Pilot plant trials led by the UK Quality Ash Association (UKQAA) have shown that Coal Derived Fly Ash (CDFA) can be successfully processed to meet UK and European standards for use in cement and concrete.
The UKQAA partnered with Coventry-based Atritor and US company ST Equipment & Technology (STET), part of Titan, to demonstrate how legacy stockpiles of fly ash can be made viable for construction. Atritor’s pilot plant was used to dry and deagglomerate the material, before it was passed to STET’s plant for removal of unburned coal.
UKQAA director Dr Nigel Cooke said: “Following significant investment in testing, we’re now in a position to demonstrate to government that we have solutions which align with its low carbon economy ambitions. These projects will create high-quality jobs and careers in a business once thought obsolete. The UK can lead the world in unlocking the benefits of legacy fly ash stockpiles.”
He added that the work marks a turning point: “For many years we’ve talked about the potential of fly ash, but now we’re seeing it become a reality. Construction companies and civil engineers can now plan projects around it.”
Fly ash, stored in large stockpiles left from decades of coal-fired power generation, has valuable pozzolanic properties. It can be used both in low-carbon cements and as a direct addition to ready-mixed concrete, offering the construction industry a sustainable supply chain option.
