2008 ISGS Annual Report - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Commercial-Scale Tests
of Fly-Ash Blocks
Researchers at the ISGS have successfully
completed commercial-scale production of
autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks
using Class C fly ash from the Baldwin
power plant. The compressive strength
testing of the final blocks was conducted at
a laboratory of the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign. The AAC blocks produced
with Class C fly ash without additives
met commercial quality standards. Further
testing to evaluate the effect of silica sand
additive on compressive strength of AAC
blocks is in progress.
Commercial-scale, autoclaved
aerated concrete
blocks made using Class
C fly ash from the Baldwin
power plant.
12
Fired Bricks Containing
Spent Equilibrium-Catalyst
Illinois State Geological Survey scientists completed bench-scale
production test runs making fired bricks containing spent equilibriumcatalyst
(e-cat) solid waste material. The fluid catalytic cracking process
in an oil refinery uses a metal catalyst coated on silica-alumina
clay or zeolite (catalyst support material). The catalyst can convert
heavy hydrocarbons to light hydrocarbons, but a small fraction of
the catalyst is continually replaced with a fresh catalyst to maintain
activity. In North America, more than 400 tons of this spent e-cat are
generated daily, most of which is disposed of in municipal landfills
and on-site facilities. MCAT Services LLC, an Illinois-based processing
plant, is currently recovering metals from the spent e-cat received
from oil refineries. The residue from their recovery process was used
in a brick-making evaluation at the ISGS. Successful bench-scale
results have been completed, and the next step is to conduct testing
at a larger scale.