Performance evaluation of laterite soil embankment stabilized with bottom ash,coir fiber,and lime

In tropical regions,heavy rainfall induces erosion and shallow landslides on road embankments.Cement-based stabilization methods,common in these regions,contribute to climate change due to their high carbon footprint.This study explored the potential application of coir fiber-reinforced laterite soil-bottom ash mixtures as embankment materials in the tropics.The objective is to enhance engineered embankment slopes'erosion resistance and stability while offering reuse options for industrial byproducts.This study examined various mix designs for unconfined compressive strength(UCS)and permeability,utilizing 30%bottom ash(BA)and 1%coir fiber(CF)with varying sizes ranging from 10 to 40 mm,6%lime,and laterite soil(LS),followed by microstructural analyses.The results demonstrate that the compressive strength increases as the CF length increases to 25 mm.In contrast,permeability increases continuously with increasing CF length.Lime-treated mixtures exhibit superior short-and long-term strength and reduce permeability owing to the formation of cementitious materials,as confirmed by microstructural analyses.A lab-scale slope box was constructed to evaluate the surface erosion of the stabilized laterite soil embankment.Based on the rainfall simulation results,the LS-BA-CF mixtures show better resistance to erosion and deformation compared to untreated LS,especially when lime is added to the top layer.This study provides insights into a sustainable and cost-effective approach for slope stabilization using BA and CF,offering a promising solution for tropical regions susceptible to surface erosion and landslides.

Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Healthcare Waste Incinerators’ Bottom Ash from Five County Hospitals in Kenya

Health-care waste contains potentially harmful microorganisms and compounds which can infect and affect hospital patients, healthcare workers, the general public and environment. Therefore, management of health care waste requires safe handling, treatment and disposal procedures. While incineration reduces the volume and quantity of waste for final disposal, it leads to the production of fly and bottom ashes laden with toxic incomplete combustion products such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, furans and heavy metals. This exposes workers who handle and dispose the bottom ashes, hospital patients, the general public and environment. The goal of this study was to determine the total and individual levels of 16 most prevalent and toxic PAHs. Bottom ash samples were collected from incinerators in five county hospitals in Kenya, namely;Moi-Voi, Narok, Kitale, Makindu and Isiolo. Bottom ash samples were collected over a period of six months from the five hospitals. The samples were then sieved, homogenised and stored at 4°C in amber coloured glass containers. The PAHs were extracted using 30 ml of a hexane-acetone solvent (1:1) mixture by ultrasonication at room temperature (23°C) for 45 minutes. The PAHs were then analyzed with a GC-MS spectrophotometer model (Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 SE) connected to a computer work station was used for the PAHs analysis. The GC-MS was equipped with an SGE BPX5 GC capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 μm) for the separation of compounds. Helium was used as the carrier gas at a flow rate of 15.5 ml/minute and 14.5 psi. 1 μl of the sample was injected at 280°C, split mode (10:1). The oven programming was set for a total runtime of 40 minutes, which included: 100°C (2-minute hold);10°C /min rise to 200°C;7°C /min rise to 249°C;3°C /min rise to 300°C (2-minute hold). The interface temperature was set at 290°C. Analysis was done in Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode and the peak areas of each of the PAHs were collected from the chromatograph and used for quantification of the 16 PAHs listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which included, BaA (benz[a]anthracene: 4 rings), BaP (benzo[a]pyrene: 5 rings), BbF (benzo [b]fluoranthene: 5 rings), BkF (benzo[k]fluoranthene: 5 rings), Chr (chrysene: 4 rings), DbA (dibenz[a,h]anthracene: 5 rings), InP (indeno[1,2,3 - cd] pyrene: 6 rings) and Acp (acenaphthene: 3 rings), Acpy (acenaphthylene: 3 rings), Ant (anthracene: 3 rings), BghiP (benzo[g,h,i]perylene: 6 rings), Flu (fluorene: 3 rings), FluA (fluoranthene: 4 rings), Nap (naphthalene: 2 rings), PhA (phenanthrene: 3 rings) and Pyr (pyrene: 4 rings). Ion source-interface temperature was set at 200°C - 250°C. Internal standards from Sigma Aldrich were used in the analysis and the acquired mass spectra data were then matched against the NIST 2014 library [1] [2]. The mean PAHs concentration in the bottom ashes of each hospital varied broadly from 0.001 mg/kg to 0.4845 mg/kg, and the mean total concentration levels of individual PAHs ranged from 0.0072 mg/kg to 1.171 mg/kg. Low molecular weight PAHs (Phenanthrene, Naphthalene and Fluorene) were predominant in all the hospital wastes whereas Kitale and Narok presented the lowest PAHs concentrations and the lowest number of individual PAHs. Moi/Voi recorded the highest total PAHs concentration at 1.3129 ± 0.0023 mg/kg from a total of 11 PAHs being detected from the bottom ash samples. Narok had only three PAHs being detected at very low concentrations of 0.0041 ± 0.00 mg/kg, 0.0076 ± 0.00 mg/kg and 0.012 ± 0.00 mg/kg for phenanthrene, anthracene and chrysene respectively. This study presents hospital incinerator bottom ash as containing detectable levels of both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic PAHs. Continued unprotected exposure of hospital workers (waste handlers) to the bottom ash PAHs could be hazardous to their health because of their cumulative effect. Preventive measures e.g. the use of Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be prioritised to minimise direct contact with the bottom ash. The study recommends an upgrade on incinerator technology for efficient combustion processes thus for better pollution control.

