Development of a coal combustion product (CCP) database system. Final report

Abstract

Nearly 90 million tons of coal combustion products (CCPs) are produced annually in the United States. The value of CCPs is well established by research and commercial practice; however, only 25% of these products are utilized. The objective of this project was to develop a computer program containing a database of advanced analytical and comprehensive engineering information on CCPs, accessible through a user-friendly interface. Version 1.0 of the ACAA CCP Data Manager was specifically designed to: perform multiple-criteria queries to produce a set of sample for in-depth study; view and print standard test reports, such as C618 reports; compare and contrast analytical results in graphs and tables; graph utilization information by application and region; and save data to a file for use in other computer applications, such as spreadsheet programs. The program was designed to contain descriptive information about a given CCP sample, including sample formation data (material type, sample location, fuel type, collection device etc.), combustion system design data (steam generator type, furnace type, SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} control information, ash-handling configurations), test data (chemical, mineralogical, and physical characterization data), and utilization potential of the CCP. The location of the plant is identified by region. The database has been initially populated with information on over 800 CCP samples, taken from the Coal Ash Resources Research Consortium (CARRC). An installation package and user`s guide was developed for unlimited distribution by the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA).