×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Fly Ash Market

Fly Ash Market

Fly Ash Market

(OP)
Hi!

I heard that fly ash supply had been reduced in the construction industry.
This trend will continue in the perspective of environment concern.
I would like to know how serious this problem is in the market.
Do concrete supply companies need to find out any substitute IMMEDIATELY?
What cementitious materials may replace fly ash in the future?

I am looking forward to your sharing!

RE: Fly Ash Market

Good question. With coal power being strongly discouraged by the government I would expect the supply of fly ash to disappear. However, judging from the size of ash piles around coal power plants, there does not appear to be any shortage.

RE: Fly Ash Market

I've never been asked to use less flyash in the mix. We always get asked to use more for green points (recycled material) and cost savings by the redi-mix plants.

RE: Fly Ash Market

Compositepro is right about reduced coal use at electric generating stations. The reason for this is actually old fashion Supply and Demand. The USA has an abundance of natural gas now and for the foreseeable future. Most of the increased gas supply is coming from fracking. As a result, natural gas prices have fallen to long-time lows - the price of coal cannot compete. Electric utilities, such as my former employer, are using coal fired units only when necessary and are decommissioning obsolete coal plants in droves. Added to this is the fact that a modern (combined cycle) natural gas plant is significantly more (thermally) efficient than coal and releases fewer pollutants. Coal for electricity generation is on the way out.

The coal ash stored in piles and ponds is almost never satisfactory for use in concrete - to much unburned carbon. A lot of the ash that you see is actually bottom ash which is way to coarse. The best fly ash for concrete is collected hot, fresh and dry from a modern coal fired unit (been there done that).

www.SlideRuleEra.net idea
www.VacuumTubeEra.net r2d2

RE: Fly Ash Market

There have been some rumblings that due to heavy metals in Fly Ash, it's not suitable for use in water treatment plants. I think it's ridiculous, but it does sound scary to the citizens.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources