Ash Improvement Technology (AIT) has made an agreement with a coal-fired power facility located in India to implement its CleanCem process for treating coal ash.
The agreement depicts the first operation of AIT in India. The CleanCem process is expected to produce more than 350,000 tons of treated ash every year.
In the United States and abroad, coal-fired facilities have been in the limelight, prompting discussions regarding coal ash clearance methods and contagions discharging into underground water tables and disturbing human health. Each year, around two thirds of the global coal ash (600 million tonnes) are produced in the US, China and India.
AIT’s CleanCem process treats coal ash when it is generated and transforms it into a useful substance by adding specific materials in the boiler. During the treatment process, ash chemistry and mineralogy are altered to achieve the functioning of a valuable cement alternative.
Wayne Fried, AIT's Chief Technology Officer, has stated that the boiler system has enabled them to avoid cost involved in transporting waste ash to an off-site treatment plant and to maintain quality of the final product. He added that since fuel and other parameters often vary in boiler operations, the capability to uphold a reliable performance of their ash-based cement substitution is a major benefit.
Indian coal has 40% of ash content and huge loads of untreated waste. This made officials to bring out new regulations. By 2014, workers of coal-fired facilities must assure 100% beneficial utilization of ash. Marc Zacharias, President and CEO of AIT, has stated that they have entered the Indian market at the right time. He mentioned that they are pleased with the active business environment of India and they could bring a continuous development in the construction segment and a heavy dependence on coal power.
Source: http://www.cleancem.com