Macroscopic to microscopic studies of flue gas desulfurization byproducts for acid mine drainage mitigation
- Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
- Geological Survey, Columbus, OH (United States)
- Natural Resources Conservation Service, Morgantown, WV (United States)
The use of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems to reduce SO{sub 2} emissions has resulted in the generation of large quantities of byproducts. These and other byproducts are being stockpiled at the very time that alkaline materials having high neutralization potential are needed to mitigate acid mine drainage (AMD). FGD byproducts are highly alkaline materials composed primarily of unreacted sorbents (lime or limestone and sulfates and sulfites of Ca). The American Coal Ash Association estimated that approximately 20 million tons of FGD material were generated by electric power utilities equipped with wet lime-limestone PGD systems in 1993. Less than 5% of this material has been put to beneficial use for agricultural soil amendments and for the production of wallboard and cement. Four USGS projects are examining FGD byproduct use to address these concerns. These projects involve (1) calculating the volume of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) byproduct generation and their geographic locations in relation to AMD, (2) determining byproduct chemistry and mineralogy, (3) evaluating hydrology and geochemistry of atmospheric fluidized bed combustion byproduct as soil amendment in Ohio, and (4) analyzing microbial degradation of gypsum in anoxic limestone drains in West Virginia.
- OSTI ID:
- 549482
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960954-; TRN: IM9751%%165
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 13. annual international Pittsburgh coal conference, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 3-7 Sep 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Thirteenth annual international Pittsburgh coal conference: Proceedings. Volume 2; Chiang, S.H. [ed.]; PB: 819 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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