CHAPTER VI

ASH HANDLING SYSTEM

Ash handling systems are designed for the removal of ash from boilers burning
coal or other solid fuels. These systems handle bottom ash and fly ash from stoker fired,
pulverized coal–fired and fluidized bed boilers. There are several methods for handling
the types of ash that result from utility and industrial boilers.

These include mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems, and the use of
each must be evaluated based on the type of ash and the location of the facility
(Woodruff, 2004).

In a co-generation power plant, bagasse is generally used as fuel and hence the
ash is produced as the by-product of combustion. Ash generated in power plant is
about 30-40% of total consumption and hence the system is required to handle ash for
its proper utilization or disposal. The figure below shows the systems of handling ash.
Fig.
6.1 shows a general layout of ash handling and dust collection system.

Source: Raja, 2006

Figure 6.1: Ash Handling and Dust Collections System

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6.1 Bottom Ash
Bottom ash is the coarse, granular, incombustible by-product of coal
combustion that is collected from the bottom of furnaces. This ash is dark grey in colour,
and is about the size of sand. Figure 6.2 shows the image of a bottom ash.

Source: Operationgolfcoast.com

Figure 6.2: Photo Showing the Bottom Ash

6.2 Fly Ash

Fly ash is a byproduct from burning pulverized coal in electric power
generating plants. During combustion, mineral impurities in the coal (clay, feldspar,
quartz, and shale) fuse in suspension and float out of the combustion chamber with the
exhaust gases. This type of ash can be used as a partial replacement for Portland
cement used in producing concrete. Figure 6.3 below shows the image of a fly ash.

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 Source: Geoengineering and Chemtrails

Figure 6.3: Photo Showing the Fly Ash

6. 3Ash Quantity

Ash generated from the power plant are computed to identify the capacity of the
ash pond where it will be placed. Since the typical fly ash and bottom ash is computed,
the total ash content will be calculated below.Computation for Amount of Bottom Ash:

Table 6.1 Design Parameters for Bottom Ash Computation

Parameters Value
Ash Content, % 2.91
Fuel Consumption, ton/hr 15
Bottom Ash, % (Black & Veatch, 1996) 47.5
Plant’s Life 25 years
Days of Operation 90 % of 365 days

𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑓Bottom𝐴𝑠ℎ = 𝑚𝑓𝑢𝑒l (𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡′𝑠𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒) (𝐴𝑠ℎ %)( Bottom ash %)( Downtime)

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 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑠 1000𝑘𝑔 365𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 24ℎ𝑟𝑠
𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝐴𝑠ℎ = (15 × ) (25𝑦𝑟 × × ) (0.0291)(0.475)(0.90)
ℎ𝑟 1𝑡𝑜𝑛 1𝑦𝑟 1𝑑𝑎𝑦

1𝑚3
𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝐴𝑠ℎ = 40,866,221.25 𝑘𝑔 ×
120.1𝑘𝑔

𝑨𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒇𝑩𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎𝑨𝒔𝒉 = 340,268.29𝒎𝟑

Computation for Amount of Fly Ash:

Table 6.2 Design Parameters for Fly Ash Computation

Parameters Value
Ash Content, % 2.91
Fuel Consumption, ton/year 1,816,276.5
Bottom Ash, % (Black & Veatch, 1996) 52.5
Plant’s Life 25 years

Days of Operation 90 % of 365 days

𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑓𝐹𝑙𝑦𝐴𝑠ℎ = 𝑚𝑓𝑢𝑒l (𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑡′𝑠𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒) (𝐴𝑠ℎ %)( 𝐹𝑙𝑦𝐴𝑠ℎ %)( Downtime)

𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑠 1000𝑘𝑔 365𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 24ℎ𝑟𝑠

𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐹𝑙𝑦 𝐴𝑠ℎ = (15 × ) (25𝑦𝑟 × × ) (0.0291)(0.525)(0.90)
ℎ𝑟 1𝑡𝑜𝑛 1𝑦𝑟 1𝑑𝑎𝑦

1𝑚3
𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝐴𝑠ℎ = 45,167,928.75 ×
120.1𝑘𝑔

𝑨𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒇𝑭𝒍𝒚𝑨𝒔𝒉 = 376,086𝒎𝟑

6.4 System Operation

Fly ash collected in the electric precipitators and the air heaters is conveyed to
the fly ash storage silo. A pneumatic transport system using low-pressure air from a

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blower provides the transport mechanism for the fly ash. Fly ash is discharged through a
wet unloader, which conditions the fly ash and conveys it through a telescopic unloading
chute into a truck. The bottom ash from the boiler is fed into a clinker grinder. The
clinker grinder is provided to break up any clinkers that may form. From the clinker
grinders, the bottom ash is discharged via a hydro-ejector and ash discharge piping to
the ash pond.
Commonly used ash handling systems are as follows:

a. Hydraulic System

b. Pneumatic System

c. Mechanical System

6.4.1 Hydraulic Ash Handling System

In this system, ash from the furnace grate falls into a system of water
possessing high velocity and is carried to the sumps. It is generally used in large
power plants. Hydraulic system is of two types namely low pressure hydraulic
system used for continuous removal of ash and high pressure system which is
used for intermittent ash disposal as shown in Figure 6.4 below (Raja, 2006).

