Whenever a fuel is burned, ash remains as a by-product. Ash can generally be separated into fly ash (ash that escapes the boiler through exhaust gasses, but is usually captured in a collection device) and bottom ash (that which settles to the bottom of the boiler). In the past, ash was generally considered a waste product, however it now has several uses. If chemical and physical properties are suitable, fly ash can be used as a pozzolan in cement. TPT has worked with the cement industry to develop an analysis package capable of evaluating the standard physical and chemical properties required for fly ash as it pertains to its use as a pozzolan in cement. The parameters listed in our fly ash analysis package have been identified as being the most useful in establishing consistency so that it can be properly blended with cement.

Some properties of ash may also be detrimental to or indicate a problem with the boiler. If silica content is too high, the melting point of the ash (often categorized by the ash fusion temperatures) may be exceeded causing slagging. In addition, high carbon content could indicate problems with boiler efficiency. It may also be beneficial to chemically and physically classify ash in order to assess disposal requirements.

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