Integrated Processing of Ash and Slag from Thermal Power Plants in Eastern Transbaikalia

Abstract

The relevance of the studies into ash and slag from coal combustion in the thermal power sector in Eastern Transbaikalia is governed by the demand for highly efficient and environmentally clean processing technologies aimed at complete utilization of waste. The compositional analysis of the coal-fly ash—ash-and-slag geosystem is given. A special study of processability of ash and slag from combustion of Kharanor, Tataur amd Urtuy coals is carried out, and the main areas of their efficient use in the regional economy are substantiated. The process flow chart is developed for the integrated processing of ash-and-slag waste from thermal power plants in order to obtain marketable products in the form of xenospheres, magnetic fractions, rare and rare earth concentrates, as well as by-products for the building and road construction industries, etc. The proposed complete processing integrates principles of flotation, magnetic and electrostatic separation as well as leaching, and enables considerable reduction in the environmental impact, improvement in performance and increase in investment attractiveness of thermal power plants.