Easter Island and Sala y Gomez are part of the Sala y Gomez Ridge, a broad band of high topography and scattered seamounts extending ESE from the East Pacific Rise. It has been proposed that the Sala y Gomez Ridge results from the movement of the Nazca Plate over a fixed melting spot in the mantle. To test this hypothesis volcanic rocks from Easter Island and Sala y Gomez were analyzed for their K-Ar ages and major element abundances. Subaerial Easter Island was constructed in three distinct episodes, occurring at 2.5 m.y., 0.9 m.y., and 0.4 m.y. ago. The youngest rocks on the island are the Roiho olivine basalts, and are probably less than 50,000 years old. Eruptive activity on Sala y Gomez was essentially contemporaneous with the early volcanism on Easter Island. No migration of volcanism with time is apparent along the Sala y Gomez Ridge, thus a major criterion of the melting spot hypothesis is not fulfilled. Volcanic rocks from Easter Island constitute a tholeiitic differentiation series; they are chemically similar to those from other islands situated near mid-ocean rise crests. The wide compositional spectrum is most likely the result of fractional crystallization from a basaltic parent liquid, though the data is ambiguous for the highly silicic differentiates. The youngest basalts possess more alkaline affinities which are probably not related to fractional crystallization from the earlier basalts. The alkaline nature of these rocks may be the result of a downward migration of the fusion zone with time, as the island moved eastward over a progressively thickening lithosphere. Volcanic rocks from Sala y Gomez belong to an alkali olivine basalt series. The fundamental chemical differences between the Easter Island and Sala y Gomez suites suggest that the two islands were not derived from a common source, as predicted by the melting spot hypothesis. The evidence does not support a melting spot origin for Easter Island, Sala y Gomez, and the Sala y Gomez Ridge. An alternative model involving diapiric intrusion and decompression melting of asthenosphere material along a major fracture in the Nazca Plate provides a better explanation for the data. Synchronous volcanism along the eastern extension of the Easter Island transform fault has given rise to the islands and seamounts on the Sala y Gomez Ridge. / Graduation date: 1975

Graduation date: 1999

Coal fly ash is a by-product of coal combustion that has drawn renewed public scrutiny due to the negative environmental impacts from accidental release of this waste material from storage facilities. Historically, the leaching of toxic elements from coal fly ash into the environment has always been a major environmental concern. Despite extensive efforts into the characterization of coal fly ash, effective models for the fate and transport of toxic fly ash constituents have remained lacking, making it difficult to perform accurate environmental impact assessment for coal fly ash. To close this critical knowledge gap, the overall objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for the leaching of toxic elements from fly ash particles. First, physical properties of coal fly ash were characterized to evaluate their contribution to elemental transport. Unburned carbon was shown to contribute to the sorption of arsenic to fly ash, which slowed the release of arsenic from fly ash. In parallel, leaching properties of various elements were determined to differentiate species of varying leaching capacities, demonstrating that the majority of toxic elements were not mobile under environmentally relevant conditions. Subsequently, a mechanistic model for the dissolution of fly ash elements was developed and validated with batch kinetics studies. Furthermore, elemental dissolution was integrated with hydrodynamic modeling to describe the leaching of toxic elements from fly ash in dry disposal facilities, which was validated by column studies. The mechanistic model developed and validated in this research represents the first such model that successfully characterized the complex processes underlying the release and transport of toxic elements in coal fly ash, providing a valuable tool to predict the environment impact of coal fly ash and develop more effective management practices for both the industry and regulators.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2006. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Jan. 31, 2007). Thesis advisor: Paul R. Bienkowski. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

I Sverige ökar förbränningen av avfall som inte är ett helt definierbart bränsle. Detta är i mångt och mycket ekonomiskt och miljömässigt försvarbart genom den höga kvalitén på rökasreningen, som garanterar att en mycket liten del av föroreningar når atmosfären, utan dessa koncentreras i askorna. Avfallsaskor går till stor del till deponier och används där för sluttäckning eller för att deponeras, samt att en stor mängd flygaska transporteras till Langöya. Inom en tioårsperiod kommer deponierna vara sluttäckta och Langöya uppfyllt, samtidigt som mängden avfallsaskor ökar, vilket innebär krav på nya lösningar. Orsaken till att framförallt flygaskan klassas som farligt avfall är koncentrationen av tungmetaller och föroreningar som härrör från bränslet. Det har forskat i åratal om metoder som ger miljöriktig användning och metoder för att minska miljöpåverkan från askor, men ytterligare forskning krävs för att få svar på den långsiktiga miljöpåverkan samt alternativa användningsområden. Är avfallsaskorna farligt avfall eller en framtida resurs, en svår fråga att besvara, eftersom det är mycket arbete som behövs ifrån politiker, myndigheter, branschen, forskningen och gemene mans inställning till sopsortering för att lyckas förvandla ett farligt avfall till en resurs. / The combustion of waste is increasing in Sweden and the waste is not an entirely definable fuel. This is very much economically and environmentally defensible by the high quality of smoke purification, which ensures that a very small percentage of pollutants reaching the atmosphere, but on the other hand they are concentrated in the ash. Ashes from the incineration of waste go largely to landfills and are used to cap or to be deposited, and that a large amount of fly ash is transported to Langöya. Within a decade, the landfill will be completed covered and Langöya fulfilled, while the amount of ashes from the incineration are increasing, which would require new solutions. The reason for the particular fly ash as hazardous waste is the concentration of heavy metals and pollutions emanating from the fuel. It has been researched for years about the methods that provide environmentally sound use and methods to reduce the environmental impact of ashes, but further research is needed to find answer to the long-term environmental impact and alternative uses. Are ashes from waste hazardous waste or a future resource, a difficult question to answer, because there is much work needed from politicians, government agencies, industry, research and the general public attitude towards waste separation to successfully transform a hazardous waste into a resource.