Concentration of Copper, Zinc, Lead, Cadmium, and Nickel in the Incinerator Bottom Ash in Five County Hospitals in Kenya

Healthcare wastes contain potentially harmful microorganisms, inorganic and organic compounds that pose a risk to human health and the environment. Incineration is a common method employed in healthcare waste management to reduce volume, quantity, toxicity as well as elimination of microorganisms. However, some of the substances remain unchanged during incineration and become part of bottom ash, such as heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. Monitoring of pollution by heavy metals is important since their concentrations in the environment affect public health. The goal of this study was to determine the levels of Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Nickel (Ni) in the incinerator bottom ash in five selected County hospitals in Kenya. Bottom ash samples were collected over a period of six months. Sample preparation and treatment were done using standard methods. Analysis of the heavy metals were done using atomic absorption spectrophotometer, model AA-6200. One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine whether there were significant differences on the mean levels of Cu, Zn, Pd, Cd and Ni in incinerator bottom ash from the five sampling locations. A post-hoc Tukey’s Test (HSD) was used to determine if there were significant differences between and within samples. The significant differences were accepted at p ≤ 0.05. To standardize the results, overall mean of each metal from each site was calculated. The metal mean concentration values were compared with existing permissible levels set by the WHO. The concentrations (mg/kg) were in the range of 102.27 - 192.53 for Cu, Zn (131.68 - 2840.85), Pb (41.06 - 303.96), Cd (1.92 - 20.49) whereas Ni was (13.83 - 38.27) with a mean of 150.76 ± 77.88 for Copper, 131.66 ± 1598.95 for Zinc, 234.60 ± 262.76 for Lead, 12.256 ± 10.86 for Cadmium and 29.45 ± 18.24 for Nickel across the five sampling locations. There were significant differences between levels determined by one-way ANOVA of Zn (F (4, 25) = 6.893, p = 0.001, p ≤ 0.05) and Cd (F (4, 25) = 5.641, p = 0.02) and none with Cu (F (4, 25) = 1.405, p = 0.261, p ≤ 0.05), Pb (F (4, 25) = 1.073, p = 0.391, p ≤ 0.05) and Ni (F (4, 25) = 2.492, p = 0.069). Results reveal that metal content in all samples exceed the WHO permissible levels for Cu (100 mg/kg), while those for Ni were below the WHO set standards of 50 mg/kg. Levels of Zn in three hospitals exceeded permissible level of 300 mg/kg while level of Pb exceeded WHO set standards of 100 mg/kg in two hospitals. Samples from four hospitals exceeded permissible level for Cd of 3 mg/kg. This study provides evidence that incinerator bottom ash is contaminated with toxic heavy metals to human health and the environment. This study recommends that hospitals should handle the bottom ash as hazardous wastes and there is need to train and provide appropriate personal protective equipment to healthcare workers, waste handlers, and incinerator operators and enforce compliance to existing regulation and guidelines on healthcare waste management to safeguard the environment and human health.

