Title: Mercury Controls on Power Plants: Potential Impacts on Fly Ash Use in Concrete

Author(s): L. K. Weavers, H. W. Walker, W. Wolfe, D. Golightly, R Sun, C.-M. Cheng, P. Taerakul, and D. M. Golden

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 221

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 837-858

Keywords: coal ash use; concrete; concrete deterioration; curing; mercury release

DOI: 10.14359/13294

Date: 5/1/2004

Abstract:
An estimated 144 metric tons of mercury are emitted into the atmosphere of the continental United States each year, and approximately one-third of these emissions come from coal-fired utility boilers. Maximum achievable control technology (MALT) for mercury, effective in 2007, may significantly impact coal combustion byproduct reuse initiatives, especially the utilization of fly ash in concrete. If powdered activation carbon (PAC) injection is selected as a mercury control strategy, both the percent of car-bon in fly ash and the mercury content in the coal combustion byproduct will increase. This paper describes an EPRI funded project to investigate the possible release of mercury during curing of concrete containing fly ash and mercury-loaded PAC, and to determine if conditions exist during concrete curing that may result in the release of mercury from the coal combustion byproducts in the concrete matrix. EPRI initiated this research program to address issues associated with mercury contaminated fly ash that could evolve from installation of MACT technology for mercury control.