PROBLEM 6

Use of fly ash unviable

By- Deepak
Introduction:
Fly ash is a byproduct from coal-fired power plants that is frequently used as an admixture in
concrete to replace a portion of the Portland cement. Using fly ash in concrete is
environmentally
beneficial

because it reduces the Portland cement (a major contributor of CO2) required in concrete. Fly
ash in concrete improves performance in some ways, but it also has some Advantages &
disadvantages.

Use of fly ash unviable:

Cement industry's initiative and investment to the tune of more

than Rs 1000 crore for effectively utilizing the industrial waste fly ash, which was otherwise posing a
nuisance as a health hazard, has helped the thermal power plants in addressing and tackling the
menace of fly ash related health and environmental hazards. However, power plants which had been
earlier supplying fly ash to the cement industry free of cost have for the last couple of years, as per
the order of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, started charging for fly ash from November
2009. The order has also made it mandatory for the cement plants having captive power plants to
supply 20 per cent of the fly ash generated as free of cost to the small scale brick manufacturers,
etc. within the vicinity of 100 kms of their plants. Both these have severely impacted the production
cost of cement and also seriously threatened the fly ash recycling potential in the country.

Fly ash in INDIA:

In developing countries like India power generation is most important
requirement for economic and social development. At the time of
independence in 1947, the installed capacity was 1,361 MW, which has
increased to 1, 87, 732 MW on 31 March, 2012. Out of it, 1, 10, 232 MW is
thermal (Coal/Lignite) based and is responsible to co-generate nearly 200
million tons of fly ash per year. In 12th Five Year Plan, the Planning
Commission has set up target to enhance power capacity by 89,000MW, out
of which 53,400 MW will come from Coal/Lignite based thermal power plants.
By the end of 12th Plan (2017), the fly ash generation is expected to reach
300 million tons per year and likely to continue to grow with same pace at
least for next two to three decades.

ADVANTAGES:
Greater strength: Fly ash increases in strength over time, continuing to
combine with free lime.
Decreased permeability: Increased density and long-term pozzolanic
action of fly ash, which ties up free lime, results in fewer bleed channels and
decreases permeability.
Increased durability: The lower permeability of concrete with fly ash also
helps keep aggressive compounds on the surface, where destructive action is
lessened. Fly ash concrete is also more resistant to attack by sulfate, mild
acid, and soft (lime hungry) water.
Reduced alkali silica reactivity: Fly ash combines with alkalis from
cement that might otherwise combine with silica from aggregates, thereby
preventing destructive expansion.
Reduced heat of hydration: The pozzolanic reaction between fly-ash and
lime generates less heat, resulting in reduced thermal cracking when fly ash
is used to replace a percentage of Portland cement.
Reduced efflorescence: Fly ash chemically binds free lime and salts that
can create efflorescence. The lower permeability of concrete with fly ash can
help to hold efflorescence-producing compounds inside the concrete.
Increased workability: Concrete is easier to place with less effort,
responding better to vibration to fill forms more completely
Improved finishing: Sharp, clear architectural definition is easier to
achieve, with less worry about in-place integrity.

Present utilization of Fly Ash: The present utilization of fly ash in

various sectors is shown in table and Fig 2. Nearly 100 million t o n s of fly ash is
reported being utilized out of 200 million t o n s generated during 2012 by Ministry of
Science and Technology. Though percentage utilization has gone to nearly 5 0 % but in
absolute terms, v e r y large quantity of fly ash still remains unutilized

Sector
In production of Portland Pozzolana Cement
Cement Replacement at Concrete batching Plants

Mnt
40
10

% of utilization
40
10

(RMC)
Filling in low lying areas
Roads and Embankments
Dyke Raising
Brick Manufacturing
Agriculture Sector
Other miscellaneous uses.
Total

17
16
4
4
4
5
100

17
16
4
4
4
5
100

Conclusion:
The fly ash generation has already crossed 200 million tons per year and likely to increase to
more than 300 million tons by the year 2017. The utilization and disposal of such large
quantity of fly ash is a herculean task which has to be performed within various
environment protection laws. The effective utilization of this resource material would not
only minimize the disposal problem but help in conservation of scarce minerals, reduce
emission of green house gases and enhance performance and durability of structure.
It may however, be realized that cement and concrete alone would not be able to utilize
increased volumes of fly ash in future and new avenues have to be found and promoted.
The other potential areas are fly ash bricks, filling in embankments, reclamation of sea,
improving the agricultural soil quality and light weight aggregates. The use of fly ash in all
these areas has been tried in many countries but to suit the Indian conditions, extensive
laboratory and field work is required to achieve desired results.

Reference:
1. Cement - Data book 2011-2012 published by CMA, New Delhi.

2. Fly ash Utilization and generation published by NTPC.