Monitoring of fluctuations in the physical and chemical properties of a high-calcium fly ash

The physical and chemical properties of fly ash produced at Ottumwa Generating Station have been monitored since April, 1985. The fly ash is produced from burning a low sulfur, sub-bituminous coal obtained from the Powder River Basin near Gillete, Wyoming. One-hundred and sixty samples of fly ash were obtained during the two year period. All of the samples were subjected to physical testing as specified by ASTM C311. About one-hundred of the samples were also subjected to a series of tests designed to monitor the self-cementing properties of the fly ash. Many of the fly ash samples were subjected to x-ray diffraction and fluorescence analysis to define the mineralogical and chemical composition of the bulk fly ash as a function of sampling date. Hydration products in selected hardened fly ash pastes, were studied by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The studies indicated that power plant operating conditions influenced the compressive strength of the fly ash paste specimens. Mineralogical and morphological studies of the fly ash pastes indicated that stratlignite formation occurred in the high-strength specimen, while ettringite was the major hydration product evident in the low-strength specimens