• Clean Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.179-188
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• 2019

Upon the combustion of coal particles in a coal-fired power plant, fly ash (80%) and bottom ash (20%) are unavoidably produced. Most of the ashes are, however, just dumped onto a landfill site. When the landfill site that takes the fly ash and bottom ash is saturated, further operation of the coal-fired power plant might be discontinued unless a new alternative landfill site is prepared. In this study, wet flotation separation system (floating process) was employed in order to recover unburned carbon (UC), ceramic microsphere (CM) and cleaned ash (CA), all of which serving as useful components within fly ash. The average recovered fractions of UC, CM, and CA from fly ash were 92.10, 75.75, and 69.71, respectively, while the recovered fractions of UC were higher than those of CM and CA by 16% and 22%, respectively. The combustible component (CC) within the recovered UC possessed a weight percentage as high as 52.54wt%, whereas the burning heat of UC was estimated to be $4,232kcal\;kg^{-1}$. As more carbon-containing UC is recovered from fly ash, UC is expected to be used successfully as an industrial fuel. Owing to the effects of pH, more efficient chemical separations of CM and CA, rather than UC, were obtained. The average $SiO_2$ contents within the separated CM and CA had a value of 53.55wt% and 78.66wt%, respectively, which is indicative of their plausible future application as industrial materials in many fields.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.939-946
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• 2011

In thermal power generation companies, the recycling of refined ash (LOI < 6%) obtained from a PC-firing furnace is beneficial for the companies, e.g., it can be used for making lightweight aggregates. However, ash having a high LOI, which cannot be reused, is still buried in the ground. To obtain refined ash, the re-burning of high-LOI ash (LOI > 6%) in a PC-firing furnace can be an alternative. In this study, a numerical analysis was performed to demonstrate the effects of ash re-burning. An experimental constant value was decided by TGA (thermo-gravimetric analysis), and a DTF (drop-tube furnace) was used in the experiment for calculating the combustion of ash. On the basis of the trajectory of the moving particles of coal and ash, it was concluded that supplying ash near the burner, which is located high above the ground, is appropriate. On the basis of numerical results, it was concluded that an ash supply rate of 6 ton/h is suitable for combustion, without affecting the PC-firing boiler.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.569-611
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• 2018

Rapid economic growth, urbanization, and industrialization of China have tremendously degraded the overall quality of living environments, especially the air quality, not only negatively affecting Chinese people but also impacting citizens of neighboring countries, namely Korea. The Chinese government has invested much effort to regulate the air pollution due to burning coal through introducing strict environmental monitoring policies and aggressive implementation. This paper presents an overview of Chinese air pollution prevention policy due to burning coal, and the associated trends and specifics of institutional arrangements regarding air pollutant emission regulations. It turns out that the policies have become stricter than before; some polices are geared towards enforcing extra regulation at the regional level. It is expected that the regulation will become stricter in the future. However, the actual contribution and feasibility of such policies must be analyzed based on sound science. The policies seem to care little about influencing the air quality of Korea, and this has to be improved. In order to do so, it is important to strengthen environmental cooperation between Korea and China, and better yet to research on not only the air quality but also the associated fields, such as energy, industrial technology, and global environmental governance.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.268-274
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• 2010

Emission of heavy metals as hazardous air pollutants has been focused with tightening regulatory limits due to their hazardousness. Measurements and characteristic investigations of heavy metals emitted from a commercial power plant burning anthracite coal have been carried out. The plant consists of a circulating fluidized bed combustor, a cyclone, a boiler and an electrostatic precipitator(ESP) in series. Dust and gaseous samples were collected to measure main heavy metals including gaseous mercury before ESP and at stack. Dust emissions as total particulate matter (TPM), PM-10 and PM-2.5 at inlet of ESP were very high with 23,274, 9,555 and $7,790mg/Sm^3$, respectively, as expected, which is much higher than those from pulverized coal power plants. However TPM at stack was less than $0.16mg/Sm^3$, due to high dust removal efficiency by ESP. Similarly heavy metals emission showed high collection efficiency across ESP. From particle size distribution and metal enrichment in sizes, several metal concentrations could be correlated with particle size showing more enrichment in smaller particles. Mercury unlike other solid metals behaved differently by emitting as gaseous state due to high volatility. Removal of mercury was quite less than other metals due to it's volatility, which was 68% only. Across ESP, speciation change of mercury from elemental to oxidized was clearly shown so that elemental mercury was half of total mercury at stack unlike other coal power plants which equipped wet a scrubber.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2014