Analysis of the Relationship between Mechanical Properties and Pore Structure of MSW Incineration Bottom Ash Fine Aggregate Concrete after Freeze-Thaw Cycles Based on the Gray Theory

The destruction of concrete building materials in severely cold regions of the north is more severely affected by freeze-thaw cycles,and the relationship between the mechanical properties and pore structure of concrete with fine aggregate from municipal solid waste(MSW)incineration bottom ash after freeze-thaw cycles is analyzed under the degree of freeze-thaw hazard variation.In this paper,the gray correlation method is used to calculate the correlation between the relative dynamic elastic modulus,compressive strength,and microscopic porosity parameters to speculate on the most important factors affecting their changes.The GM(1,1)model was established based on the compressive strength of the waste incineration ash aggregate concrete,the relative error between the simulated and actual values in the model was less than 5%,and the accuracy of the model was level 1,indicating that the GM(1,1)model can well reflect the change in the compressive strength of the MSW incineration bottom ash aggregate concrete during freeze-thaw cycles.Using the gray correlation method,the correlation between the relative dynamic elastic modulus,compressive strength,air content,specific surface area,pore spacing coefficient,and pore average chord length was calculated,and the pore spacing coefficient and pore average chord length were determined to be highly correlated with each other.This determination can help analyze and infer the deterioration mechanism of concrete subject to freeze-thaw cycles.These results can provide a theoretical basis for guiding the engineering practice of concrete with fine aggregates of household bottom ash in the northern cold region.

Phase evolution and properties of glass ceramic foams prepared by bottom ash,fly ash and pickling sludge

Municipal solid waste incineration products of bottom ash(BA),fly ash(FA),and pickling sludge(PS),causing severe environ-mental pollution,were transformed into glass ceramic foams with the aid of CaCO3 as a pore-foaming agent during sintering.The effect of the BA/FA mass ratio on the phase composition,pore morphology,pore size distribution,physical properties,and glass structure was investigated,with results showing that with the increase in the BA/FA ratio,the content of the glass phase,Si-O-Si,and Q3Si units decrease gradually.The glass transmission temperature of the mixture was also reduced.When combined,the glass viscosity decreases,causing bubble coalescence and uneven pore distribution.Glass ceramic foams with uniform spherical pores are fabricated.When the content of BA,FA,and PS are 35wt%,45wt%,and 20wt%,respectively,contributing to high performance glass ceramic foams with a bulk density of 1.76 g/cm3,porosity of 56.01%,and compressive strength exceeding 16.23 MPa.This versatile and low-cost approach provides new insight into synergistically recycling solid wastes.

Performance Appraisal of Controlled Low-strength Material Using Sewage Sludge and Refuse Incineration Bottom Ash

This research evaluated the use of sewage sludge and refuse incineration bottom ash to replace calcium sulfoaluminate cement （CSA） in making controlled low-strength material （CLSM）. Various properties of CLSM mixtures were characterized in terms of unconfined compressive strength, microstructure and leachability. It was found that the strength of tested CLSM mixtures ranged from 3.6 to 9.0 MPa, over the upper excavatable limit of 2.1 MPa. The micro-structural analysis revealed that sewage sludge and bottom ash were crystallochemically in- corporated within CLSM system_s by forming the needle-like ettringite （C3A＇3CS＇_H32） with exiguous tu.bers via the typical Pozzolanic Reaction, leading to a dense and low-porosity microst;＇ucture. Furthermore,-the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure evidenced that the cumulative leachable metals in the leachate were much below the regulatory thresholds. The potential for us!ng sewage sludge and bottom ash!n CLSM makin.g was thus confirmed.

Heavy metals leaching in bottom ash and fly ash fractions from industrial-scale BFB-boiler for environmental risks assessment

The bottom ash and fly ash from the co-combustion of wood residues and peat at a bubbling fluidised bed boiler（296 MW） contained only quartz（SiO_2）, microcline（KAl Si_3O_8） and albite（NaAlSi_3O_8）. Thus, X-ray powder diffraction（XRD） was not useful for clarifying the difference in the release of associated heavy metals from ash matrices. In order to assess the release of heavy metals from ashes under changing environmental conditions, they were sequentially extracted and fractionated by the BCR-procedure into acid soluble/exchangeable（CH_3COOH）, reducible（NH_2OH-HCl） and oxidizable（H_2O_2/CH_3COONH_4） phases. The CH_3 COOH extractable fraction in conjunction with the total heavy metals concentrations were used to calculate the risk assessment code values for heavy metals leaching from the ash matrix. The leaching studies indicate that the heavy metals in the bottom ash and fly ash are bound to different fractions with different strengths. From the environmental and utilization perspectives, heavy metals in ashes posed different levels of environmental contamination risk. Only As in the bottom ash posed a very high risk. High risk metals were Cd in the bottom ash as well as As, Cd and Se in the fly ash.

