Ash Disposal Research Articles

Environmental assessment of different municipal waste management methods with approach to life cycle assessment (Case study: Yazd, Iran)

Today, the production of various types of solid waste and the occurrence of related social, economic and environmental inconsistencies have faced the management of municipal services and waste with many problems in the areas of collection, transportation, processing and disposal of such waste. The purpose of this study is to assess the life cycle of the current management system in Yazd, Iran from the environmental and economic point of view and to determine the priority in the decision-making to improve waste management. There are many tools for assessing the environmental impacts and determining the priority in the decision-making, but one of the widely used methods is life cycle assessment (LCA). In this study, three different scenarios of waste management were defined. The first scenario is the unsanitary separation and landfill (according to current situation in Yazd), the second scenario is the separation, composting and anaerobic digestion, waste incineration plant, disposal of residues and ash in sanitary landfill, and the third scenario is the separation, composting and anaerobic digestion, and sanitary landfill. Then, using the Integrated Waste Management (IWM-2) software, the inventory of the environmental and economic burden of each scenario was analyzed and presented. In general, the assessment of Yazd municipal waste life cycle was performed to achieve the optimal scenario that has less environmental and economic burden. The third scenario was selected as the best management option in this respect.

Evaluation of mechanical and tribological properties of AL7075 hybrid metal matrix composite reinforced with fly ash and graphite

Abstract The study focuses on fabricating the Composites where Al 7075 as matrix material, Fly Ash and Graphite as reinforcement material by using Stir Casting arrangement with proper distribution of ash particles all over the specimen. Fly-ash can be used for preparing MMC’s which can turn industrial waste into industrial wealth. This can also solve the problem of storage and disposal of fly ash. The composition of the casted specimen is 90 wt% Al7075 alloy which has to be kept as constant, and varying the type of the solid lubricants: graphite, and Fly ash. The samples of Al7075 were fabricated with different weight percentages of (0, 3, 6, and 9 wt%). Al7075 composites are successfully fabricated through the stir casting process. The casted specimens are machined for the necessary testing as per the ASTM standards. The mechanical properties like tensile strength, compression strength, and hardness of the fabricated composites are evaluated by conducting experimental tests while the wear properties were evaluated via the pin-on-disc method.

Plasma vitrification and heavy metals solidification of MSW and sewage sludge incineration fly ash

Thermal plasma treatment has been considered as one of promising methods for fly ash disposal. In this study, firstly, the characteristics of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash and sewage sludge incineration (SSI) fly ash were analyzed, followed by the raw material formulations of low melting temperature determined by thermodynamic equilibrium calculation. Then verified experiments were carried out by thermal plasma system, focused on the formation condition of vitrified slags with various CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 ratios and the influence factors of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu) transference. According to the results: During the co-treatment process of fly ashes, a lower temperature of vitrified slag formation as low as 1230 ℃ was observed. Vitrification is determined by the molten phase content during melting process, the correlation coefficient between the glass phase content of slag and the molten phase content was 0.81 (P < 0.01). CaO content of raw materials was a major element for the volatilization of Cd and Pb. High Al2O3 content can remain more Cr, Cu and Ni in slags, but it is not conducive to the solidification of Zn. The synthetic toxicity index of heavy metals would greatly reduce from 23153.15 to 663.29–820.63 after thermal plasma treatment.

Realization of high-percentage addition of fly ash in the materials for the preparation of geopolymer derived from acid-activated metakaolin

This study focuses on using fly ash to prepare phosphoric acid-activated metakaolin geopolymer, in which the replacement of metakaolin by a high percentage (up to 30%) of fly ash was achieved. The effects of the addition of fly ash on the compressive strength of the resulting geopolymer were tested and statistically analyzed, and the related mechanism was explored through using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, Fourier-transform infrared, and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. The results indicated that the compressive strength of geopolymer maintained at a high level even as a high percentage of fly ash was used to replace metakaolin. The key reason is that fly ash cenospheres effectively optimized the acid-activated geopolymerization of metakaolin. On one hand, cenospheres prevented the plate-like metakaolin particles from being bonded by the aluminum phosphate rapidly generating on the particle surface, which promoted the geopolymerization degree of metakaolin. On the other hand, the three-dimensional network of Si–O–Al–O–P became stronger with the increase of the crosslinking degree of Si, Al, and P under the influence of fly ash cenospheres. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using fly ash as raw materials for the preparation of high strength phosphoric acid-activated geopolymer, which shows potential for the proper disposal and effective recycling of fly ash.

