Influence of the fly ash fraction after grinding process on the hydrothermal synthesis efficiency of Na-A, Na-P1, Na-X and sodalite zeolite types

Piotr Kunecki,Wojciech Franus,Tomasz Bień,Magdalena Wdowin,Rafał Panek

doi:10.1007/s40789-020-00332-1

Abstract

The fly ashes (Class F and C) have been successfully used as the main substrates in the hydrothermal syntheses of Na-A, Na-P1, Na-X and sodalite zeolites. Both ashes and their derivatives after milling with magnetic field grinder were used. The paper investigates the effect of fly ash fraction size on the syntheses efficiency and physicochemical properties of the obtained zeolites. The starting material and obtained zeolites were subjected to physicochemical characteristics using X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, particle size analysis, and scanning electron microscopy methods. The paper showed a significant effect of the used fly ash fractions on the quantity, purity, quality and level of crystallinity of the zeolites phase obtained. The application of the grinding process prior to the syntheses of zeolites, with a relatively small financial outlay, significantly increases their application potential. Obtained zeolites are a promising material in the context of their use, inter alia, in environmental protection.Graphic abstract

Highlights

Nowadays, the generation of electricity is one of the main factors driving the development of the economy
According to the results described in this article, the dependence for fly ash grinding as a sufficient way of substrate preparation before zeolite synthesis is clear
On the basis of the obtained x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results, it can be concluded that the most advantageous way of fly ash preparation by grinding using electromagnetic grinder was through the usage of small mills and double cycle of grinding

Summary

Introduction

The generation of electricity is one of the main factors driving the development of the economy. The Polish energy sector is based mainly on the combustion processes of fossil fuels such as hard coal and lignite Mining yield of these fuels in 2014-2018 in Poland reached the level of 73.3, 72.7, 70.8, 66, 58.6 million tonnes for hard coal and 63.9, 63.1, 60.2, 61.2, 63.8 million tonnes for lignite, respectively (Central Statistical Office 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). According to data of Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS), the production of fly ash (in Poland) between 2014 and 2018 reached 3.8, 3.8, 3.3, 3.4 and 2.8 million tonnes, respectively. It constituted 2.89%, 2.52%, 2.57%, 2.99% and 2.08% in the annual general balance of generated waste (excluding municipal waste) (Central Statistical Office 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). It is know that in case of fly ash C class, percentage of them usage is very low (Van den Berger and Cornelissen 1999; Wdowin 2020)

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