Radioactivity of size fractionated fly-ash emissions from a peat- and oil-fired power plant.

Abstract

Concentrations of gamma-emitting natural radionuclides and 137Cs were analyzed in the size fractionated fly-ash emissions from a 100-MWt peat- and oil-fired power plant. The emitted fly ash was separated into five size fractions with a high-volume impactor with cut sizes of 1.3 micron, 2.1 micron, 4.2 micron and 10 micron. The greatest activity emissions were associated with the smallest size fraction, below 1.3 micron. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of the fly-ash particles after the electrostatic precipitator was 1.9 micron with a geometric standard deviation of 3.0 and the median of the 32 fly-ash emission samples was 8.73 mg MJ-1 with a geometric standard deviation of 1.3. Lead-210 gave the greatest particulate activity emission per input fuel energy, 18.7 mBq MJ-1, and showed a strong enrichment onto small fly-ash particles.