Abstract: A process for sequestering carbon dioxide from the exhaust gas emitted from a combustion chamber is disclosed. In the process, a foam including a foaming agent and the exhaust gas is formed, and the foam is added to a mixture including a cementitious material (e.g., cement-kiln dust, lime kiln dust, or slag cement) and water to form a foamed mixture. Thereafter, the foamed mixture is allowed to set, preferably to a controlled low-strength material having a compressive strength of 1200 psi or less. The carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas reacts with hydration products in the controlled low-strength material and in turn sequesters the carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Methods for increasing the amount of cenospheres in a fly ash sample are disclosed. The cenospheres are obtained in a dry state by using air as the “fluid” media for separation. In one version, the invention is a two step process, that is, screen by size followed by density separation such as in a fluidizing vertical column by density. In another version of the invention, the separation by density is followed by screening by size. Additional cycles can improve purity as defined by concentration of cenospheres.

Abstract: A composition capable of setting to produce a building material is disclosed. The composition can include from 1% to 30% by weight of an activator, from 1% to 55% by weight of a pozzolan, such as fly ash; from 40% to 90% by weight of an aggregate; and liquid landfill leachate in a sufficient amount such that the composition sets to a building material having a compressive strength of at least 2 MPa, wherein all weight percentages are percent by weight of the total composition. The liquid landfill leachate replaces all or part of the tap water in a conventional composition for forming a building material. The liquid landfill leachate can be recovered after a liquid (typically water) percolates through a landfill and contacts at least one landfilled coal combustion product selected from fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, and flue gas desulfurization material. The building material can be a concrete, or a masonry unit.

Abstract: Methods for increasing the amount of cenospheres in a fly ash sample are disclosed. The cenospheres are obtained in a dry state by using air as the “fluid” media for separation. In one version, the invention is a two step process, that is, screen by size followed by density separation such as in a fluidizing vertical column by density. In another version of the invention, the separation by density is followed by screening by size. Additional cycles can improve purity as defined by concentration of cenospheres.

Abstract: Compositions are provided for increasing the electrical conductivity of concrete or controlled low-strength materials (flowable fill). One composition sets to produce a concrete and includes portland cement, water, aggregate, and particulate matter including a sorbent and a contaminant absorbed, adsorbed or entrapped by the sorbent. The sorbent may be activated carbon, and the contaminant may be mercury or a compound containing mercury. Another composition is a self-compacting, cementitious flowable fill composition that includes portland cement, water, and particulate matter including a sorbent and a contaminant absorbed, adsorbed or entrapped by the sorbent. The sorbent may activated carbon, and the contaminant may be mercury or a compound containing mercury. The compositions may also include carbon fibers.

Abstract: A process for sequestering carbon dioxide from the flue gas emitted from a combustion chamber is disclosed. In the process, a foam including a foaming agent and the flue gas is formed, and the foam is added to a mixture including a cementitious material (e.g., fly ash) and water to form a foamed mixture. Thereafter, the foamed mixture is allowed to set, preferably to a controlled low-strength material having a compressive strength of 1200 psi or less. The carbon dioxide in the flue gas and waste heat reacts with hydration products in the controlled low-strength material to increase strength. In this process, the carbon dioxide is sequestered. The CLSM can be crushed or pelletized to form a lightweight aggregate with properties similar to the naturally occurring mineral, pumice.

Abstract: A method for reducing the amount of mercury affixed to a sorbent and/or fly ash is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing an amount of sorbent and/or fly ash wherein at least a portion of the amount of sorbent and/or fly ash has particulates having mercury compounds affixed to the particulates; and exposing the amount of sorbent and/or fly ash to heated flowing air until mercury compounds are liberated from at least some of the particulates. Preferably, the amount of sorbent and/or fly ash is maintained in the heated flowing air until the sorbent reaches a temperature of at least 700° F. (372° C.). When the sorbent is activated carbon, it is preferred that the amount of sorbent and/or fly ash is maintained in the heated flowing air until the activated carbon reaches a temperature in the range of 700° F. (372° C.) to 1000° F. (538° C.).