Source: Raja, 2006

Figure 6.4: Hydraulic Ash Handling System

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 In this method water at sufficient pressure is used to take away the ash to
sump. Where water and ash are separated. The ash is then transferred to the
dump site in wagons, rail cars or trucks. The loading of ash may be through a belt
conveyor, grab buckets. If there is an ash basement with ash hopper the ash can
fall, directly in ash car or conveying system.

6.4.2Pneumatic Ash Handling System

In this system as shown in Figure 6.5, ash from the boiler furnace outlet
falls into a crusher where larger ash particles are crushed to small sizes. The ash
is then carried by a high velocity air or steam to the point of delivery. Air leaving
the ash separator is passed through filter to remove dust etc. so that the
exhauster handles clean air which will protect the blades of the exhauster (Raja,
2006).

Source: Raja, 2006

Figure 6.5: Pneumatic Ash Handling System

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6.4.3 Mechanical Ash Handling System
Figure 6.6 shows a mechanical ash handling system. In this system ash
cooled by water seal falls on the belt conveyor and is carried out continuously to
the bunker. The ash is then removed to the dumping site from the ash bunker
with the help of trucks (Raja, 2006).

Source: Raja, 2006

Figure 6.6: Mechanical Ash Handling System

6.4.4 Selected Ash Handling System

Each type of ash presents its own problems, and the type of conveying
system selected must consider the type of ash as well as the quantity of material
that must be removed. Table 6.3 identifies the more common systems used for
the handling of the various types of ash from utility and industrial boilers
(Woodruff et al., 2004).

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 Table 6.3: Ash Handling System Methods

Source: Allen-Sherman-Hoff, a division of Diamond Power International, Inc.

Based on the recommendations in Table 6.3, the designers choose to

employ mechanical ash handling system for bottom ash and pneumatic ash
handling system for fly ash as its ash handling systems for the reasons that this
type of system requires low capital costs, less space-consuming equipment,
lower power consumption, less maintenance requirements and environmentally
friendly.

6.3 Ash Pond

To better accommodate materials handling, staging, and water management,

divide larger ponds into working subsections. A large pond that is closed in place can be
incrementally covered so that the closed areas shed precipitation as storm water rather
than as contact water that must be collected and treated. Because storm water
discharge is normally handled through gravity flow, this can substantially reduce water
management costs over a lengthy construction period (Johnson et al., 2014).

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 Figure 6.7: Photo Showing Ash Pond

Consolidation of pond solids into a reduced footprint reduces cost. Because the
surface area is smaller, the cost for constructing the permanent final cover will be
reduced. Similarly, the cost for long-term maintenance of the cover system
proportionally drops (Johnson et al., 2014). Figure 6.6 below shows the three stages of
in-place consolidation and closure of ash ponds.

Figure 6.8: Ash Pond Cross-sectional View

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6.5 Ash Pond Computation

To be able to calculate the size of the ash pond to be used, the design criteria
must be set in order to construct the proper ash pond design. As the coal is already
burned, bottom ash and fly ash to be produced. The two type of ash will be considered
in designing the ash pond. Table 6.4 shows the design parameters to be used in
designing the ash pond.
Table 6.4: Ash Pond Parameters

PARAMETERS VALUE

Amount of Fly ash, m3 376,086

Amount of Bottom Ash, m3 340,268.29

Depth (assumed) 12 m

Density of Ash (See section 2.1.5) 120.1 kg/m3

Therefore, by adding the total amount of bottom and fly ash, the total amount of
ash to be stored in ash pond is 795, 949.2 m3. The computation is shown below.

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑓𝐴𝑠ℎ = 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑓𝐵𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑚𝐴𝑠ℎ + 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑓𝐹𝑙𝑦𝐴𝑠ℎ

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑠ℎ = 340,268.29 𝑚3 + (376,086 𝑚3× 0.985)

𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒇𝑨𝒔𝒉 = 710,713𝒎𝟑

A. Computation for Total Area of Ash Pond:

To get the total ash pond’s area for a 25 years plant’s life, the total amount
of ash will be divided with the proposed depth of the ash pond. Therefore, the
proposed ash pond’s area is approximately 6.63 hectares. The computation is
shown below.

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 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝑠ℎ
𝐴𝑠ℎ 𝑃𝑜𝑛𝑑 ′ 𝑠𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = ( )
𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑡ℎ

′
710,713 𝑚3
𝐴𝑠ℎ 𝑃𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = ( )
12𝑚

1 ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑠
𝐴𝑠ℎ 𝑃𝑜𝑛𝑑′ 𝑠𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = (59226.08m2 ) ( )
10,000𝑚2

𝑨𝒔𝒉𝑷𝒐𝒏𝒅′𝒔𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 = ≈ 5.92𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔

B. Computation for Length and Width of Ash Pond:

Assuming a rectangular ash pond area, the dimension can be solved using
the following equation. Also total length of the ash pond is assumed to be twice of
its actual width.

Volume of Ash Pond = L x W x H

710,713 m3 = L x W x 12

𝐋 = 𝐖 = 𝟐𝟒𝟑. 𝟑𝟔 𝐦 ≈ 𝟐𝟒𝟒 𝐦

Therefore, the dimension of the ash pond is 244 m x 244 x 12 m.

The ash pond’s dimension (L x W) is 244 m x 244 m x 12m depth. As shown in

Figure 6.7 below.

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 Figure 6.7: Proposed Ash Pond’s Dimensions

6.6 Summary

Shown in Figure 6.8 is the proposed ash handling system together with summary
of the computations and selected systems that for ash handling system.

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Figure 6.8: Ash Handling System Diagram

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