The work presented in this thesis deals with the development of self-consolidating high performance concrete (SCHPC) incorporating rice husk ash (RHA) as a supplementary cementing material. Various SCHPCs were produced using the water-binder (W/B) ratios of 0.30, 0.35, 0.40 and 0.50, and RHA content in the range of 0 to 30% of cement by weight. In addition, a number of pastes and mortars formulated from the concretes were prepared and tested for the filling ability. The paste and mortar filling abilities were tested with respect to flow time and flow spread, respectively, at various dosages of high-range water reducer (HRWR). Also, the mortars were tested for the air content at various dosages of air-entraining admixture (AEA). It was observed that the flow time of the pastes increased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content, whereas the flow spread of the mortars decreased with higher W/B ratio and greater RHA content. Both paste and mortar filling abilities increased with higher HRWR dosages. In addition, the air content of the mortars decreased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content for given AEA dosages. The fresh SCHPCs were tested for filling ability, passing ability, air-void stability, segregation resistance, unit weight and air content. The filling ability was determined with respect to slump and slump flow, inverted slump cone flow time and spread, and orimet flow time and spread. The passing ability was measured with regard to slump and slump flow with J-ring, inverted slump cone flow spread with J-ring, and orimet flow spread with J-ring. The air-void stability in several fresh SCHPC mixtures was investigated with respect to re-mixing of concrete and subsequent measurement of air content at different test stages. The test results obtained for the fresh properties showed that the inverted slump cone and orimet flow times increased with lower W/B ratio and greater RHA content. In addition, the slump flow, inverted slump cone flow spread, and orimet flow spread with and without J-ring increased considerably with lower W/B ratio and greater RHA content. However, the increases in slump with and without J-ring at lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content were not significant. The unit weight of concrete slightly decreased with higher W/B ratio and greater RHA content, and with higher air content. Achieving the target air content required greater AEA dosages for lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content. However, the presence of RHA had no adverse effect on the air-void stability of concrete. The segregation resistance of various SCHPCs was investigated by visual inspection of concrete in mixer pan, and during and after different flow tests. Slight bleeding and a thick layer of paste were noticed in mixer pan for several concretes. The dynamic segregation in the form of discontinuity or blockage of flow did not occur during the orimet and inverted slump cone flow tests for any concrete. No aggregate pile appeared in the slump flow, and orimet and inverted slump cone flow spreads of any concrete. But minor to severe mortar halos were noticed in the periphery of the flow spread of several concretes, particularly in the presence of high RHA content. The results of visual inspection suggest that both lower W/B ratio and greater RHA content improved the dynamic segregation resistance of concrete. In contrast, the higher RHA content resulted in a lower static segregation resistance, which was overcome in the presence of viscosity-enhancing admixture (VEA). The static segregation resistance of several SCHPCs was quantitatively determined by sieve and column apparatus. The segregation index given by the sieve increased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content, thus indicating a reduced static segregation resistance. In contrast, the segregation factor given by the column apparatus decreased with lower W/B ratio suggesting an increased static segregation resistance. However, the segregation factor increased with higher RHA content, and thus revealed a reduction in static segregation resistance. In the presence of VEA, both segregation index and segregation factor decreased significantly, indicating an improvement in the static segregation resistance of concrete. The hardened SCHPCs were tested for compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, water absorption, total porosity and electrical resistivity. Test results revealed that the compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity and true electrical resistivity increased, whereas the water absorption and total porosity decreased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content. The entrained air-voids decreased the compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, water absorption and total porosity, but slightly increased the electrical resistivity of concrete. In general, the hardened properties indicated good durability of the concretes. The empirical models for the filling ability (slump flow) and compressive strength of SCHPC were derived and verified with test data from this study and other data taken from the literature. The slump flow and compressive strength computed from the models were coherent with the measured values. Both filling ability and strength models were useful to develop a mixture design method for SCHPC with and without RHA.