Abstract: A wildlife protector guard is provided for a high voltage electrical termination in a high voltage electrical power distribution system. The guard is provided by an electrically insulating shell having a central section concentrically surrounding an axial end of the termination, and having one or more line extension sections extending along and concentrically surrounding a respective given length of a high voltage line conductor connected to an ohmic connection at the axial end of the termination, and having a termination extension section extending along and concentrically surrounding a portion of the termination.

Abstract: An apparatus for the application of heat to remove ammonia compounds from fly ash is disclosed. The apparatus includes a source of fly ash comprising particulates having ammonia compounds affixed to the fly ash particulates, a heating chamber including a treatment bed comprising a media having openings, a fly ash supply conduit for transferring fly ash from the source of fly ash to the treatment bed of the heating chamber, a source of heated air, an air supply conduit for providing a flow of heated air to the treatment bed of the heating chamber for contacting the fly ash on the treatment bed with the flow of heated air, a heated air conduit in communication with the heating chamber for transferring the flow of heated air from the heating chamber, and an ash removal conduit in communication with the heating chamber for transferring heated fly ash from the heating chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the application of beat to remove ammonia compounds from fly ask, thereby making the fly ash a marketable product is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing an amount of fly ash wherein at least a portion of the amount of fly ash comprises particulates having ammonia compounds affixed to the particulates, and exposing the fly ash to flowing air having a temperature of at least 1,500° F. (815 ° C.) such that the fly ash is maintained in the flowing air until the fly ash reaches a temperature of at last 900° F. (482 ° C.).

Abstract: A process for recovering the byproducts of a process that burns coal and for reusing the byproducts is disclosed. The process includes the steps of identifying a disposal site that contains the byproducts (typically flyash and bottom ash), removing at least a portion of the byproducts from the disposal site, analyzing a sample of the portion of the byproducts to determine the loss on ignition of the portion of the byproducts, introducing the portion of the byproducts along with pulverized coal into a pulverized coal furnace if the portion of byproducts have a loss on ignition greater than or equal to a predetermined loss on ignition value (typically greater than or equal to 1 to 5%), and burning the portion of the byproducts in the furnace with the pulverized coal to render the byproducts into a commercially valuable fly ash and bottom ash having very low loss on ignition, typically lower than 3%.

Abstract: Compositions for producing electrically conductive controlled low-strength material and electrically conductive concrete are provided, comprising conventional components, but utilizing a non-standard, high carbon content, fly ash. One settable controlled low-strength material composition includes 1%-20% by weight of portland cement,18%-85% by weight of fly ash having a carbon content of greater than 12%, and water such that the composition sets to a material having a compressive strength of 8.3 MPa or less. One settable concrete composition includes 1%-30% by weight of portland cement, 1%-20% by weight of fly ash having a carbon content of greater than 12%, 40%-90% by weight of an aggregate, and water such that the composition sets to a concrete having a compressive strength of at least 13.8 MPa.

Abstract: A mill in a coal-burning utility electrical power generation plant has a rotary drum for pulverizing coal, and has a mill head at an axial end thereof. A stationary divider plate divides the mill head into an entrance receiving coal, and an exit discharging pulverized coal dust. An openable door on the mill head is moveable between a closed position and an open position. The door in the closed position is intersected by the rotational axis of the drum and has a lateral dimension transverse to such axis and greater than the inner diameter of the mill head. The door in the closed position spans the divider plate and closes both the entrance and exit of the mill head. The door in the open position exposes both the entrance and the exit. The divider plate may be removed by withdrawing it axially through the door opening without cutting the divider plate into multiple sub-pieces.

Abstract: A coal-burning utility electrical power generation plant includes a mill pulverizing coal and supplying same to a boiler for combustion. The boiler has a bottom ash hopper for receiving combustion products including clinkers, and a clinker grinder for grinding the clinkers. The clinker grinder includes a rotary drum in a grinding chamber and having grinding teeth and driven by a rotary shaft extending through a stuffing box assembly. The stuffing box assembly has a flushing fitting for supplying flushing fluid thereto and along the shaft and into the grinding chamber. A seal permits flushing fluid flow from the flushing fitting into the grinding chamber, and blocks reverse flow. Long life is provided without a grease fitting, and leakage is substantially reduced.

Abstract: A coal-burning utility electrical power generation plant includes a mill provided by a rotary drum for pulverizing coal. The drum is rotational about an axis and has mill heads at distally opposite axial ends thereof. Each mill head has a cylindrical mill head extension extending axially, and a stationary cylindrical seal ring concentric with the mill head extension and defining an annular gap therebetween. A pair of axially spaced annular seals are provided between the mill head extension and the seal ring, and seal the annular gap therebetween to prevent leakage of coal dust through the annular gap. A spacer is provided between the seals and maintains the seals in axially spaced relation and prevents rolling movement of the seals into the annular interfaces between the spacer and the mill head extension and between the spacer and the seal ring as the mill head extension rotates relative to the seal ring, to prevent coal dust bypass, and leakage to atmosphere.

Abstract: Bottom ash and flyash having high LOI is reburned in a pulverized coal furnace. The bottom ash is added to the coal supply before the coal is pulverized. Flyash is added to the pulverized coal stream for injection with the pulverized coal or is separately injected into the furnace at or slightly above the level of the coal burners in the furnace. The bottom ash and flyash is added to the coal in direct proportion of 1% to 3.5% of the coal.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for improving the performance of a high voltage, rapper-type precipitator having a supply electrode and a rapper rod passing through a grounded precipitator roof and attached to an array of discharge electrodes. Alumina insulation sleeves are installed over the supply electrodes and rapper rods to prevent sparking to the grounded precipitator roof. A shock absorber is provided on the lower end of the insulator to prevent damage to the insulator during precipitator rapping.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a spring pack of a valve operator, the apparatus including a hollow housing with a coupling for attaching to the valve operator. A slider is received within the housing and moves therein when driven by a bolt that extends through a threaded aperture in the housing. A load sensor is attached to the slider and extends through the coupling and engages a valve operator component that is connected to the spring pack. As a technician turns the bolt, the apparatus compresses the spring pack within the valve operator and the load sensor produces an electrical signal that indicates how much force is exerted by the spring pack. At the same time, a transducer produces another electrical signal indicating the displacement of the spring pack.

Abstract: An apparatus, for testing a spring pack of a valve operator, includes a hollow housing with a coupling for attaching to the valve operator. A slider is received within the housing and moves therein when driven by a bolt that extends through a threaded aperture in the housing. A load sensor is attached to the slider and extends through the coupling and engages a valve operator component that is connected to the spring pack. As a technician turns the bolt, the apparatus compresses the spring pack within the valve operator and the load sensor produces an electrical signal that indicates how much force is exerted by the spring pack. At the same time, a transducer produces another electrical signal indicating the displacement of the spring pack.

Abstract: A method is shown for producing a lightweight aggregate by treating flyash and sewage sludge. The flyash and sewage sludge are mixed together and then agglomerated into pellets, with or without the use of a binder. The pellets may be coated and then are dried. The dried pellets are introduced into a rotary kiln in a direction that is co-current with the flow of fuel and air through the kiln. The pellets in the kiln will be indurated and will experience complete calcination as well as varying degrees of pyrolizing and sintering. The product of the kiln is a nodular material having a low density but with a hard and porous structure. The product of the kiln is feed to a cooler. The flyash sewage sludge mixture has a significant fuel value that is usable in the kiln. Furthermore, the fuel value available in the kiln off-gases may be used for drying the materials.