GLASS-CERAMIC CONSTRUCTION TILES FROM COAL-FIRED BOILER FLYASH

IT IS CLEARLY RECOGNIZED BY THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION THAT COAL-FIRED BOILER FLYASH IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE INCREASING SHORTAGE OF LANDFILL AVAILABILITY. IN GENERAL, THE LANDFILL REQUIREMENTS FOR SOLID WASTE PRODUCTS ARE BECOMING A MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUE. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES A MEANS OF MITIGTING A PART OF THE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISPOSAL OF COAL-FIRED BOILER FLYASH BY DEVELOPING ONE OF SEVERAL LIKELY MARKETS FOR RECYCLING THIS WASTE INTO GLASS-CERAMIC CONSTRUCTION TILES. THE TECHNOLOGY PLANNED FOR PRODUCTION OF THE VITRIFIED PRODUCT FROM THE FLYASH IS BASED ON AN ADVANCED IN-FLIGHT SUSPENSION GLASS MELTING TECHNOLOGY CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED. PHASE I WILLEXPERIMENTALLY INVESTIGTE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING VITRIFIED COAL-FIRED BOILER FLYASH AS CONSTRUCTION TILES. THE PHASE I EFFORT IS DIRECTED TOWARD DEFINING THE FEEDSTOCK AND PRODUCT GLASS COMPOSITION/PROPERTY CRITERIA, DEVELOPING TEST SAMPLES OF THE TILES BEING INVESTIGATED, CONDUCTING EVALUATION TESTS ON THE TILES, AND REFORMULATING AND EVALUATING THE GLASS BATCH/FLYASH COMPOSITION IF NECESSARY.