An Overview on Characteristics of Fly Ash of Thermal Power Plant and its Adsorption Property

The chapter titled “An Overview on Characteristics of Fly Ash of Thermal Power Plant and its Adsorption Property” investigates the potential of fly ash, a byproduct of thermal power plants, as a valuable resource rather than a waste material. The study focuses on the chemical parameters, heavy metals, particle size distribution (via SEM), functional groups, and mineral composition of fly ash. Additionally, the chapter explores the use of fly ash in removing pollutants from wastewater, such as hardness, alkalinity, chloride, and BOD, through adsorption. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms are applied to describe the adsorption process, shedding light on the effectiveness of fly ash as an adsorbent.

This work presents an in-depth study of the characteristics and adsorption properties of fly ash collected from Thoothukudi thermal power station. The study compares two different fly ash samples: fresh fly ash (Fly ash 2) and old fly ash (Fly ash 1). Chemical analysis reveals that Fly ash 2 exhibits higher pH, chloride, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, and organic matter compared to Fly ash 1. The SEM analysis highlights the intermixing of iron (Fe) and aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) mineral phases, with iron oxide and amorphous aluminosilicate being predominant in the spheres. FTIR analysis identifies the presence of Si–O–Si asymmetric stretching vibrations, indicative of silica in both fly ash samples. The study concludes that fly ash, especially at room temperature, serves as an effective adsorbent for wastewater pollutants, following both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. This finding suggests that fly ash can be repurposed as a resource for environmental remediation rather than being viewed solely as a waste product.

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