Wisconsin Electric Power Company

Bruce W Ramme

John J Noegel

Bryan C Fisher

Pradeep K Rohatgi

Bryna D Goeckner

Robert F Bischke

Richard H Setchell, Jr

Timothy C Muehlfeld

Joshua J Russart

Terry L Coughlin

Richard H Setchell

Bryna Devitt Goeckner

Joshua John Russart

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.

Carbon dioxide sequestration in foamed controlled low strength materials

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.

Separation of cenospheres from fly ash

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.

Settable building material composition including landfill leachate

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.

Electrically conductive concrete and controlled low strength materials having spent carbon sorbent

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.

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&#xb0; F. (372&#xb0; 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&#xb0; F. (372&#xb0; C.) to 1000&#xb0; F. (538&#xb0; C.).

Mercury removal from activated carbon and/or fly ash

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.

Ammonia removal from fly ash

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 from 1% to 30% by weight of portland cement; from 1% to 30% by weight of fly ash having a carbon content as measured by loss on ignition of greater than 12%; from 40% to 90% by weight of an aggregate; from 0.1% to 20% by weight of carbon fibers; and water in a sufficient amount such that the composition sets to a concrete. Another composition is a self-compacting, cementitious flowable fill composition that includes from 1% to 30% by weight of portland cement; from 5% to 85% by weight of fly ash; from 0.1% to 20% by weight of carbon fibers; and water in a sufficient amount such that the composition sets to a material having a compressive strength of 8.3 MPa or less.

Electrically conductive concrete and controlled low strength materials having carbon fibers

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&deg; F. (815 &deg; C.) such that the fly ash is maintained in the flowing air until the fly ash reaches a temperature of at last 900&deg; F. (482 &deg; C.). The apparatus ( ) includes a source of fly ash ( ) comprising particulates having ammonia compounds affixed to at least some of the fly ash particulates, a beating chamber ( ) including a treatment bed comprising a floor ( ) having openings a fly ash supply conduit ( ) in communication with the heating chamber ( ) and the source of fly ash ( ) 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 ( ) in communication with the source of heated of heated air ( ) and the heating chamber ( ) for providing a flow of heated air to the treatment bed of the beating chamber for contacting the fly ash on the treatment bed with the flow of air, a heated air conduit ( ) in communication with the beating chamber ( ) for transferring the flow of heated air form the heating chamber, and an ash removal conduit ( ) in communication with the heating chamber ( ) for transferring heated fly ash from the heating chamber.

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%.

Coal combustion products recovery process

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.

Electrically conductive concrete and controlled low-strength materials

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.

Growing community of inventors

Okauchee, WI, United States of America

Bruce W Ramme