Overview of Fly ash

Fly ash is a fine, glass powder recovered from the gases of burning coal during the production of
electricity. These micron-sized earth elements consist primarily of silica, alumina and iron. When mixed
with lime and water the fly ash forms a cementitious compound with properties very similar to that of
Portland cement. Because of this similarity, fly ash can be used to replace a portion of cement in the
concrete, providing some distinct quality advantages.
According to Central Electricity authority of India, there are around 83 major coal fired thermal power
plants and 305 hydro plants existing in India. The current electricity generation in India is about 1,60,000
MW, 65-70% of which is thermal (mostly coal based). In India fly ash generation is around 170 million
tonnes / year.
According to an estimate 100,000 MW capacity or more would be required in the next 10 years due to
continually increasing demand for electricity. India has sufficient coal reserves. In India almost 65-70% of
electricity production is dependent on coal which produces a huge quantity of Fly Ash as residue. The
ash content of the Indian coal (30–50%) contributes to these large volumes of FA.
Major producers of fly ash in India:
There are more than 83 coal fired thermal power plants in India. In addition to this, there are more than
1800 selected industrial units which had captive thermal power plants of >1MW.
Some of the prominent Power Plants which are provide good quality Fly Ash include the following:
 Ropar
 Kota
 Annapara
 Dadri
 Rihand
 Singrauli
 Unchahar
 Chandrapur
 Dahanu
 Trombay
 Vindyanchal
 Raichur
 Ramagundam
 Korba
Major consumers for fly ash in India
Out of the total generation of fly ash about 30% is recycled. The recycled fly ash is used in cement
industry(Portland Pozzolana Cement(PPC) cement, geopolymer cement), concrete blocks, bricks, panels
or any other material or for construction of roads, embankments, dams, dykes or for any other
construction activity out of which more than 70% of recycled fly ash is used by cement industry
(manufacturing of PPC cement).
Fly ash – a buyer’s market in India
According to the MOEF Gazette Notification dated Sept. 14, 1999, the existing power stations have to
achieve 20% ash utilization within three years and 100% utilization in 15 years from the date of
notification. New Stations have to achieve 10% ash utilization within 3 years and 30% ash utilization
within 9 years. Therefore thermal power stations are under great pressure to find useful applications of
fly ash.
Presently, out of 170 million tonnes of Total ash generated, about (30%) is being utilized. Hence supply
exceeds demand which may imply a lower price for the product.
Generally observed trends in fly ash distribution
FA is examined for its suitability in applications such as ash alloys, ceramic tiles, fire bricks, insulation
products, mineral wool, ceramic fiber, distemper, synthetic wood, fire abatement applications, soil
conditioner, mine filling, roads and embankment, cement etc.
Fly ash distribution and transportation strategy:
 Dry: This is currently the most commonly used method of supplying fly ash. Dry fly ash is
handled in a similar manner to Portland cement. Storage is in sealed silos with the associated
filtration and desiccation equipment, or in bags.
 Conditioned: In this method, water is added to the fly ash to facilitate compaction and handling.
The amount of water added being determined by the end use of the fly ash. Conditioned fly ash
is widely used in aerated concrete blocks, grout and specialist fill applications.
 Stockpiled: Conditioned fly ash not sold immediately is stockpiled and used at a later date. The
moisture content of stockpiled ash is typically 10 to 15%. This is used mainly in large fill and bulk
grouting applications.
 Lagoon: Some power stations pump fly ash as slurry to large lagoons. These are drained and
when the moisture content of deposited fly ash has reached a safe level may be recovered.
Because of the nature of the disposal technique, the moisture content can vary from around 5%
to over 30%. Lagoon fly ash can be used in similar applications to stockpiled conditioned fly ash.
Fly ash, steel, cement, and power
Apart from the thermal power plants which are major producers of fly ash, every integrated steel plant
in India has its own captive power plant, which generates huge quantity of ash. This ash is often dumped
along with other process wastes.
Due to its distinctive properties when mixed with lime and water, Fly ash can be used to replace a
portion of cement in the concrete production.
Major steel, cement, and power producers in India
Cement
ACC, Grasim Industries, Ambuja Cement, Utratech Cement, J.K Cement, Madras Cement, Jaypee Group.
Steel
The key players in Steel Industry are Steel Authority of India (SAIL), Tata Iron & Steel Company Limited,
Ispat Industries Limited Essar Steel Limited
Power
National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, 83 thermal power plants in India