The work presented in this thesis deals with the development of self-consolidating high performance concrete (SCHPC) incorporating rice husk ash (RHA) as a supplementary cementing material. Various SCHPCs were produced using the water-binder (W/B) ratios of 0.30, 0.35, 0.40 and 0.50, and RHA content in the range of 0 to 30% of cement by weight. In addition, a number of pastes and mortars formulated from the concretes were prepared and tested for the filling ability. The paste and mortar filling abilities were tested with respect to flow time and flow spread, respectively, at various dosages of high-range water reducer (HRWR). Also, the mortars were tested for the air content at various dosages of air-entraining admixture (AEA). It was observed that the flow time of the pastes increased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content, whereas the flow spread of the mortars decreased with higher W/B ratio and greater RHA content. Both paste and mortar filling abilities increased with higher HRWR dosages. In addition, the air content of the mortars decreased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content for given AEA dosages. The fresh SCHPCs were tested for filling ability, passing ability, air-void stability, segregation resistance, unit weight and air content. The filling ability was determined with respect to slump and slump flow, inverted slump cone flow time and spread, and orimet flow time and spread. The passing ability was measured with regard to slump and slump flow with J-ring, inverted slump cone flow spread with J-ring, and orimet flow spread with J-ring. The air-void stability in several fresh SCHPC mixtures was investigated with respect to re-mixing of concrete and subsequent measurement of air content at different test stages. The test results obtained for the fresh properties showed that the inverted slump cone and orimet flow times increased with lower W/B ratio and greater RHA content. In addition, the slump flow, inverted slump cone flow spread, and orimet flow spread with and without J-ring increased considerably with lower W/B ratio and greater RHA content. However, the increases in slump with and without J-ring at lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content were not significant. The unit weight of concrete slightly decreased with higher W/B ratio and greater RHA content, and with higher air content. Achieving the target air content required greater AEA dosages for lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content. However, the presence of RHA had no adverse effect on the air-void stability of concrete. The segregation resistance of various SCHPCs was investigated by visual inspection of concrete in mixer pan, and during and after different flow tests. Slight bleeding and a thick layer of paste were noticed in mixer pan for several concretes. The dynamic segregation in the form of discontinuity or blockage of flow did not occur during the orimet and inverted slump cone flow tests for any concrete. No aggregate pile appeared in the slump flow, and orimet and inverted slump cone flow spreads of any concrete. But minor to severe mortar halos were noticed in the periphery of the flow spread of several concretes, particularly in the presence of high RHA content. The results of visual inspection suggest that both lower W/B ratio and greater RHA content improved the dynamic segregation resistance of concrete. In contrast, the higher RHA content resulted in a lower static segregation resistance, which was overcome in the presence of viscosity-enhancing admixture (VEA). The static segregation resistance of several SCHPCs was quantitatively determined by sieve and column apparatus. The segregation index given by the sieve increased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content, thus indicating a reduced static segregation resistance. In contrast, the segregation factor given by the column apparatus decreased with lower W/B ratio suggesting an increased static segregation resistance. However, the segregation factor increased with higher RHA content, and thus revealed a reduction in static segregation resistance. In the presence of VEA, both segregation index and segregation factor decreased significantly, indicating an improvement in the static segregation resistance of concrete. The hardened SCHPCs were tested for compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, water absorption, total porosity and electrical resistivity. Test results revealed that the compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity and true electrical resistivity increased, whereas the water absorption and total porosity decreased with lower W/B ratio and higher RHA content. The entrained air-voids decreased the compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, water absorption and total porosity, but slightly increased the electrical resistivity of concrete. In general, the hardened properties indicated good durability of the concretes. The empirical models for the filling ability (slump flow) and compressive strength of SCHPC were derived and verified with test data from this study and other data taken from the literature. The slump flow and compressive strength computed from the models were coherent with the measured values. Both filling ability and strength models were useful to develop a mixture design method for SCHPC with and without RHA.