Characterization and mode of occurrence of rare earth elements and yttrium in fly and bottom ash from coal-fired power plants in Java,Indonesia

Fly and bottom ash(FABA)produced primarily from coal combustion in a coal-fred power plant consists of fne particles of the organic and inorganic mixture and trace elements.Eight FABA samples from coal-fred power plants in Java,Indonesia,had been collected for composition and rare earth element and Yttrium(REY)mode of occurrence identifcation.The geochemical composition of both major and trace elements was determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry/atomic emission spectrometry(ICP-MS/AES).Furthermore,the composition of FABA was identifed by petrography with refected light microscopy and X-ray difraction(XRD)analysis.Simultaneously,scanning electron microscope determines the mode of occurrence of REY with an energy-dispersive X-ray(SEM–EDX).The study fnds that the inorganic component of FABA consists of glass,Fe–Mg spinel,mullite,quartz,Fe-oxide mineral,and K-feldspar.In contrast,the organic component is dominated by unburned coal.Glass is the most abundant component with cenospheres as major and pleiospheres as minor constituents.Trace elements analysis indicates REY concentration with heavy REY(HREY)distribution pattern.Moreover,SEM–EDX analysis results show that Yttrium(Y)occurs in glass and has a low concentration in spinel.From the mode occurrence of REY,in particular Yttrium,it can be predicted that alkaline fusion followed by acid leaching will be the most appropriate extraction method to extract REY from Indonesian FABA.

Effect of cement types, mineral admixtures, and bottom ash on the curing sensitivity of concrete

The curing sensitivity of concrete with cement Types 1, 3, and 5 as well as multiple powders consisting of cement, fly ash, and limestone powder was studied. Bottom ash was also used in the study as an internal curing agent and a partial substi- tution of fine aggregate. The curing sensitivity index was calculated by considering the performances of compressive strength and carbonation depth. Specimens were subjected to two curing conditions： continuously water-cured and continuously air-cured. The results show that cement Type 3 has a lower curing sensitivity, while cement Type 5 increases the curing sensitivity. For the mixes without bottom ash, the use of fly ash increases the curing sensitivity, while limestone powder reduces the curing sen- sRivity of concrete. The use of bottom ash in concrete reduces the curing sensitivity, especially at a lower mass ratio of water to binder. Concrete with limestone powder, together with bottom ash, is least sensitive to curing. The curing sensitivity calculated from carbonation depth also has a similar tendency as that derived by considering compressive strength. From the test results of compressive strength and curing sensitivity, bottom ash has been proven to be an effective internal curing agent.

M■ssbauer spectroscopic studies the characterization of three China coal and the corresponding fly-ashes and bottom ashes

Three fresh China coals （lignitie, bituminite and anthracite） from different geological origin and the corresponding fly and bottom ashes were studied by room temperature（RT） Mossbauer spectroscopy（MS）. The iron-bearing minerals were characterized to be mainly pyrite in all coal samples by the hyperfine parameters.Suphate（FeSO4·nH2O） was found in bituminite and anthracite coal.The MSssbauer spectra of the fly and bottom ashes as a result of pulverised coal combustion（PCC） in Xiaolongtan,Shuicheng and Luohuang Power Plants are comprised of superimposed sextets and doulets of oxides includes maghemite（γ-Fe2O3）, magnitite（Fe3O4）, haematite（α-Fe2O3）, magnesioferite （MgFe2O4）, Fe^3＋/Fe^2＋ -mullite, Fe^3＋ -glass silicate and metallic iron. The studies also show that iron-bearing minerals in coals are largely dependant on geological regions and coal rank, the composition of the corresponding fly and bottom ashes will not only depend on the type and mineralogy of the feed coal but also on the local nature of combustion.

