Solvothermal synthesis and adsorption performance of layered boehmite using aluminum chloride and high-alumina fly ash

High alumina fly ash(FAHAl)is a kind of bulk solid waste unique to China,whose availability of high-value aluminum and the threat to the environment makes its high-value utilization urgent.In this work,the alumina containing leaching solution obtained from Na_(2)CO_(3) roasting and HCl leaching of FAHAl was used as the mother liquor to prepare layered boehmite in situ.The preparation process with AlCl_(3) as the raw material was also compared.The formation process and mechanism of boehmite,the choice of solvent,along with the adsorption capability of Congo red were analyzed by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method and adsorption experiments.Results showed that during the preparation of layered boehmite,the precursor Al(OH)_(3) from the reaction of Al^(3+) and OH-is transformed into boehmiteγ-AlOOH.The existence of ethanol is beneficial to regulate and promote the growth of boehmite crystal effectively.When water and ethanol are mixed with a volume ratio of 2:1 and used as the solvent,the maximum specific surface area of the boehmite is obtained at 135.7 m^(2)·g^(-1),and 99.16%of Congo red can be absorbed after 10 min when AlCl3 is used as a raw material.As purified leaching solution is used as the mother liquid,the crystallinity of boehmite decreases slightly when the pH value decreases from 12.5 to 11.When pH is 11,the removal efficiency of Congo red reaches a maximum of 72.25%.This process not only achieves the extraction of aluminum and high-value utilization of FAHAl but also provides a thought to prepare layered boehmite with adsorption properties.

A mini review on the separation of Al,Fe and Ti elements from coal fly ash leachate

The electricity demand is increasing rapidly with the development of society and technology.Coal-fired thermal power plants have become one of the primary sources of electricity generation for urbanization.However,coal-fired thermal power plants produce a great amount of by-product coal fly ash every year.Coal fly ash disposal in landfills requires a sizable space and has negative environmental impacts.Therefore,it is crucial to develop new technologies and methods to utilize this enormous volume of solid waste in order to protect the environment.In this review,the fundamental physical and chemical character-istics of coal fly ash are introduced,and afterward the disposal policies and utilization ways of coal fly ash are discussed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the various ways this waste.The leaching of valuable metals in coal fly ash and the extraction of metal elements in leachate under different conditions are also summarized.Furthermore,the possibility of coal fly ash to serve as a supplementary source for mineral resources is analyzed,providing a basis for its extensive use as a raw material in the metal industry in China and worldwide.

Synergistic CO_(2) mineralization using coal fly ash and red mud as a composite system

CO_(2) mineralization plays a critical role in the storage and utilization of CO_(2).Coal fly ash(CFA)and red mud(RM)are widely utilized as CO_(2) mineralizers.However,the inert calcium species in CFA limit its carbonation capacity,meanwhile the substantial Ca^(2+)releasing of RM is hindered by a covering layer of calcium carbonate.In this study,CO_(2) mineralization in a composite system of CFA and RM was investigated to enhance the carbonation capacity.Multiple analyzers were employed to characterize the raw materials and resulting mineralization products.The results demonstrated that a synergistic effect existed in the composite system of CFA and RM,resulting in improving CO_(2) mineralization rate and efficiency.The produced calcium carbonate was ectopically attached the surface of CFA in the composite system,thus slowing down its coverage on the surface of RM.This phenomenon facilitated further releasing Ca^(2+)from the internal RM,thereby enhancing CO_(2) mineralization efficiency.Meanwhile,the inclusion of RM significantly improved the alkalinity of the composite system,which not only promoted the dissolution of Ca^(2+)of the inert CaSO_(4)(H_(2)O)_(2) in CFA,but also accelerated CO_(2) mineralization rate.The investigation would be beneficial to CO_(2) mineralization using industrial solid wastes.