Sustainability of a rice husk recycling scheme

Purpose To ensure the sustainability of rice husk recycling schemes, there are essential conditions that should be considered. In this study, a system in which a fertilizer was obtained after rice husk heat treatment, which also produces hot water as a heat recovery strategy, was considered, and its financial sustainability, based on different conditions in place, was then evaluated. Method Based on a previous study, three essential conditions that are necessary for the sustainability of the system were identified (i.e., free or low-cost rice husk collection and hauling, production of silica in the amorphous state, and complete recycling of rice husk ash). The necessity of these conditions was confirmed based on the sustainability of the financial balance of the system. Results A 24-h d-1 operated system is more profitable than one that is operated at 6-h d-1. The pelletizing process is costly; however, the fertilizer in the pellet form can be sold at a relatively higher price. The system was unsustainable when rice husk collection and hauling as well as ash disposal fees were charged. Conclusion Therefore, the cost of rice husk collection, hauling, and ash disposal as well as the amorphous state of the ash were confirmed as conditions that are necessary to ensure the sustainability of a rice husk recycling scheme.

WITHDRAWN: Effect of coal ash on strength characteristics of clayey silt soil treated with cement

Coal-based thermal power plants produce coal ash as a by-product and the major concern is for handling and disposal of coal ash without adversely affecting the environment. There is a feasibility to utilize the coal ash in an environmentally safe manner in geotechnical engineering applications. To achieve this objective, an experimental investigation was conducted in which coal ash was used as replacement material in soil mixtures. A clayey silt soil was used in this study and class F type coal ash (CA) was blended in different proportions up to 50% by mass of the soil. The testing program comprised characterization of soil and coal ash, compaction tests and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests. The stress–strain and strength characteristics of compacted soil with coal ash and cement were analyzed. The test results showed that all the mixes achieved a higher CBR value than the control specimen. The optimum coal ash contents for clayey silt–coal ash mixes were found as 20% and 50% which showed higher CBR value, it could be due to the packing effect and imparting cohesion, respectively. The minimum cement content of 1% to the optimum mixes provided a significant improvement in CBR values of 25.19% and 29.14% as compared to the control specimen of 4.72%. These results are acceptable values and hence, the coal ash blended soil is found to be suitable for pavement subgrade and embankments constructions.

English

Understanding content of bottom ashes from incinerator especially toxic heavy metals is an important step towards ash utilization. The aim of this paper was to evaluate heavy metals levels of in bottom-ash from hospital waste incinerators in four different hospitals in Dar es Salaam city (Muhimbili National Hospital and three regional referral hospitals Mwananyamala Ilala and Temeke) in Dar es Salaam city, Tanzania. It has been estimated that Tanzania has an average annual generation of healthcare waste of 6,745 tons per year with a generation rate of about 0.41 kg/occupied bed/day of healthcare waste. Burning of hospital waste releases toxic metals in the bottom ash which can pollute the environment if not well managed. The samples were collected from a pile of bottom ash, according to Standard Guide for sampling waste piles ASTM D6009-96, digested with a 3:1 of concentrated acids HNO3 and HClO4. The concentration of heavy metal were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). The maximum concentration of other metals were 0.348 ± 0.161 Cr (Ilala Regional Hospital), 0.019 ± 0.012 Cd (MNH) and 0.677 ± 0.499 Pb (Ilala Regional Hospital). The level of metals determined exceeded the US-EPA regulation maximum permissible limit in good soil quality and therefore classified as harmful and toxic. There is a need to explore environmentally friendly techniques for proper disposal of ash generated by incinerators, to minimize heavy metals in products ending up in the healthcare waste. Key words: Bottom ash, healthcare waste, incinerator, heavy metal, health risks.

