Recovery of Cenospheres and Fine Fraction from Coal Fly Ash by a Novel Dry Separation Method

Jan Wrona, Witold Żukowski, Dariusz Bradło and Piotr Czupryński
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Jan Wrona: Environmental and Power Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Witold Żukowski: Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Dariusz Bradło: Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Piotr Czupryński: PGE Energia Ciepła S.A., Ciepłownicza 1, 31-587 Cracow, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-14

Abstract: Aluminosilicate microspheres are a valuable fraction of coal fly ash with diverse applications due to their low density. Currently, there is no efficient and ecologically rational method of cenosphere recovery from fly ash. A combination of dry methods for the recovery of both fine ash particles and aluminosilicate microspheres from coal fly ash is presented. It is comprised of fluidised bed separation followed by screening and pneumatic separation in a free-fall air chamber. Fluidised bed separation was assisted by a mechanical activator to prevent agglomeration. This step reduced the portion of material that required further treatment by 52–55 wt.%, with the recovery of microspheres exceeding 97%. Then, the concentrates were individually subjected to pneumatic separation. The final separation product for the fly ash containing 0.64 wt.% cenospheres was a cenosphere concentrate that constituted about 17 wt.% of the initial fly ash. The recovery of cenospheres was around 81%. Usage of a combination of dry methods allowed for maintaining almost 83 wt.% of the raw material in its dry form. Furthermore, the produced fly ash grain fractions could be used for different industrial purposes.

Keywords: fly ash; cenospheres; fluidisation; pneumatic separation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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