Distilled Spirits Lees Ash as Cement Additive

Abstract

The voluminous generation of distilled spirits lees (DSL) in China presents a challenge for proper disposal and potential environmental pollution. In an effort to address this issue, this study aimed to find a resourceful solution for DSL utilization. The application of incinerated rice husk ash as a mortar supplementary material in cement provides an innovative solution for the disposal of DSL. Five samples of distilled spirits lees ash (DSLA) were produced using both muffle furnace (MF) and fluidized bed (FB) combustion at different temperatures. The properties of DSLA were characterized through measurements of specific surface area and observations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mortar specimens were prepared by replacing 10% of cement with DSLA, and strength tests were conducted. The SEM results revealed the crisscross mesh structures in the DSLA samples. Additionally, the findings indicated a strong connection between the specific surface areas and the micromorphology. In this work, all DSLA samples, except for the one produced in FB at 800 °C, could improve compressive and flexural strengths in the prepared mortar specimens and were suitable for employment as cement additives.

Keywords

• distilled spirits lees ash
• fluidized bed
• pozzolanic
• cement additive