Brick manufacture with fly ash from Illinois coals. Quarterly report, 1 December 1994--28 February 1995

This investigation seeks to utilize fly ash in fired-clay products such as building and patio bricks, ceramic blocks, field and sewer tile, and flower pots. This goal is accomplished by (1) one or more plant-scale, 5000-brick tests with fly ash mixed with brick clays at the 20% or higher level; (2) a laboratory-scale study to measure the firing reactions of a range of compositions of clay and fly ash mixtures; (3) a preliminary study to evaluate the potential environmental and economic benefits of brick manufacture with fly ash. Bricks and feed materials will be tested for compliance with market specifications and for leachability of pollutants derived from fly ash. The laboratory study will combine ISGS databases, ICCI-supported characterization methods, and published information to improve predictions of the firing characteristics of Illinois fly ash and brick clay mixtures. Because identical methods are used to test clay firing and coal ash fusion, and because melting mechanisms are the same, improved coal ash fusion predictions are an additional expected result of this research. If successful, this project should convert a disposal problem (fly ash) into valuable products-bricks. During this quarter we set up the manufacturing run at Colonial Brick Co., finalized arrangements for a larger brick manufacturing run at Marseilles Brick Co. in YR2, revised our laboratory procedures for selective dissolution analysis, obtained information to select three standard fly ashes, and continued our characterization of brick clays that could be mixed with fly ash for fired-clay products. Due to delays in other areas, we began construction of the optimization program for year 2. We discovered recently that fly ash dust will be an unanticipated problem at the brick plant