Moving towards resource efficiency and circular economy in the brick manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe

The life cycle assessment of the ABC (Pvt) Ltd brick manufacturing plant has considered land use, fossil resource scarcity, water consumption, global warming and fine particulate matter formation as the impact categories for assessment, with clay mining and coal as the input flows with the highest significant contributions to environmental load. The phase of clay mining (65.8%) is significantly impacting on all the investigated impact categories followed by brick moulding (24.8%) and brick roasting (9.4%) phases, respectively. Hotspots were assessed to identify potential for resource efficiency and circular economy at ABC bricks, Zimbabwe. It can be concluded that ABC is severely polluting the air with emissions above the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) standards for SO2, CO, PM and NOx thus putting kiln workers at risk of respiratory diseases. The calculated Air Quality Index (AQI) ranks CO as the most affecting pollutant with an average score of ∼600. Clay production efficiency was also determined, and an analysis revealed that extrusion and clamping stage contributed highly to the clay losses during brick moulding. Therefore, focus must be placed on these process steps to reduce raw material losses. Furthermore, an environmental waste (fly ash) was used in different weight percentage ratios of 10%, 20% and 100% to substitute clay. The increase of the fly ash content in the brick making process proved to significantly reduce the environmental load among the selected impact categories. ABC uses clay as its main raw material hence the high demand for clay. Strategies should include accounting of used clay daily and raw materials substitution. If ABC uses fly ash from its brick kilns and from other thermal power plant boilers to mix with clay in brick production, then the quantity of clay demanded will be reduced. Using fly ash will reduce rate of clay extraction while at the same time solving the problem of fly ash disposal in Zimbabwe. This circular option will ultimately result in reduced pit expansion, hence reducing top-soil loss and environmental degradation. It should not be disregarded that top-soil loss in turn affects food security. By adopting appropriate technologies, implementing resource efficiency, and designing circular economy patterns, the brick manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe may not only reduce production waste but also comply with enforced environmental protection legislation.

Influence of curing method on characteristics of environment-friendly angular shaped cold bonded fly ash aggregates

A large quantity of natural aggregate is being used for the construction of roads, buildings, and mega-structures that affect the environment. It is also noticed that the scarcity of good quality aggregate in some regions of the country leads to an increase in the cost of aggregates. Some efforts have been made to find out a substitute for natural coarse aggregates. Several processes for the production of fly ash aggregates have been developed in the past and some of these were commercialized. These processes are very costly and time-consuming resulting in the non-use of these aggregates on a large scale in civil engineering applications. It is also found that the pelletization process manufactures round-shaped aggregates that have negligible interlocking properties leading to lower load-bearing capacity. In this study, the effect of various curing methods on the strength of fly ash-lime mixes are investigated through the unconfined compressive strength, aggregate impact value, X-ray Diffraction pattern, and scanning electron microscope images. From this study, the hot water curing method has been found as more effective for the hardening of the fly ash aggregates and suggested for further study. Secondly, the rapid and economical four-step process for the production of angular shaped high strength fly ash aggregate has been proposed in the paper. This method for producing fly ash aggregate comprises simple four steps of mixing, compaction, curing, and crushing. The aggregates made with the said process have dense structure, angular in shape for better interlocking, excellent mechanical properties such as toughness and hardness, and high durability. These aggregates also fulfill the Indian specifications for road aggregate and the requirement of structural concrete aggregates. The bulk utilization of this fly ash aggregates in the civil infrastructures can solve two problems with one effort: (a) Fly ash disposal problem and (b) Provision of needed construction aggregates, thus protecting natural diminishing resources of aggregates.

Stabilisation/solidification of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash by phosphate-enhanced calcium aluminate cement

Landfill disposal of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MIFA) presents significant environmental and economic burden. This study proposed a novel and high-efficiency approach for stabilisation/solidification (S/S) of MIFA by phosphate-modified calcium aluminate cement (CAC). Experimental results showed that the presence of Pb (the most leachable metal contaminant in the MIFA) retarded the early-stage reaction of CAC, resulting in an extension of setting time and a significant decline of compressive strength of CAC pastes. The incorporation of phosphate additives (10 wt% of binder), especially for trisodium phosphate, in CAC system effectively mitigated the negative impact of Pb on the CAC reaction and reduced the Pb leachability. Elemental mapping results illustrated that Pb2+ coordinated with phosphate to generate insoluble precipitates (e.g., Pb3(PO4)2). The S/S treated MIFA samples fulfilled the compressive strength and leachability requirements for on-site reuse. Overall, this study demonstrated that phosphate-modified CAC is a promising binder for S/S of hazardous MIFA.