Experimental study on the activation of coal gasification fly ash from industrial CFB gasifiers

Coal gasification fly ash(CGFA)is an industrial solid waste from the coal circulating fluidized bed(CFB)gasification process,and it needs to be effectively disposed to achieve sustainable development of the environment.To realize the application of CGFA as a precursor of porous carbon materials,the physicochemical properties of three kinds of CGFA from industrial CFB gasifiers are analyzed.Then,the activation potential of CGFA is acquired via steam activation experiments in a tube furnace reactor.Finally,the fluidization activation technology of CGFA is practiced in a bench-scale CFB test rig,and its advantages are highlighted.The results show that CGFA is characterized by a high carbon content in the range of 54.06%–74.09%,an ultrafine particle size(d50:16.3–26.1 μm),and a relatively developed pore structure(specific surface area SSA:139.29–551.97 m^(2)·g^(-1)).The proportion of micropores in CGFA increases gradually with the coal rank.Steam activation experiments show that the pore development of CGFA mainly includes three stages:initial pore development,dynamic equilibrium between micropores and mesopores and pore collapse.The SSA of lignite fly ash(LFA),subbituminous fly ash(SBFA)and anthracite fly ash(AFA)is maximally increased by 105%,13%and 72%after steam activation;the order of the largest carbon reaction rate and decomposition ratio of steam among the three kinds of CGFA is SBFA>LFA>AFA.As the ratio of oxygen to carbon during the fluidization activation of LFA is from 0.09 to 0.19,the carbon conversion ratio increases from 14.4%to 26.8%and the cold gas efficiency increases from 6.8%to 10.2%.The SSA of LFA increases by up to 53.9%during the fluidization activation process,which is mainly due to the mesoporous development.Relative to steam activation in a tube furnace reactor,fluidization activation takes an extremely short time(seconds)to achieve the same activation effect.It is expected to further improve the activation effect of LFA by regulating the carbon conversion ratio range of 27%–35%to create pores in the initial development stage.

Combined use of fly ash and silica to prevent the long-term strength retrogression of oil well cement set and cured at HPHT conditions

The long-term strength retrogression of silica-enriched oil well cement poses a significant threat to wellbore integrity in deep and ultra-deep wells, which is a major obstacle for deep petroleum and geothermal energy development. Previous attempts to address this problem has been unsatisfactory because they can only reduce the strength decline rate. This study presents a new solution to this problem by incorporating fly ash to the traditional silica-cement systems. The influences of fly ash and silica on the strength retrogression behavior of oil well cement systems directly set and cured under the condition of 200°C and 50 MPa are investigated. Test results indicate that the slurries containing only silica or fly ash experience severe strength retrogression from 2 to 30 d curing, while the slurries containing both fly ash and silica experience strength enhancement from 2 to 90 d. The strength test results are corroborated by further evidences from permeability tests as well as microstructure analysis of set cement. Composition of set cement evaluated by quantitative X-ray diffraction analyses with partial or no known crystal structure(PONKCS) method and thermogravimetry analyses revealed that the conversion of amorphous C-(A)-S-H to crystalline phases is the primary cause of long-term strength retrogression.The addition of fly ash can reduce the initial amount of C-(A)-S-H in the set cement, and its combined use with silica can prevent the crystallization of C-(A)-S-H, which is believed to be the working mechanism of this new admixture in improving long-term strength stability of oil well cement systems.

Mechanism study of Cu(Ⅱ) adsorption from acidic wastewater by ultrasonic-modified municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

High concentrations of copper ions(Cu(Ⅱ)) in water will pose health risks to humans and the ecological environment. Therefore, this study aims to utilize ultrasonic-cured modified municipal solid waste incineration(MSWI) fly ash for Cu(Ⅱ) adsorption to achieve the purpose of “treating waste by waste.” The effects of p H, adsorption time, initial concentration, and temperature on the modified MSWI fly ash’s adsorption efficiency were systematically studied in this article. The adsorption performance of the modified MSWI fly ash can be enhanced by the ultrasonic modification. At pH = 2, 3 and 4, the adsorption capacity of the modified MSWI fly ash for Cu(Ⅱ) increased by 2.7, 1.9 and 1.2 times, respectively. Furthermore, it was suggested that the adsorption process of the modified MSWI fly ash can be better simulated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, with a maximum adsorption capacity calculated by the Langmuir model of 24.196 mg.g-1. Additionally, the adsorption process is spontaneous,endothermic, and chemisorption-dominated from the thermodynamic studies(ΔH and ΔS > 0, ΔG < 0).Finally, the enhanced adsorption performance of the modified MSWI fly ash for Cu(Ⅱ) may be attributed to electrostatic interaction and chelation effects.

