Ash Handling and Utilization

Basics

• This page goes over the proper protocol for Ash handling, as well as various methods in which it can be used
• Need to determine composition of Biomass ash (and if it's fractions' differences are as significant as Coal Ash

Utilization

Fly Ash

• As Fly Ash Cement

Ash in General

• Agricultural Use (Assuming it is entirely extracted from the Charcoal in the Charcoal Washing process (as well as emissions capture) it should be nearly all of the non-(hydro)carbon elements/compounds from the plants/soil. THUS by returning it to the soil in the proper amounts you close this loop

As a Binding Agent in Cement-bonded wood fiber

• A 2021 Paper Titled "Recycling sawmilling wood chips, biomass combustion residues, and tyre fibres into cement-bonded composites: Properties of composites and life cycle analysis"

Chemical Processing

• In cases of Phytoremediation or Burning/Co-Firing with RDF or even unsorted MSW, the ash can contain significant amounts of metals
• Magnetic Separation and Acid Leaching can be used for recovery
  • Acid Fly Ash Washing or FAW is a commercialized process largely for recovery of Mercury
  • It uses a Wet Scrubber based Flue Gas Desulfurization process to produce the acid for the process as well which is an interesting synergy
• This may have the added benefit of turning Hazmat into worst case scenario more “normal” waste, or better yet Ash of sufficient quality to be used as a Chemical Feedstock or interchangeably with Biomass Sourced Ash in BOAR

Internal Links

• Ash
• Ash Content
• Biomass Origin Ash Return (Abbreviated BOAR)
• Charcoal Washing
• Gas Scrubber

External Links

• "Options for increased use of ash from biomass combustion and co-firing"
• A 2020 Paper Titled "Valorisation of agricultural biomass-ash with CO2"
• A 2012 Paper Titled "Ash Management Review—Applications of Biomass Bottom Ash"
• A Video by the YouTube Channel " Living Web Farms " Titled "Waste Not Wood Ash with Dan Hettinger "
  • At (insert timecode here) they discussed lab testing of ash for composition + agricultural use dosing, should look into this
• A Video by the YouTube Channel " Living Web Farms " Titled "Waste Not Wood Ash Part 2"