AN OVERVIEW OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S COAL COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCT UTILIZATION PROGRAM

摘要

The onset of utility deregulation now makes it apparent that coal combustion by-product (CCB) utilization is one key area that may help utilities better manage their available resources. Every avoided cost dollar from the use of a by-product versus straight land filling is better than a dollar in gross revenue since there is an associated overhead cost with revenue generation. The economic incentive becomes even greater when the by-product can be sold rather than given away. Because current utilization rates of CCB's are relatively low, the United States Department of Energy is actively co-sponsoring a variety of coal combustion by-product utilization projects, along with projects that seek to characterize the byproducts resulting from newer, "clean" coal combustion or gasification technologies. Most recently, these by-products are being tested to stabilize metal-laden characteristically hazardous waste at a Pennsylvania municipal waste treatment center, control acid-mine drainage problems in West Virginia Coal mines, control surface subsidence in Southern Illinois coal mines, and provide high value-added products through the beneficiation of fly-ash and expansion of slag materials throughout the country. By providing the framework for regulatory, economic, and marketing considerations which influence CCB management decisions and demonstrating successful pilot scale applications, it is hoped that the total utilization rate for CCB's can reach 50% by the year 2010.