Elemental Analysis of Fly and Bottom Ash from Burners/Incinerators in Selected Health Care Facilities in Kiambu County, Kenya

Medical waste incinerators emit a wide range of pollutants like heavy metals, dioxins and furans. These include Pb （lead）, Hg （mercury）, Cd （cadmium）, fine dust particles and PICs （products of incomplete combustion）. The objective was to determine the elemental composition of medical waste residue after incineration in selected hospitals in Kiambu County, Kenya. Bottom/fly ash samples were collected from the burners/incinerators in the selected health care facilities visited. The concentrations of the metals in the fly ash and bottom ash were determined using an XRF （X-ray fluorescence） spectrometer after acid digestion. The concentrations of heavy metals in the fly and bottom ash were as follows： Ti （titanium） 62-839 mg·kg^-1 and a mean of 202 mg·kg^-1 and 344 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and bottom ash, respectively. Ca （calcium） was 37,753-204,475 mg.kg1 with means of 27,132 mg.kg-1 in fly ash and 131,185 mgg·kg^-1 in bottom ash. Zn （zinc） was 297-6,605 mg·kg^-1 with means （2,307 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash, 4,359 mg·kg^-1 in bottom ash）, Pb （13-1,819 mg·kg^-1） had means of 280 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and 291 mg-kg-1 in bottom ash. Cu （copper） （9.5-250 mg·kg^-1） had means of 83.47 mg·kg^-1 in fly ash and 98.8 mg·kg^-1 in bottom ash. The wide variations in results can be attributed to the different burners/incinerators used and different segregation methods of the medical waste. The results show that the reported levels of heavy metals could pose a health risk due to possible leaching after disposal.

Adsorption of acid orange 7 from aqueous solutions by bottom ash

Bottom ash. a power plant waste, was used to adsorb acid orange 7. The adsorption of acid orange 7 in aqueous solutions onto bottom ash was studied as functions of particle size. dosage, initial concentration and agitation time by batch experiments. Under conditions of bottom ash dosage of 1.5 g/50 ml and 5 g/50 ml for 〈0.074 mm and 0.074 mm-0.2 mm of bottom ash, respectively, it could achieve 99.1% and 87.6% dye removal efficiency. The adsorption isotherms for the bottom ash could be well described by both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. The calculated dye adsorption capacities of bottom ash for the particle size of 0.074 mm -0.2 mm and 〈0.074 mm were 2.78 mg/g and 10.21 mg/g, respectively. The results indicated that the dye uptake process fitted to the pseudo-first-order kinetic model better than the pseudo-second-order. The data were also fitted to intraparticle diffusion model by two adsorption stages, due to the difference in rate of mass transfer in the initial and final stages of adsorption. Significant variations were observed in the FTIR spectra and Stem photographs of bottom ash after adsorption. The column parameters were calculated by breakthrough curves at different flow rates and bed depths.

Effects of Nano Silica, Micro Silica, Fly Ash and Bottom Ash on Compressive Strength of Concrete

In this study, SCM （supplementary cementitious materials）, such as nano silica, micro silica, fly ash and bottom ash, have been evaluated for optimal level of replacement as blending material in cement and concrete. The physical and chemical properties of the above materials were first analyzed. This study focused on compressive strength of concrete with different mixes at different ages. In many cases, products made with fly ash, micro silica, nano silica and bottom ash perform better than products made without them. Test results obtained in this study indicate that up to 5% nano silica, 10% micro silica, 20-30% fly ash and 10% bottom ash could be advantageously blended with cement without adversely affecting the strength. However, optimum levels of these materials are 1-3% nano silica, 3-8% micro silica, 10% fly ash and 5% of bottom ash when we consider the strength of concrete. All percentages are defined by weight unless otherwise mentioned.

