OSA, Inc. announces patent for improved process to utilize coal power plant waste ash products.

Jan. 11, 2009 - PRLog -- Operation Simulation Associates, Inc. (OSA) and the University of Illinois filed Provisional Patent 61/102,459 titled "Concrete Manufacturing Processes and Methods" on October 3, 2008. The inventors are Mei-In M. Chou, Roger A. Babb, and Sheng-Fu J. Chou. The patent rights are held by the University and OSA has been granted the exclusive right to use the patent rights and to sublicense the patent rights to other parties.

The new manufacturing process is a practical method of producing Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) products utilizing waste ash from coal-burning power plants. While AAC is produced from coal ash in other countries, all AAC currently manufactured in the USA is made from sand. Unlike the existing ash-based AAC processes that use only freshly produced fly-ash, the new OSA process can utilize dry fly-ash, reclaimed landfill ash, reclaimed pond ash, and even ash reclaimed from ash pond spill accidents. Additionally, the new OSA process requires less portland cement and lime raw materials. The OSA process is less capital intensive than previous AAC processes and allows for plant sizes ranging from small micro plants to very large plants.

This new process for utilization of ash waste comes at a time when an ash pond spill in Tennessee has raised the issue of safe coal ash disposal. Over 100 million tons of ash is produced annually by about 700 coal burning plants in the USA. While coal ash does contain toxic compounds, these compounds are a very small percentage of the ash and present a danger only when a large quantity of ash is allowed to enter the environment and the toxic compounds are allowed to leach and concentrate. Concrete manufactured from coal ash sequesters the ash in the concrete and the resulting concrete products are not toxic, in fact are less so than standard concrete or brick products.

AAC products have been described as "concrete styrofoam". AAC building products are fireproof, have high thermal insulation value, and result in stronger structures. See www.SafeCrete.com for details regarding AAC building products.

To date, AAC products have not earned a significant share of the American construction market due to high manufacturing costs and the freight costs for delivery from the few American plants. The OSA manufacturing process will lower manufacturing costs and will encourage the construction of AAC plants closer to the construction sites. However, it will require the active participation of the electric utilities to promote and financially support the construction of AAC plants in order to utilize the ash currently produced by their coal plants and begin to reclaim the old ash stored in ponds and landfills.

The promotion of ash-based AAC has the environmental benefit of sequestering the coal plant ash production and of reducing energy requirements (and thus the carbon footprint) of buildings constructed from AAC. While it may be possible to replace some or even all new coal burning plants with cleaner technologies, it will be necessary to use coal in existing plants well into the future. And the millions of tons of ash already in storage at coal plants nationwide need a safe and beneficial future. We expect that the OSA manufacturing process for ash-based AAC will be a part of this effort.

OSA is actively seeking electric utility and manufacturing partners for ash-based AAC projects.

For further information please contact Roger Babb at rab@babb.com.

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About OSA- Operation Simulation Associates, Inc. operates an Autoclaved Aerated Concrete pilot plant facility in Ringgold, GA. OSA conducts research in AAC production and provides consulting support in the areas of AAC production and electric utility planning. Roger Babb, President of OSA, has been involved in the AAC industry since 1997. OSA is a privately held company.