In present study, we geochemically investigated the fresh coal ashes and the saline ash pond of an electric power plant in Korea, which burns imported bituminous coals. The goals are to see the chemical changes of the ash pond by reaction with coal ashes and to investigate the relative leachability of elements from the ashes by reaction with saline waters. For this study, one fresh fly ash, one fresh bottom ash, and 7 water samples were collected. All the ash samples and 2 water samples were analyzed for 55 elements. The results indicated that the fly ashes are enriched with chalcophilic elements such as Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Se, Cd, Sb, Au, Pb, and B relative to other elements. On the other hand, concentrations of As, Ba, Co, Ga, Li, Mn, Mo, Sb, U, V, W, and Zr are much higher in the ash pond than those dissolved in the seawater. Ag, Bi, Li, Mo, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, and W show high ratios of elemental concentrations in pond water to those in the fly ash. Our results imply that the leaching of trace elements is regulated by geochemical controls such as solubility and adsorption even though the trace elements are relatively enriched on the ash surfaces after the coal combustion due to their volatilities.

• Plant Journal
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.35-41
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the effect of the generation of NOx and CO by adjusting the overfire air supply position and ratio using the boiler that was converted from coal burning to wood pellet boiler. When the amount of the overfire air is relatively increased, the amount of NOx is slightly decreased but CO is sharply decreased when burning at low excess air ratio (1.10) that is due to a small fuel particle size. However, NOx slightly increased when burning at high excess air ratio (1.33) due to the large fuel size, but CO was hardly affected. Also, When the amount of overfire air was same, The more supply position was concentrated to upper portion of the main combustor, the more NOx and CO was lowered. And in case of the excess air ratio was high, the generation of NOx and CO I can see that it keeps the level irrelevant to the amount of air for the second stage combustion.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.401-418
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• 2000

1. Production of the artificial zeolite from coal ash Coal fly ash is mainly composed of several oxides including $SiO_2$ and $Al_2O_3$ derived from inorganic compounds remained after burning. As minor components, $Fe_2O_3$ and oxides of Mg, Ca, P, Ti (trace) are also contained in the ash. These components are presented as glass form resulting from fusion in the process of the combustion of coal. In other word, coal ash may refer to a kind of aluminosilicate glass that is known to easily change to zeolite-like materials by hydrothermal reaction. Lots of hot seawater is disposing near thermal power plants after cooling turbine generator periodically. Using seawater in the hydrothermal reaction caused to produce low price artificial zeolite by reduction of sodium hydroxide consumption, heating energy and water cost. As coal ash were reacted hydrothermally, peaks of quartz and mullite in the ash were weakened and disappeared, and new Na-Pl peaks were appeared strengthily. Si-O-Si bonding of the bituminous coal ash was changed to Si-O-Al (and $Fe^{3+}$) bonding by the reaction. Therefore the produced Na-Pl type zeolite had high CEC of 276.7 $cmol^+{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ and well developed molecular sieve structure with low concentration of heavy metals. 2. Utilization of the artificial zeolite in agro-environment The artificial zeolite(1g) could remove 123.5 mg of zinc, 164.7 mg copper, 184.4 mg cadmium and 350.6 mg lead in the synthetic wastewater. The removability is higher 2.8 times in zinc, 3.3 times in copper, 4.7 times in cadmium and 4.8 times in lead than natural zeolite and charcoal powder. When the heavy metals were treated at the ratio of 150 $kg{\cdot}ha^{-1}$ to the rice plant, various growth inhibition were observed; brownish discoloration and death of leaf sheath, growth inhibition in culm length, number of panicles and grains, grain ripening and rice yield. But these growth inhibition was greatly alleviated by the application of artificial zeolite, therefore, rice yield increased $1.1{\sim}3.2$ times according to the metal kind. In addition, the concentration of heavy metals in the brown rice also lowered by $27{\sim}75%$. Artificial Granular Zeolites (AGZ) was developed for the purification of wastewater. Canon exchange capacity was 126.8 $cmol^+{\cdot}kg^{-1}$. AGZ had Na-Pl peaks mainly with some minor $C_3S$ peaks in X-ray diffractogram. In addition, AGZs had various pore structure that may be adhere the suspended solid and offer microbiological niche to decompose organic pollutants. AGZ could remove ammonium, orthophosphate and heavy metals simultaneously. Mixing ratio of artificial zeolite in AGZs was related positively with removal efficiency of $NH_4\;^+$ and negatively with that of $PO_4\;^{3-}$. Root growth of rice seedling was inhibited severely in the mine wastewater because of strong acidity and high concentration of heavy metals. As AGZ(1 kg) stayed in the wastewater(100L) for 4days, water quality turned into safely for agricultural usage and rice seedlings grew normally.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.63-75
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• 2018

