Title: An economical lysimeter setup for fly ash leachate studies

Authors: Vaishnavi V. Dabir; Sukhanand S. Bhosale

Addresses: Civil Engineering Department, Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, Maharashtra, India ' Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering Pune, Maharashtra, India

Abstract: Coal combustion in power plants produces a large amount of fly ash, which can be stored in monofill until further use. The quality of the inorganic leachate produced during storage can be studied by constructing a customised lysimeter setup as per the need of application and pertaining to principles described in ASTM D-4874. Factors affecting the concentration of heavy metals in fly ash leachate are the liquid to solid ratio (L/S ratio), pH of the leachant water, and properties of fly ash. Based on standards and literature survey, an economical lysimeter setup for fly ash leachate studies is developed and results are investigated. The heavy metal concentrations in the leachate extracted are complying with results of laboratory and field analysis concentrations documented in existing literature. Studies performed using the proposed economical setup would provide accelerated results for obtaining trace element concentrations, by which decisions of safe monofilling of fly ash is possible.

Keywords: fly ash leachate; L/S ratio; fly ash monofill; coal ash monofill.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2019.101286

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2019 Vol.24 No.2, pp.195 - 209

Accepted: 09 Dec 2018
Published online: 30 Jul 2019 *

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