Granulation of coal fly ash by using different types of granule agents

Abstract

The use of coal produces about 5% solid pollutant in the form of ash (fly ash and bottom ash). Of the total ash produced, about 10–20% is bottom ash and 80–90% is fly ash. This study was aimed at obtaining a type of adhesive which could be used as a fly granulation material for soil conditioner. The study was conducted at the pilot plant of Surfactant and Bioenergy Research Center (SBRC) LPPM IPB from April to August 2016. The fly ash used in this study was obtained from Kalimantan. A pan granulator was used in fly ash granule making process. Granule agent materials were diluted in the concentration of 5, 10, and 15%. Different types of granule agents, namely SBRC-M, SBRC-T, and SBRC-SC were used. The formed fly ash granules were then analyzed for their physical properties including particle density, fly ash granule pH, fly ash granule durability, and fly ash granule water holding capacity. Results showed that fly ash granules made from 15% of SBRC-M had the highest particle density (0.75 g/cm3). Fly ash granules made with SBRC-M had higher pH (10) than those made by using SBRC-SC adhesive (9.3) and SBRC-T (9). SBRC-T was found as the granule agent material which produced fly ash granules with the highest durability levels on average. In this study, the use of SBRC-M granule agent resulted in higher water holding capacity (WHC) (40.62%) than did SBRC-SC (38.79%) and SBRC-T (36.85%). As a granule agent, compared to SBRC-SC and SBRC-T, SBRC-M could produce fly ash granules with highest particle density, highest pH, good durability, and best water holding capacity.