Objectives: The aim of this research is to explore the total heavy metals from a coal-fired power plant burning bituminous coal with wood pellets due to the implementation of the Renewable Portfolio Standard policy (RPS, 10% of electricity from renewable energy resources by 2023). Methods: The research was carried out by collecting archival data and using the USEPA's AP-42 & EMEP/EEA compilation of emission factors for use in calculating emissions. The Monte Carlo method was also applied for carrying out the calculations of measurement uncertainty. Results: In this paper, the results are listed as follows. Sb was measured at 110 kg (2015) and calculated as 165 kg (2019) and 201 kg (2023). Cr was measured at 1,597 kg (2015) and calculated as 1,687 kg (2019) and 1,728 kg (2023). Cu was measured at 2,888 kg (2015) and calculated as 3,133 kg (2019) and 3,264 kg (2023). Pb was measured at 2,580 kg (2015) and calculated as 2,831 kg (2019) and 2,969 kg (2023). Mn was measured at 3,011 kg (2015) and calculated as 15,034 kg (2019) and 23,014 kg (2023). Hg was measured at 510 kg (2015) and calculated as 513 kg (2019) and 537 kg (2023). Ni was measured at 1,720 kg (2015) and calculated as 1,895 kg (2019) and 1,991 kg (2023). Zn was measured at 7,054 kg (2015) and calculated as 9,938 kg (2019) and 11,778 kg (2023). Se was measured at 7,988 kg (2015) and calculated as 7,663 kg (2019) and 7,351 kg (2023). Conclusion: This shows that most heavy metals would increase steadily from 2015 to 2023. However, Se would decrease by 7.9%. This analysis was conducted with EMEP/EEA's emission factors due to the limited emission factors in South Korea. Co-firewood pellets in coal-fired power plants cause the emission of heavy metals. For this reason, emission factors at air pollution control facilities would be presented and the replacement of wood pellets would be needed.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.619-624
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate the formation process of calcium sulfate ${\alpha}$-hemihydrate from FGD gypsum produced at thermal power plant burning bituminous coal. The experimental results showed that calcium sulfate $\alpha$-hemihydrate with a large aspect ratio was produced in the temperature range of $120^{\circ}C$ and $140^{\circ}C$ in the absence of additives through dissolution-recrystallization mechanism. It was also observed that addition of Na-succinate as a catalyst changed crystal shape from acicular to prismatic, resulting in decreased water/powder ratio down to 33%. Optimum concentration of Na-succinate was 20mM. It was confirmed that the optimum moulding pressure and moisture content of moulded body from FGD gypsum were $30kg_f/cm^2$ and between 10% and 15% respectively, which prevent moulded body from collapsing and maximize the capillary effect by given pore volume while autoclaving.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.662-673
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• 2008

Two hybrid receptor models, potential source contribution function (PSCF) and concentration weighted tracjectory (CWT), were compared for locating $PM_{2.5}$ sources contributing to the atmospheric $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations in Seoul. The source contribution estimates by chemical receptor model (CMB) receptor model were used to identify better source areas, Among the sources, soil, agricultural burning, marine aerosol, coal-fired power plant and Chinese aerosol were only considered for the study because these sources were more likely to be associated with the long-range transport of air pollutant. Both methods are based on combining chemical data with calculated air parcel backward trajectories. However, the PSCF analyses were performed with trajectories above the $75^{th}$ percentile criterion values, while the CWT analyses used all trajectories. This difference resulted in locating of different sources, which might be helpful to interpret locating of $PM_{2.5}$ sources, High possible source areas in source contribution of soil and agricultural burning contributing to the Seoul $PM_{2.5}$ were inland areas of Heibei and Shandong provinces (highest density areas of agricultural production and population) in China. The "Chinese aerosol" was used as a representative source for the $PM_{2.5}$ originated from urban area in China. High possible source areas for the aerosol were the cities in China where are relatively close to the receptor. This result suggests that Chinese aerosol is likely to be a useful tool in studies on source apportionment and identification in Korea.