Zhai, J, Burke, I orcid.org/0000-0002-0484-568X and Stewart, D orcid.org/0000-0001-5144-1234 (2021) Beneficial management of biomass combustion ashes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 151. 111555. ISSN 1364-0321
Abstract
Use of biomass for energy production is increasing, so management of the resultant ash is important. This review compares current and future production, chemical composition, and reuse options for ash from common feedstocks (agricultural residues, energy crops, woody biomass, forest residues, recovered wood, paper sludge, sewage sludge and municipal solid waste). Global production is ~170 Mt/yr, but could increase to ~1000 Mt/yr if all available biomass were exploited. Current production is dominated wood and waste derived ashes, but there is capacity to greatly increase use of agricultural residues. Combustion of virgin biomass in modern furnaces can produce ash with negligible persistent organic pollutants and low contaminant metals concentrations, so application to land is possible. Agricultural residue ashes contain abundant potassium and useful phosphate, so could potentially be used as fertiliser. Forestry ashes are rich in CaO, but slightly higher contaminant metals levels may restrict their use to forestry soils. Recovery of potassium from these ashes, and their use in cementitious materials have also been demonstrated. Biomass containing waste ashes potentially contain more persistent organic pollutants and contaminant metals. However, municipal solid waste bottom ash is routinely used as a construction aggregate for prescribed applications. Paper sludge ash is suitable for restricted use as a soil conditioner and possibly as a secondary pozzolan. However, controlled disposal may be required for recovered wood ash and sewage sludge incineration ash. As persistent organic pollutants tend to partition to the flue gases, fly ash and air-pollution control residues are likely to require controlled disposal.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is an author produced version of an article published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews . Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | biomass ash; ash quantity; ash composition; classification; ash management |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Civil Engineering (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Earth Surface Science Institute (ESSI) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 18 Aug 2021 13:49 |
Last Modified: | 11 Aug 2022 00:13 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111555 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:176940 |
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Filename: 564655 Beneficial management of biomass combustion ashes.pdf
Licence: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0