Particle Size Effect on Shear Properties of Bottom Ash Added-Geocomposite Soil

It is well known that the finer particle of cementing material has more pozzolanic reaction than the coarser. This paper investigates the shear properties of geocomposite soil with various particle sizes of bottom ash. The geocomposite soil （GCS） in this study consists of dredged soil, bottom ash and cement for recycling dredged soil and bottom ash. Three different particle sizes of bottom ash passing No. 4 sieve, No. 40 sieve, and No. 140 sieve were added into soil mixtures, namely as GCS 4, GCS 40, and GCS 140, respectively. These bottom ashes have the same chemical component except for different particle sizes. Several mixtures were prepared with various contents of bottom ash ranging from 0 to 100% at 50% intervals by the weight of dry dredged soil. In this study, several series of unconfined compression test were carried out on the mixtures with various curing times. It is found that the unconfined compressive strength is a function of curing time and bottom ash content. For the curing time less than 28 days, the GCS 4 has higher unconfined compressive strength than the GCS 40 and GCS 140 due to the interlocking effect and friction between the particles with angular shape of coarse bottom ash. For the curing time larger than 28 days, the GCS 140 has higher strength due to the pozzolanic reaction. However, the ratios of secant modulus to unconfined compressive strength of three mixtures are almost the same, and in range of （46-100）, regardless of mixing condition and curing time.

Development of Sensible Heat Storage Materials Using Sand, Clay and Coal Bottom Ash

In this paper, the mechanical and thermal properties of a sand-clay ceramic with additives coal bottom ash (CBA) waste from incinerator coal power plant are investigated to develop an alternative material for thermal energy storage (TES). Ceramic balls are developed at 1000°C and 1060°C using sintering or firing method. The obtained ceramics were compressed with a compression machine and thermally analyse using Decagon devise KD2 Pro thermal analyser. A muffle furnace was also used for thermal cycling at 610°C. It was found that the CBA increased the porosity, which resulted in the increase of the axial tensile strength reaching 3.5 MPa for sand-clay and ash ceramic. The ceramic balls with the required tensile strength for TES were selected. Their volumetric heat capacity, and thermal conductivity range respectively from 2.4075 MJ·m-3·°C-1 to 3.426 MJ·m-3·°C-1 and their thermal conductivity from 0.331 Wm-1·K-1, to 1.014 Wm-1·K-1 depending on sand origin, size and firing temperature. The selected formulas have good thermal stability because the most fragile specimens after 60 thermal cycles did not present any cracks. These properties allow envisioning the use of the ceramic balls developed as filler material for thermocline thermal energy storage (structured beds) in Concentrating Solar Power plants. And for other applications like solar cooker and solar dryer.

Physicochemical Properties of Combustion Ashes of Some Trees(Urban Pruning)Present in the Neotropical Region

Secondary lignocellulosic biomass has proved to be useful as an energy source through its oxidation by means of combustion processes.In accordance with the above,in this paper,we wanted to study the ash from urban pruning residues that are generated in cities in the Neotropics.Species such as Licania tomentosa,Azadirachta indica,Ficus benjamina,Terminalia catappa,Leucaena leucocephala,Prosopis juliflora and Pithecellobium dulce were selected because they have been previously studied and showed potential for thermal energy generation.These materials were calcined in an oxidizing atmosphere and characterized by X-ray diffraction and fluorescence,scanning electron microscopy with microchemistry,BET surface area,thermal gravimetric analysis,and differential scanning calorimetry.The pH and apparent density were also established.The results show high basicity materials(average pH 10),a behavior associated with the presence of chemical elements such as calcium,potassium,magnesium,chlorine,phosphorus,and sulfur.Structurally,these materials have a very significant amorphous fraction(between 49%and 74.5%),the dominant crystalline phases are calcite,arcanite,sylvite,and hydroxyapatite.These ashes have low surface area and do not exceed 13 m^(2)/g.Two characteristic morphological aspects were observed in these ashes:a morphology of rounded grains where silicon content is highlighted,and lamellar morphologies where the presence of chlorine is highlighted.Thermally,these ashes show four significant mass loss events(400℃,430℃,680℃,and 920℃),causing mass losses that vary between 25%and 40%.Through this study,it was possible to establish that,from a chemical point of view,these ashes are less dangerous in comparison with those of a mineral coal that was used as a reference.However,they require additional treatments for their disposal due to their high basicity.Because of their composition,these ashes have the potential to be used in the ceramic and cement industries,and in the manufacture of fertilizers.

