Utilization of Coal Ash Produced from Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion Power Plant as a Concrete Mineral Admixture

Abstract

A pressurized fluidized-bed combustion power plant (PFBC) is a coal-fired thermal power plant specially developed for the enhancement of generating efficiency and the reduction of environmental loads. The physico-chemical properties of coal ash produced from this type of power plant (PFBC ash) are different from those of ordinary fly ash, because coal is mixed with pulverized limestone and burnt at a lower temperature than that in the conventional power generation system. This study explores the feasibility of utilizing PFBC ash as a concrete mineral admixture. It has been found that the coal ash from a secondary cyclone dust collector enhances the strength of concrete although it cannot improve the fluidity. A series of tests, including those for durability and changes in length, show that the durability of concrete containing the coal ash so produced is adequate for practical applications.