Methods for solidification and stabilization of industrial byproducts

1. A method for solidifying fly ash, comprising:

receiving an aluminosilicate fly ash separated from a waste gas stream;

contacting the aluminosilicate fly ash with a leach reduction additive and water to form an agglomerate, wherein the leach reduction additive comprises one or more of a liquid alkane, a paraffin wax dissolved in a short chain alkane solvent having a carbon chain length of 16 or less carbon atoms, a fatty acid ester, stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, a glyceryl fatty acid ester, an alkene, a cycloalkane, methyl cellulose, a silicone, and a trihydroxy alcohol ester of one or more of stearic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

a binding agent in the form of an aqueous solution.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the aluminosilicate fly ash is contacted with both the leach reduction additive and the binding agent.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aluminosilicate fly ash base material comprises a Class F and/or Class C fly ash, wherein the agglomerate comprises about 50 wt. % or more of the aluminosilicate fly ash base material, wherein the base material includes at least about 500 ppm heavy metals, at least about 1 ppm halogen-containing compounds, and a flue gas desulfurization solid from the reaction of a flue gas desulfurization agent and an acid gas.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the flue gas desulfurization solid is one or more of an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal sulfate, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal sulfite, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal nitrate, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal nitrite, and an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal halide and wherein the base material comprises a product of the reaction of a flue gas desulfurization agent and an acid gas.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the binding agent is one or more of an alkali metal polysulfide, an alkaline earth metal polysulfide, and an organic polysulfide and wherein the agglomerate comprises at least about 0.1 wt. % but no more than about 20 wt. % of the binding agent.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the agglomerate further comprises a set retarder and wherein the agglomerate comprises at least about 0.1 wt. % but no more than about 5 wt. % of a set retardant.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the agglomerate has at least two layers, wherein the at least two layers comprise an outer layer surrounding an inner layer, wherein the inner layer comprises a leachable waste solid, and wherein the outer layer comprises the aluminosilicate fly ash formed with the at least one of the binding agent and the leach reduction additive mixture.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein, in the contacting step of forming the agglomerate, the aluminosilicate fly ash is contacted with a spray solution of water to form substantially homogeneous pellets.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the spray solution comprises a liquid waste slurry.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the paraffin wax is a long chain hydrocarbon having 20 or more carbon atoms.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the leach reduction additive is applied to at least about 0.001 wt. % but no more than about 5 wt. % of the agglomerate and wherein the aluminosilicate fly ash base material is contacted with at least about 0.001 wt. % of an emulsifying agent that is at least one of a latex, a sugar ether, a quaternary amine, an ammonium salt of a sulfated fatty alcohol ethoxylate, an ethoxylated primary amine, a nonylphenol, a lignin sulfonate, and glycerin.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the contacting step comprises the substeps of:

contacting the long chain alkane hydrocarbon with the short chain alkane solvent to form an alkane mixture;

while mixing, contacting the alkane mixture with water to form an aqueous alkane mixture;

while mixing, contacting the aqueous alkane mixture with an emulsifying agent to form a liquid mixture; and

contacting the liquid mixture with the aluminosilicate fly ash to form an aggregate mixture.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the rotational speed of a mixer during mixing is at least about 50 rpm but no more than about 40,000 rpm.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the leach reduction additive mixture comprises the long chain alkane hydrocarbon, wherein the long chain alkane hydrocarbon comprises at least about 0.001 wt. % but no more than about 5 wt. % of the agglomerate, wherein the aluminosilicate fly ash is contacted with at least about 0.001 wt. % of an emulsifying agent and wherein the emulsifying agent is at least one of a latex, sugar ether, quaternary amine, an ammonium salt of a sulfated fatty alcohol ethoxylate, an ethoxylated primary amine, a nonylphenol, a lignin sulfonate, and glycerin.