Hazardous elements in aqueous leachates of coal fly ash around thermal power plants disposal area

The fossils fuels are main resources of energy worldwide. Huge production of coal fly ash creates water and air pollution. Coal fly ash generally contains trace toxic metals like Ni, Hg, As, Cr, Cd, Ba, Mn, and Pb etc., so coal fly ash is considered as an environmental hazard worldwide. These toxic elements leached from coal fly ash into soil and water which contaminate soil, ground water and other water sources. In present paper is the study of water samples collected from different locations near fly ash disposal area. We found that the water samples contain hazardous trace metals in concentration higher than the permissible limits of drinking water standard. Coal fly ash and other constituents which are generated from coal can create harmful effect on environment, society, health and life. A better method is required to disposal of coal fly ash generated from thermal power plant in India to stop contamination of environment as it is a matter of great concern to human health.

Improvement of California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value of Steel Fiber reinforced Cement modified Marginal Soil for pavement subgrade admixed with Fly Ash

Abstract The existence of pavement relies upon on strength of the subgrade soil and traffic density. Most of the times, the subgrade soil properties may not be adequate. These soils are not directly suitable for the construction of pavement and are considered to be poor soils. In general, the poor soil subgrade have soaked California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value less than 2% and need to be replaced by proper soil for subgrade construction. These types of poor soils are known as Marginal Soils. Marginal Soil (in general Clayey Soil) often shows undesirable engineering properties along with low strength characteristics with regard to CBR value. To enhance the properties of these soils, the common technique adopted is admixture stabilization. The chemical additives are being used to improve the properties of subgrade soil. By means this process, the cost of construction of pavements increases. In this paper an attempt was made to evaluate the effectiveness of Steel Fiber reinforced Marginal Soil (Clayey Sand) modified with Cement and/or mixed with Fly Ash. The characteristics Steel Fiber reinforced Cement modified Marginal Soil mixed with/without Fly Ash was studied with respect to improvement in CBR value for the purpose of subgrade construction. It also offers a probable solution for proper disposal of Fly Ash. Hence, the study intended to provide a composite soil subgrade material for pavement construction. The results have shown adequate improvement in CBR value of composite Marginal Soil containing Cement and Fly Ash. Thus the stabilized composite Marginal Soil could be an alternative construction material used as subgrade soil for pavements. The composite soil mix could be suggested in rural areas with low volume of traffic.

Finite-Element Modeling of Landfills to Estimate Heat Generation, Transport, and Accumulation

In North America, temperatures nearing 100°C have been reported in several municipal solid waste landfills. However, the temporal and spatial-dependent processes that result in excessive heat accumulation are not well understood. The objective of this study was to develop a transient finite-element three-dimensional model that incorporates gas-liquid-heat reactive transfer in a landfill with biotic and abiotic reactions and spatially dependent heat transfer processes to better understand heat generation, accumulation, and propagation. The model incorporates gas-liquid-heat reactive transfer with aerobic and anaerobic biological reactions, anaerobic metal corrosion, and ash hydration and carbonation. Increasing boundary temperature, biological reaction rates, and landfill height increase the maximum temperature in the central region of a landfill, whereas the impact of thermal properties of municipal solid waste (MSW) is small. Simulation results predict that placement of ash near the corner of a landfill reduces the size of the elevated temperature region relative to placement in the landfill center. Mixing heat-generating wastes (ash or Al) with MSW decreases maximum temperatures but results in elevated temperatures over a larger fraction of the landfill volume relative to segregated ash disposal.

A review on different high velocity oxyfuel coated matrix materials

Erosion is the process of material removal from the surface of one material known as substrate, target or base material under the action of another material of comparatively higher strength. The acts of fly ash slurry transportation produce unburnt carbons and oxides during combustion which then strike the substrate material causing erosion wear of the material. Erosion or adhesive wear can be reducing by controlling the interaction of abrasive particle with target surface. Slurry suspended particle in flow fluid causes erosion wear in hydraulic machinery likes pumps, pipes, pipe fitting, ducts, nozzles and turbine in mineral transportation or ash disposal system. Erosion wear of a material takes place under various impact parameters and is considered as one of the major failures of pipeline and pump impeller materials. The process of erosion wear has become a serious problem faced by thermal power plants, refineries, mining and turbine industries.Different types of erosion wear are discuses below.

