I-Corps: Lightweight Aggregates from Waste Bottom Ash

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是从煤电行业未使用的废渣中生产可用于混凝土和岩土应用的轻质骨料(LWA)。在美国，每年产生约1.2亿吨的煤炭燃烧产物(如飞灰和底灰)，其中37%被重复利用。这导致了大量历史上未使用的火山灰储存在现场的地表蓄水池中。从未使用的底灰生产LWA将导致将废物转化为能够吸引混凝土和土工市场的附加值产品。生产的轻骨料可用作骨料，用于(A)结构轻质混凝土生产，(B)混凝土内部养护，(C)生产用于建筑物、挡土墙和景观的混凝土砌块，(D)生产保温/隔音混凝土单元，以及(E)用于高速公路、桥台、挡土墙和地基的轻质填料。这个i-Corps项目将使人们对利用废渣生产的轻质骨料(LWA)的市场规模和商业潜力有重大的了解。底灰的残碳量很高，创新的烧结技术是利用残碳和适当的助熔剂来创造一种由玻璃层包裹的多孔材料，表现出火山灰的反应性。这种新型材料将具有活性的非晶态表面和惰性的晶态多孔内部，并具有可控的比例。该技术使用热力学模型，可以针对各种物理条件和化学成分的底灰。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to produce lightweight aggregates (LWA) from unused waste bottom ash of coal electric power industry that can be used for concrete and geotechnical applications. Each year in the United States around 120 million tons of coal combustion products (e.g., fly ash and bottom ash) are generated of which 37% is reused. This has led to a large historical stock of unused coal ash stored in on-site surface impoundments. Production of LWA from unused bottom ash will result in conversion of waste material to value-added product that can attract concrete and geotechnical markets. The produced LWA can be used as an aggregate in (a) structural lightweight concrete production, (b) internal curing of concrete, (c) production of concrete masonry blocks for buildings, retaining walls and landscape, (d) production of thermal/sound insulating concrete units, and (e) lightweight fill for highways, bridge abutments, retaining walls, and foundations.This I-Corps project will lead to significant understanding of market size and commercial potential of lightweight aggregates (LWA) produced from waste bottom ash. Bottom ash has high residual carbon and the innovative sintering technology is to use this residual carbon with appropriate fluxing agent to create a porous material encapsulated by a glassy layer that exhibits pozzolanic reactivity. This novel material will possess an active amorphous surface and an inert crystalline porous interior in a controlled ratio. The technology uses a thermodynamic model and can target a wide range of bottom coal ashes with various physical conditions and chemical compositions.