A review on improvement of coal-fired power plants and environmental benefits of ash utilisation

Electricity generation in coal fired power plants produces large amount of residues. These materials are known as coal combustion products (CCPs) and can release pollutants to the environment. However, CCPs are environmentally and technically suitable for uses in many areas. The utilisation of CCPs in these areas helps to reduce the overall harmful effects of coal combustion for electricity generation by stabilising the environmentally toxic pollutants. The current paper reveals the possible usage areas of improved ash and presents the general approaches have been developed to obtain improved fly ash. Electrostatic separator with tribocharging technique has great potential for utilisation of coal ash. It significantly contributes to reduce fly ash disposal problems. In recent years, triboelectrostatic separators have increased significantly for the feasibility and success of the implementation of electrostatic separation. Studies carried out by various researchers on triboelectrostatic separation for utilisation of fly ash were also compiled in this article.