Cattle biomass (CB) has been proposed as a renewable, supplementary fuel for co-firing and reburning. Reburning coal with CB has the potential to reduce NOx and Hg emissions from coal fired systems. The present research focuses on three areas of combustion: 1) Biomass reburning experiments are conducted to determine the optimum operating conditions for the NOx reduction using blends of coal and CB as reburn fuels. 2) Since CB contains higher ash contents compared to coals, the fouling behavior is also investigated under the transient and short-time operation. 3) Finally CB contains higher Cl compared to coals, which oxidizes Hg to HgCl2. To understand the Hg oxidation behavior, a fundamental study of Hg oxidation in coal combustion is conducted using a plug flow reactor (PFR). The main parameters investigated are types of the reburn fuel, reburn equivalence ratios (ERRBZ), O2 concentrations in the reburn gas, injection angles of the reburn fuel, cross-sectional geometries of the reburn nozzles, symmetric and asymmetric reburn injections, reburn heat inputs, baseline NOx concentrations, and presence and absence of the heat exchangers (HEX). The results of reburning show that CB is a very effective fuel in NOx reduction, and the extent of NOx reduction is strongly dependent to the ERRBZ. The optimum conditions of the boiler operation for biomass reburning are as follows: ERRBZ = 1.1, 45° upward circular reburn nozzles, 12.5% O2 in the reburn gas, symmetric injection, and presence of HEXs. To make an effective reburn process, the baseline NOx concentrations must be higher than 230 g/GJ (0.5 lb/mmBTU) and the reburn heat input higher than 20%. The results of ash fouling show the presence of ash in the hotter region of the furnace seems to promote heat radiation thus augmenting the heat transfer to the HEX. The growth of the layer of ash depositions over longer periods typically lowers overall heat transfer coefficients. The addition of HCl to Hg containing gases in the PFR significantly increases Hg oxidations. The addition of NO inhibited the overall reaction and shifted the reaction temperature higher while the addition of O2 promoted Hg oxidations and lowered the reaction temperature. For heterogeneous cases, the use of the VWT catalyst promotes the reduction of Hg0 and shifted the reaction temperatures lower than those for homogeneous cases.

ABSTRACT Key words: PCDD/FS , aromatic precursor compounds , transition metal catalysts , chlorine donor , surface of fly ash particles In the last 20 years , increasing concern has focused on the environmental chemicals that mimic hormone functions , some of them toxic , which producing cancer , suppression of the immune system , and death from undefined causes . These chemicals are not made intentionally , but are formed as contaminants in combustion sources , including PCDD/FS of dioxin-like compounds that emitted from municipal solid waste incinerators (MWSI) and hazardous waste incinerators (HWI) . This study investigated the role that fly-ash plays in the formation of PCDD/FS using a commercial scale fluidized bed waste incinerators (FBWI) , which rated capacity at 3750000 kcal/hr (LHV) . In this design , a lay of sand is placed on the bottom of the combustion chamber. During combustion, the hot gases are channeled through the sand and crushed solid waste at relatively high velocity . This generated about eight times more mass of fly-ash will be produced from combustion zone than the others, and also makes much greater of PCDD/FS through the air pollutants control devices(APCD) to emission stack . The general reaction in this formation pathway is an interaction between an aromatic precursor compound and chlorine promoted by a transition metal catalyst on a reactive fly-ash surface. Since these reactions involve heterogenous chemistry , the rate of emissions is less depended on reactant concentration than conditions that promote formation such as temperature , retention time , transition metal catalysts (e , g,. Cu , Fe , Pb , Zn , Sn) and availability on catalytic surfaces of fly ash particle . These forming conditions will be proceeding a series of well study and experiment on fly-ashes from 4 zones (F1 , F2 ,F3 , F4) of FBWI . PCDD/FS synthesis from combustion of FBWI can potentially be explained by three principal mechanisms that results can be divided into several major parts as follows¡G 1. The fly-ash from zone F3 generated about 47 times more mass of PCDD/FS than zone F1 . 2. The F3 fly-ash proved to be the most active catalytic (Cu , Zn) medium , despite similarities with respect to specific surface area and average pore diameters . In addition , there are up to 75.9 percent by weight of Zn and 97.6 percent of Cu has been found in F3 of overall ashes. 3. In both fly- ash and transition metal catalysts in formation mechanisms are the dominant controlling factor for rates of PCDD/FS.

This research studies the properties of self-compacting concrete by applying bamboo-charcoal to improve the fresh concrete property, physical property and micro-scale property.Conventionally, the Pozzolanic materials used in the self-compacting concrete are fly ash and slag. They are used to replace part of the cement such that the flowing property and compacting property can reach the requirement of the self-compacting concrete. According to previous research the bamboo-charcoal can absorb part of water, and enhance the early strength of concrete. In this study, we use bamboo-charcoal to replace parts of the fine-aggregate in the mixture of self-compacting concrete. The replacement ratio is designed as 0‰,2‰,3‰,3.5‰,4‰ and 5‰. From the experimental test of fresh concrete property, we can evaluate whether the concrete mix design can achieve the requirements of self-compacting concrete. Test for the compressive strength development, water absorption and rapid chloride penetration test are performed to evaluate the physical property of concrete. In addition, the scanning electronic microscope photos are taken to examine the microstructure of the concrete. In our results, it is found that the best proportion of replacement is 3‰. The requirements of self-compacting concrete can be satisfied, and the development of strength is also good.