16. A method for solidifying fly ash, comprising:

contacting aluminosilicate fly ash separated from a waste gas stream with a leach reduction additive mixture and water to form an agglomerate, wherein the leach reduction additive mixture comprises one or more of a liquid alkane, a paraffin wax dissolved in a short chain alkane solvent having a carbon chain length of 16 or less carbon atoms, a fatty acid ester, stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, a glyceryl fatty acid ester, an alkene, a cycloalkane, methyl cellulose, a silicone, and a trihydroxy alcohol ester of one or more of stearic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

contacting a binding agent with the aluminosilicate fly ash and the leach reduction additive mixture to form the agglomerate.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the aluminosilicate fly ash comprises a Class F and/or Class C fly ash base material, wherein the agglomerate comprises about 50 wt. % or more of the fly ash base material, wherein the fly ash base material includes at least about 500 ppm heavy metals, at least about 1 ppm halogen-containing compounds, and a flue gas desulfurization solid from the reaction of a flue gas desulfurization agent and an acid gas and wherein the flue gas desulfurization solid is one or more of an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal sulfate, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal sulfite, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal nitrate, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal nitrite, and an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal halide and wherein the base material comprises a product of the reaction of a flue gas desulfurization agent and the acid gas.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the agglomerate has at least two layers, wherein the at least two layers comprise an outer layer surrounding an inner layer, wherein the inner layer comprises a leachable waste solid, wherein the outer layer comprises the aluminosilicate fly ash formed with the at least one of the binding agent and the leach reduction additive mixture, and wherein, in the contacting step of forming the agglomerate, the aluminosilicate fly ash is contacted with a spray solution of water to form substantially homogeneous pellets.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the paraffin wax is a long chain hydrocarbon having 20 or more carbon atoms.

21. A method for solidifying fly ash, comprising:

separating fly ash from a waste gas stream generated after the complete or partial combustion of coal particles;

contacting the separated fly ash with a leach reduction additive mixture and water to form an agglomerate, wherein the leach reduction additive mixture comprises one or more of a liquid alkane, a paraffin wax dissolved in a short chain alkane solvent having a carbon chain length of 16 or less carbon atoms, a fatty acid ester, stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, a glyceryl fatty acid ester, an alkene, a cycloalkane, methyl cellulose, a silicone, and a trihydroxy alcohol ester of one or more of stearic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

contacting a binding agent with the separated fly ash and the leach reduction additive mixture, wherein, during the contacting of the binding agent with the separated fly ash and the leach reduction additive mixture, at least of the following is true:

(i) the binding agent is in the form an aqueous mixture;

(ii) the separated fly ash is in the form of an aqueous mixture; and

(iii) the leach reduction additive mixture is in the form of an aqueous mixture.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the separated fly ash comprises a Class F and/or Class C fly ash base material, wherein the agglomerate comprises about 50 wt. % or more of the fly ash base material, wherein the fly ash base material includes at least about 500 ppm heavy metals, at least about 1 ppm halogen-containing compounds, and a flue gas desulfurization solid from the reaction of a flue gas desulfurization agent and an acid gas and wherein the flue gas desulfurization solid is one or more of an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal sulfate, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal sulfite, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal nitrate, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal nitrite, and an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal halide and wherein the base material comprises a product of the reaction of a flue gas desulfurization agent and the acid gas.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the agglomerate has at least two layers, wherein the at least two layers comprise an outer layer surrounding an inner layer, wherein the inner layer comprises a leachable waste solid, wherein the outer layer comprises the aluminosilicate fly ash formed with the at least one of the binding agent and the leach reduction additive, and wherein, in the contacting step of forming the agglomerate, the aluminosilicate fly ash is contacted with a spray solution of water to form substantially homogeneous pellets.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the paraffin wax is a long chain hydrocarbon having 20 or more carbon atoms.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the leach reduction additive mixture is applied to at least about 0.001 wt. % but no more than about 5 wt. % of the agglomerate and wherein the separated fly ash is contacted with at least about 0.001 wt. % of an emulsifying agent that is at least one of a latex, sugar ether, quaternary amine, an ammonium salt of a sulfated fatty alcohol ethoxylate, an ethoxylated primary amine, a nonylphenol, a lignin sulfonate, and glycerin.