Study on Fly Ash Based Porous Ceramsite as Biological Filter Media

Using fly ash as a raw material,porous ceramic particles with an apparent density of 1.21 g/cm^(3),a visible porosity of 51.03%,and a specific surface area of 4.26 m^(2)/g were prepared and used as biofilter materials for wastewater treatment.Through SEM,XRD analysis,and heavy metal leaching analysis,it was found that porous ceramsite were porous materials with rough surfaces.After calcination,the newly formed mineral was silicate calcium feldspar.The heavy metal concentration in the leaching solution of porous ceramsite met the national surface water quality requirements.The treatment of domestic sewage showed that the volumetric loads of COD Cr,NH_(4)^(+)-N,and TN removed by the aerated biofilter were 5.23,0.98,and 0.35 kg/(m^(3)·d),respectively,with removal rates of 85.46%,96.13%,and 32.31%.

Behavior of Fly Ash at Different Mix Ratios with Plastic Recycled Polymers

Fly ash is a waste produced from burning of coals in thermal power stations. The staggering increase in the production of fly ash and its disposal in an environment friendly manner is increasingly becoming a matter of global concern. Many efforts have been made to use the fly ash in various geotechnical applications viz. embankment, roadway, railway, backfill material. In this study, PRPs (plastic recycled polymers) were mixed with fly ash at different mix ratios so as to inspect its influence on the geotechnical properties of fly ash. In this regard, the laboratory study includes Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics, unconfined compressive strength, direct shear test, Triaxial shear test and X-ray fluorescence test. Tests were carried out on only fly ash and treated fly ash with PRPs. Results indicate increase in MDD (maximum dry density) and also in shear parameters of the fly ash with inclusion of PRPs.

An Experimental Investigation on Workability and Bleeding Behaviors of Cement Pastes Doped with Nano Titanium Oxide (n-TiO 2) Nanoparticles and FlyAsh

In this study,the workability of cement-based grouts containing n-TiO 2 nanoparticles and fly ash has been investigated experimentally.Several characteristic quantities(including,but not limited to,the marsh cone flow time,the mini slump spreading diameter and the plate cohesion meter value)have been measured for different percentages of these additives.The use of fly ash as a mineral additive has been found to result in improvements in terms of workability behavior as expected.Moreover,if nano titanium oxide is also used,an improvement can be obtained regarding the bleeding values for the cement-based grout mixes.Using such experimental data,a multi-layer perceptron artificial neural network model has been developed(5 neurons in the hidden layer of the network model have been developed using a total of 42 experimental data).70%of the data employed in this model have been used for training,15%for validation and 15%for the test phase.The results demonstrate that the artificial neural network model can predict Marsh cone flow time,mini slump spreading diameter and plate cohesion meter values with an average error of 0.15%.

Analysis of the Performances and Optimization of Polyurethane Concrete with a Large Percentage of Fly Ash

The properties of polyurethane concrete containing a large amount of fly ash are investigated,and accordingly,a model is introduced to account for the influence of fly ash fineness,water ratio,and loss of ignition(LOI)on its mechanical performances.This research shows that,after optimization,the concrete has a compressive strength of 20.8 MPa,a flexural strength of 3.4 MPa,and a compressive modulus of elasticity of 19.2 GPa.The main factor influencing 28 and 90 d compressive strength is fly ash content,water-binder ratio,and early strength agent content.

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.

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.

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.

