The distribution is described by a simple analytical formula.     

Influences of fly ash on magnesium oxychloride mortar

The application of magnesia-based construction materials draws much research interests nowadays due to the ever increasing awareness of environmental protection. By incorporation of fly ash into magnesium oxychloride (MOC) cement, an energy efficient and environmentally friendly repair material can be formed for successful industrial applications. In the current research, an appropriate formulation of the MOC matrix with a suitable combination of the molar ratios MgO/MgCl₂ and H₂O/MgCl₂ has been characterized by using phase diagram, X-ray diffractograms and scanning electronic microscope. Subsequently the influences of fly ash on the properties of both MOC cement and mortar are investigated. It is found that the incorporation of fly ash can enhance the workability or fluidity, retard the setting time, and improve the water resistance of the MOC mortars. With the enhanced performance and a slightly expansive nature, the MOC mortars incorporated with fly ash has a good potential to be used as a repairing material.     

Efficiency of fly ash in concrete

Earlier efforts towards an understanding of the efficiency of fly ash in concrete has led to the introduction of rational methods. Based on the results available on some of the more recent pulverised fuel ashes, the authors evaluated the efficiency of fly ash in concrete over a wide range of percentage replacements (15–75%). It was clearly shown that the overall efficiency of fly ash cannot be adequately predicted using a single efficiency factor at all percentages of replacements. The overall efficiency factor (k) has been evaluated at all percentages of replacements considering the general efficiency factor (k_e) and the percentage efficiency factor (k_p). This study resulted in a quantitative assessment of the behaviour of fly ash in concrete, especially for the 28 day compressive strength at different percentages of replacement.     

Water permeability of fly ash concretes

The water permeability of two series of concretes made with one type of fly ash and two types of Portland cement (OPC and SRPC) was tested by the method prescribed by DIN 1048. It is concluded that the cementing efficiency factor of the fly ash with respect to water permeability is approximately 0.3, independent of type of cement and curing time (28 days and 56 days). In practical terms this means that 1 kg of cement would have to be replaced by approximately 3 kg of fly ash in order to maintain the same watertightness of the hardened fly ash concretes. Thus, addition of fly ash is not likely to improve the watertightness of concrete.

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Resume On a essayé par la méthode DIN 1048 la perméabilité à l’eau de deux séries de bétons fabriqués avec un type de cendres volantes et deux types de ciment Portland (OPC et SRPC). On en a conclu que le coefficient d’activité des cendres volantes en rapport avec la perméabilité à l’eau est environ de 0,3, quels que soient le type de ciment et le temps de conservation (28 et 56 jours). Ceci signifie qu’il conviendrait de remplacer 1 kg de ciment par environ 3 kg de cendres volantes afin de maintenir une étanchéité constante des bétons aux cendres volantes durcis. L’addition de cendres volantes n’améliore donc pas sensiblement l’étanchéité à l’eau du béton.

     

Heat deformations of fly ash concrete

When dealing with concrete resistance to high temperatures it is important for design purposes to know the elastic parameters, such as the temperature–strain curves and the modulus of elasticity.Concretes containing a high volume of fly ash differ from conventional mixes in the cementitious phase. This results in a different behaviour under heating compared to plain Portland cement concretes. To find the elastic response of fly ash concrete four series of concrete mixtures were manufactured: one with cement only, another with 30% by mass partial replacement of cement by fly ash, and two with 30% and 40% by mass replacement of cement by ground fly ash. Tests were carried out on cylinders (150 × 300 mm). A high-calcium fly ash was used.The conditions were selected so that the applied level of stress corresponded to 25% or to 40% of the ultimate compressive strength of concrete, and a transient type of temperature regime was followed. Based on the experiments the critical temperature, the residual deformation and the modulus of elasticity were determined.The results indicate that concretes containing a high volume of fly ash are more sensitive to high temperatures, since they developed greater deformations. The fineness of the fly ash used also seems to influence the degree of deformation in an adverse way.     

Strength development of fly ash concretes

Compressive strength developed by concretes containing fly ash up to 80% of the cementitious fraction is presented. The effects of mix design technique, quantity of cement in the mix and the curing period on the strength development of fly ash concrete are also included. A comparison of the rate of strength development of the control and fly ash concretes is also provided. It is concluded that the optimum level of replacement of cement by fly ash depends on the actual amount of cement in the mix.