Utilisation of ultrasonic treatment to improve the soil amelioration property of coal fly ash

Environment-friendly disposal of coal fly ash (CFA) is essential for sustainable development and cleaner production of electricity in thermal power plants. Although CFA has been employed for soil amelioration, direct application of CFA to soil may pose risks such as heavy metal contamination. This study investigated recycling of CFA through a novel method, which employs the ultrasonic treatment of CFA before its application. Physico-chemical properties of refuse dump soil and CFA were analysed. Subsequently, the effect of ultrasonic treatment on the physico-chemical properties of CFA was investigated. Different ultrasonic parameters (ultrasonic frequency, time interval, and temperature) were studied using response surface methodology. Finally, plant growth experiments were conducted to verify the feasibility of using ultrasonically treated CFA (UTCFA) for soil amelioration. The results show that untreated CFA cannot be used for soil amelioration due to its unsuitable high pH (10.20) and threatening concentrations of trace elements (6.80 mg/kg for Cadmium and 109.75 mg/kg for Arsenic). Ultrasonic treatment increases the soil amelioration properties of CFA by decreasing pH (to 8.50–9.20), decreasing concentrations of Cadmium and Arsenic (satisfying GB 15618-2018), and improving the water-holding capacity of CFA (reducing water loss). Plant indicators confirm the feasibility of using UTCFA for soil amelioration and suggest that the optimum UTCFA proportion is 20%. This study is a benchmark for the utilisation of ultrasonic treatment to improve the soil amelioration properties of CFA.

Distribution of PAHs in coal ashes from the thermal power plant and fluidized bed combustion system; estimation of environmental risk of ash disposal

The comparison of fly ash generated from lignite combustion in a thermal power plant Kolubara A (Veliki Crljeni) and bottom and fly ash from coal waste combustion in a semi-industrial fluidized bed boiler (Vinča) was performed as the function of particle size. The average total concentrations of the 16 EPA priority PAHs in ash fractions are 0.49 mg kg−1 of ash (thermal power plant) and 17.48 mg kg−1 of ash (fluidized bed boiler). The sum of 3- and 4-ring PAHs accounts for more than 93% of overall PAHs concentration, and the most abundant among them is fluoranthene.The portions of PAHs groups defined based on their physico-chemical properties, as obtained from quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models included in the Vega platform, were determined. These portions, emission factors, and benzo[a]pyrene equivalence concentrations were further on used to estimate the potential environmental impact of ash disposal. The PAHs emission factors are higher compared to values in the air pollutant emission inventory guidebook of the cooperative program for monitoring and evaluation of the long-range transmission of air pollutants in Europe (EMEP/EEA). The overall emission factors of 16 PAHs for combustion of lignite and coal waste are determined to be 0.15 and 249.97 mg kg−1 of fuel, respectively. Based on the ratios of benzo[a]pyrene equivalence concentrations of each ash and correspondent fuel, the disposal of fly ash from the cyclone of fluidized bed boiler represents the highest risk to the environment among tested ashes.

Experimental Investigation of NaOH and KOH Mixture in SCBA-Based Geopolymer Cement Composite.

This research aimed at exploring the effects of a mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) activators in a sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA)-based geopolymer cement paste. Bagasse ash replacement was 20% of cement by weight. The mixture of NaOH and KOH comprised 4, 8, and 12 M solutions with mixing percentages of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% for all possible combinations. A pH test was performed on each possible combination of solutions. A Chapelle’s test, XRD, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and SEM analysis were used to check whether the SCBA exhibited pozzolanic reactivity. Subsequently, the SCBA geopolymer cement paste was tested for compressive strength, water absorption, permeable porosity, and sorptivity. It was estimated that the geopolymer cement paste exhibited higher absorption and sorptivity values than control mixtures when molarity increased. However, the samples prepared with combinations of the 8 M activator solution exhibited consistent absorption, sorptivity, and compressive strength values when compared to the control and other geopolymer mixtures with 4 and 12 M activator solutions. Thus, the two activator solutions G8N408K60 and G8N208K80—where GxNayKb represents the geopolymer concrete sample prepared by adding solutions of two bases, i.e., ‘xNayKb’ showing an ‘a’ percentage of ‘x’ molar NaOH and a ‘b’ percentage of ‘y’ molar KOH—were obtained as the optimum molar ratio of the activator in geopolymer concrete. The geopolymer cement pastes, along with the optimum and control samples, were further tested for concrete durability, SEM, and TGA tests. The G8N208K80 sample exhibited a better mechanical and durability performance than the G8N408K60 sample. The durability performance of the geopolymer concrete was also superior to ordinary concrete. Moreover, the geopolymer concrete achieved a 21% reduction in global warming potential compared to the control mixture. Thus, it can be concluded that the use of SCBA in geopolymer concrete can address the ash disposal and CO2 emission problems with enhanced durability.