Reaction behaviour of Al_2O_3 and SiO_2 in high alumina coal fly ash during alkali hydrothermal process

The reaction behaviours of A1203 and SiO2 in high alumina coal fly ash under various alkali hydrothermal conditions were studied. The means of XRD, XRF, FTIR and SEM were used to measure the mineral phase and morphology of the solid samples obtained by different alkali hydrothermal treatments as well as the leaching ratio of SiO2 to A1203 in alkali solution. The results showed that with the increase of the hydrothermal treating temperature from 75 to 160 ~C, phillipsite-Na, zeolite A, zeolite P, and hydroxysodalite were produced sequentially while the mullite and corundum phase still remained. Zeolite P was massively formed at low-alkali concentration and the hydroxysodalite was predominantly obtained at high-alkali concentration. By the dissolution of aluminosilicate glass and the formation of zeolites together, the leaching efficiency of SiO2 can reach 42.13% with the mass ratio of A1203/SIO2 up to 2.19：1.

Fabrication of β-Sialon/ZrN/ZrON composites using fly ash and zircon

β-Sialon/ZrN/ZrON composites were successfully fabricated by an in-situ carbothermal reduction？nitridation process with fly ash, zircon and active carbon as raw materials. The effects of raw materials composition and holding time on synthesis process were investigated, and the formation process of the composites was also discussed. The phase composition and microstructure of the composites were characterized by means of XRD and SEM. It was found that increasing carbon content in a sample and holding time could promote the formation of β-Sialon, ZrN and ZrON. The proper processing parameters to synthesize β-Sialon/ZrN/ZrON composites were mass ratio of zircon to fly ash to active carbon of 49：100：100, synthesis temperature of 1550 °C and holding time of 15 h. The average grain size ofβ-Sialon and ZrN（ZrON） synthesized at 1550 °C for 15 h reached about 2 and 1μm, respectively. The fabrication process ofβ-Sialon/ZrN/ZrON composites included the formation ofβ-Sialon and ZrO2 as well as the conversion of ZrO2 to ZrN and ZrON.

Properties and Mechanism of CFBC Fly Ash-cement based Stabilizers for Lake Sludge

Circulating fluidized bed combustion（CFBC） fly ash was mixed with cement or lime at a different ratio as a stabilizer to stabilize lake sludge.In order to understand the influences of stabilizers on the lake sludge properties,tests unconfined compressive strength,water stability and SEM observation were performed.The experimental results show that with the increase of the curing time,the strength of all the stabilized specimens increase,especially the samples containing cement.The strength of the specimens is decreased with the increasing of the CFBC fly ash/cement ratio,the optimum ratio between CFBC fly ash and cement is 2：3.The water stability of CFBC fly ash-cement based stabilizers is higher than those of cement and lime.Moreover,the lake sludge stabilization mechanism of CFBC fly ash-cement based stabilizers includes gelation and filling of the hydration products,i e,C-S-H gel and the AFt crystal,which act as benders to solidify those particles together and fill in the packing void of the aggregates.

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.

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.

A Study on the Effect of Low Calcium Ultra-fine Fly Ash as a Partial Sustainable Supplementary Material to Cement in Self-compacting Concrete

The aim and scope of the present study were to determine the efficacy of UFFA in evaluating the workability,static and dynamic stabilization properties,retention period,and slump loss of SCC systems in their fresh state,as well as their compressive strength at various ages.Microstructure(SEM and XRD)of blended SCC systems were studied.Also,the thermogravimetry behavior of blended SCC specimens were researched.According to the evaluated results,incorporating up to 20%UFFA into fresh concrete improved its performance due to its engineered fine particle size and spherical geometry,both of which contribute to the enhancement of characteristics.Blends of 25%and 30%of UFFA show effect on the water-binder ratio and chemical enhancer dosage,resulting in a loss of homogeneity in fresh SCC systems.The reduced particle size,increased amorphous content,and increased surface area all contribute to the pozzolanic reactivity of the early and later ages,resulting in denser packing and thus an increase in compressive strength.The experimental results indicate that UFFA enhances the properties of SCC in both its fresh and hardened states,which can be attributed to the particles’fineness and their relative effect on SCC.