Ash Handling Plant
In Thermal Power Plants coal is generally used as fuel and hence the ash is produced as the byproduct of combustion. Ash generated in power plant is about 30-40% of total coal consumption and hence the system is required to handle Ash for its proper utilization or disposal. The major units that come under the plant are the High Concentrated Slurry Disposal (HCSD) Pump House, Ash Conditioning Sump, Fly ash silo, Ash Handling Compressor Building, Ash Slurry Pump House.
Fly ash: Ash generated in the ESP which got carried out with the flue gas is generally called Fly ash.
It also consists of Air pre heater ash & Economiser ash (it is about 2 % of the total ash content).
Bottom ash: Ash generated below furnace of the steam generator is called the bottom ash. Importance of Fly Ash
Fly ash is the waste product following the combustion of coal. The use of pulverised coal in the Thermal Power Stations result in fly ash as the waste product consisting of finely divided particles of size ranging from 1 micron to 120 micron. Areas of Fly Ash Utilization Fly Ash Brick Embankment and Fills Road Pavement Portland Pozzolana Cement Cement Concrete and Mortar Light Weight Aggregates Back filling of Open Cast Mine Stowing of Under Ground Mines Agriculture Manufacture of Alum, Paint, Ceramic, Asbestos Cement Products
High Concentrated Slurry Disposal Pump House The building is divided into 2 parts namely the switch gear area and the pump bay. The switch gear part controls the working of the pumps. In the pump bay heavy pups are installed which can pump the ash slurry to the ash pond which is located about 2kms from the plant. For the foundations for the pumps a 230mm soling is provided after excavation of the surface to the suitable depth. The voids are taken care by sand filling and further compaction. On this PCC is laid. M30 concrete is used and to avoid any reaction by the chemicals Sulphur Resisting Cement is used. For each pump isolated footing is provided and soling is done to support the vibrations of the pump. The building is designed with structural roofing on which 0.8mm thick Deck Sheeting is done. Concreting is done over these sheets after proper reinforcements. The roofing is done at 14m height and such a structure is provided due the height constraints and the need for cranes to be placed on it for the replacement of the pumps if damaged. The main function of the pump house is that, in case of any delay in removal of the fly ash the water prom the ash conditioning sump is mixed with the fly ash in the mix tank to form slurry. This is then sent to the ash pond. Thus the amount of fly ash generated can be controlled with the working of the power plant.
Figure: Foundations for the pumps at the HCSD Pump House.
Ash Conditioning Sump
The structure is used to store water making the ash into slurry. The tank is RCC structure with 4.1m depth and strip foundation is provided.
Fly ash Silo
The foundation for the structure is provided by a circular pile ca with 96 piles of 600mm diameter. The piles are inserted deep into the soil at a depth of 41m. For further rigidity soling work is also done. The columns for the silo are of 1.5*1.5m dimensions with a height of 15m. They pure RCC columns made of M30 concrete mix. A foundation for a mix tank is also provided at the base of the silo. The whole structure comes up to the height of 36.605m with 15m diameter. The silo is supported on a ring beam of 2m depth. The silo is of 22m height and it is constructed by slipform technology.
The roofing is a structural one on which deck sheeting is provided followed concreting with reinforcements. Slipform Technology
SLIPFORM is that technology as far as vertical concrete construction, whether it is for chimneys, silos, storage tanks or lift cores. From foundation to rooftop of even the very tallest projects, with the systems hydraulic jacks, installing steel reinforcement and pouring concrete become much easier and faster, plus can be more efficiently controlled to assure the highest quality finished cement structure. The technology virtually eliminates unnecessary waste and hazards, making this construction system even more efficient and economical.
Figure: Flyash Silo
Figure: Construction of silo by slipform technology.
Figure: Soling work and the columns at the flyash silo.
Figure: Deck Sheeting done of the roof.
Air Compressor Buildingand Vacuum Pump House Latest Trends in flyash removal The Dense Phase Pneumatic Pressure Conveying Systems uses low volume, medium pressure air stream and relies on a continuously expanding volume of air pushing cohesive slugs of material along the pipe. This system uses a transfer vessel/pump tank to feed the material into the conveying line. It is a batch system with plugs of material separated by cushions of air The building is provided with an open foundation. The structure is made out of M30 concrete mix. The building is provided with structural roofing with 8mm thick GI sheets are provided with proper reinforcements. The sheets are fixed by the help of stud bolts and micro concrete is used to hold them. This is a special type of concrete is which very fine aggregates are used and the resulting strength is very high. The building again consists of 2 parts namely the pump bay and the switch gear. Ash Slurry Pump House In a power plant there will not be 100 percent combustion of the coal, sop the coal which is not burnt gets deposited in the coarse ash tank below the boiler. The pump house consists of a large storage tank on which sea water is stored. The coal is made into slurry by pumping the water into it and it is sent to the ash pond. To handle the corrosion epoxy coated reinforcements are provided.
Figure: Epoxy coated reinforcements for the sea water storage tank in ash slurry pump house
Figure: Pump Bay at the Ash Handling Compressor Building