Characteristics of fly ash from waste-to-energy plants adopting grate-type or circulating fluidized bed incinerators: a comparative study

ABSTRACT Although the pressure of waste siege was reduced by the development of waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, every year million tons of toxic municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash is produced which is regarded as a hazardous waste. In this paper, ten MSWI fly ash samples were collected to analyze the composition, physical properties, leachability of heavy metals, and toxicity of dioxins to obtain a comprehensive evaluation, which has not been discussed in the previous studies. The analysis and comparison of fly ash is based on the main type of incinerators applied nowadays. Due to differences in the incinerator types, there were significant differences observed in the size distribution, microstructure, element content, and crystalline structure of fly ash, which are related to the heavy metal leachability and dioxin toxicity. The heavy metal leaching toxicity of nine fly ash samples failed to meet the requirements of the landfill regulations. The main heavy metals above an unacceptable level are Pb (4.271 mg/L) in the grate-type fly ash and Cd (1.035 mg/L) in the circulating fluidized bed (CFB) fly ash. Furthermore, the I-TEQ concentrations of dioxins of two CFB fly ash (3.207 and 3.212 ng I-TEQ/g) exceeded the limit value. The main contribution to the dioxin concentrations of the fly ash is from OCDD (18.7–64.3%), and the main contributor to the I-TEQ (international toxicity equivalent quantity) value is 23478-PeCDF (range 33.0 to 43.2%). In addition, correlation between compositional analysis and toxicity indexes was discussed carefully. The findings in this work can provide directions for the disposal and utilization of the fly ash from different incinerators, which can be beneficial for MSWI fly ash management.

Is incineration the terminator of plastics and microplastics?

It is widely accepted that incineration can permanently eliminate plastic waste. However, unburned material still exists in the bottom ash that is a solid residue from incinerators. In this study, microplastics exacted from bottom ash in 12 mass burn incinerators, one bottom ash disposal center and four fluidized bed incinerators were identified by micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that bottom ash was a neglected microplastics source with an abundance of 1.9–565 n/kg, which indicated that per metric ton waste produce 360 to 102,000 microplastic particles after incineration. Nine types of plastics were identified, of which polypropylene and polystyrene were the predominant types. Microplastics sized between 50 μm and 1 mm accounted for 74 %. Granules, fragments, film, and fibers accounted for 43 %, 34 %, 18 %, and 5 % of the microplastics, respectively. The abundance of microplastics differed significantly with whether the local waste was source-separated, the local gross domestic product per capita, and the types of furnace. The global microplastics emission from incineration bottom ash was then estimated. Our observations provide empirical evidence proving that incineration is not the terminator of plastic waste, and bottom ash is a potential source of microplastics released into the environment.

Fly Ash Management and Condition Monitoring of Ash Pond

A thermal power plant is the most conventional source of electric power. In the thermal power plants, the coal is used as a fuel which is burnt through combustion process in boilers, and hence, ash is generated as a waste product. Ash is a major pollutant for environment and, thus, is detrimental to the animal and plant life. Also disposal of huge quantity of ash is a burning problem due to non-availability of land. Therefore, an ash pond is essential for the disposal of ash generated in a thermal power station. The ash pond consists of a large pond with ring embankment all around, internal and external drainage system, and toe protection at downstream side. The operation in ash pond takes place by filling with ash slurry, allowing the water to drain and evaporate from the pond over time. The industries are constructing ash ponds of various sizes and shapes depending upon the size and layout of available land and approval from the statutory authorities. The capacities of ponds/lagoons are being increased by raising the dyke height. For the improvement of the reliability and stability of ash ponds, it is necessary to take appropriate measures in every stages, such as designing, construction, operation, maintenance, supervision, and monitoring. Besides the constructional improvement, condition monitoring of ash pond is essential to keep it in normal operating state. This paper focuses on different condition monitoring tools and techniques to enhance the reliability of ash ponds.