Morphology, phase composition and radiological properties of fly ash obtained from the Burshtyn thermal power plant

Abstract

The physic-chemical properties of ash extracted from smoke during the combustion of coal at the Burshtyn thermal power plant were investigated. The particles formed in the flame are crystallized glass beads with a size of 0.8–600 μm. It was found that the ash particles are heterogeneous in their chemical composition. The mass content of the ferric oxides can vary from 2.1% to 96.4%, however, despite this, the Al2O3/SiO2 ratio in the glass balls remains constant at a value of 0.47±0.02. Phase analysis confirmed the presence of α-quartz particles (~ 62 wt%), mullite (~ 32 wt%) and α-FeOOH, α-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 mixtures (totaling 6 wt%). Radiological studies have revealed higher β- and γ-activity of fly ash, selected from the dump, compared with the fly ash from the electro-filter. This is due to the accumulation of 214Pb and 214Bi radionuclides particles formed on the surface of the particles due to due to decay of 222Rn. Key words: fly ash, glass microspheres, mullite, quartz, radiology.