Measurement of Natural Radioactivity and Radon Exhalation Rate in Coal Ash Samples from a Thermal Power Plant

Coal is the main energy source for electricity generation in the world. In Morocco, 37% of electricity generation comes from combustion coal in thermal power plants. This combustion process generates large amounts of fly and bottom ashes. In recent years, these ashes became a great topic of interest because of their different uses and especially in construction materials. In this work, we assess radiation risks due to natural radioactivity in samples of fly and bottom ashes collected from JLEC (Jorf Lasfar Energy Company) thermal power plant, and different analyses are performed through two nuclear techniques such as gamma spectrometry and alpha dosimetry based on the use of LR115 films detectors. Our analysis shows that 226Ra activities and 232Th in both ash samples are well above the permissible activity. The values of the external risk index (Hex) and internal one (Hin) for these ashes are below unity, with the exception of 1.28 in fly ash for Hin. The obtained values for the equivalent radium Raeq and annual effective doses Ėin fly and bottom ashes are 324 Bq/kg and 210 Bq/kg, and 0.18 mSv/y and 0.11 mSv/y, respectively. The surface radon exhalation rates for the samples of fly and bottom ashes are 276 mBq⋅m-2⋅h-1 and 381 mBq⋅m-2⋅h-1, respectively. Based on these results, we have shown that fly ash and bottom one from thermal power plant JLEC didn’t have, in any case, a health risk to the public so it can be effectively used in various construction activities.

Characterization of the Omni-Processor Sewage Sludge Ash for Reuse as Construction Material

Omni Processors(OP)are machines which use sludge as a fuel to generate electricity and clean water,but create ash at the same time.In the present study,fly ash and bottom ash are investigated as materials for potential reuse in the construction field.First,the granular size,density and Blaine finesse are determined.Then,the chemical composition and microstructure are obtained by means of X-ray fluorescence and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy(SEM-EDS),respectively.Finally,ashes reactivity is determined by two chemical methods(modified Chapelle test,bound water content R3)and a mechanical method(pozzolanic activity index).The characterization results indicate two material types:fly ash similar to cement and bottom ash similar to fine sand.That’s why the mortars mechanical strength with fly ash 0%-30%is better than that with bottom ash at the same rate.Fly ash slightly decreases the mechanical strength of mortars while bottom ash induces a much more significant decrease.

Release behavior of soluble salts in MSWI bottom ash used as road basement materials under continuous rainfall conditions

The bottom ash is increasingly used as a substitute aggregate material in road construction in China,and road salting is the major salt source in groundwater.Continuous rainfall releases soluble salts from the bottom ash subgrade into the surrounding soil and groundwater,resulting in potential hazards.Different methods were employed to simulate and collect runoff water during rainfall events,including batch leaching test,dynamic leaching test and constant head test,to assess environmental impact of bottom ash as road basement materials under continuous rainfall conditions.This study simulated the seepage of bottom ash backfill roads under different rainfall intensities,rainfall times,and rainfall pH values.A comprehensive sampling and laboratory testing program was undertaken to characterize the environmental impact of soluble salts from bottom ash.The obtained results reveal that the leaching concentrations of Cl^(−)and SO_(4)^(2−)exceed the limit specified in the class V standard of surface water,which are 2.06–2.17 times and 1.08–1.25 times,respectively.By examining the long-term environmental influence under the condition of continuous rainfall,the leaching of Cl^(−)mainly occurs in the early leaching stage,and the maximum leaching concentration reaches 19,700 mg/L.The release concentration of Cl^(−)begins to be lower than the class V standard of surface water when continuous rainfall approaches the total rainfall for 13 months.The cumulative release of Cl^(−)in the bottom ash is 2.8–5.4 mg/g.Both rainfall intensity and rain pH affect the release of Cl^(−).The obtained results derived from the constant head tests indicate that stagnant water caused by rainfall deteriorates the release of soluble salt into the groundwater in only 1 day,especially at the early stage of 12 h.This work provides some basic information about how to minimize damage to the surrounding environment caused by the leaching of salt in bottom ash.

动力站渣库有毒气体检测报警设计分析

为保障动力站人身安全及生产安全,监测生产过程及储运设施中泄漏的有毒气体,并及时报警,预防人身伤害及火灾事故的发生,文章提出在渣库增设硫化氢、一氧化碳及氧气3种有毒气体探测器及可燃/有毒气体检测系统(GDS)的设计方案。