Characterization of feed coal and combustion by-products from Kemerkoy power plant in Turkey

Kemerkoy power plant is a coal-fired power station located in Mugla, Turkey. The plant burns 21,600 tons per day of low-quality lignite to produce electricity, which induce severe slagging and fouling problems in boilers and generates large amounts of coal combustion by-products. In this study, feed coal, fly ash, bottom ash, and boiler slag samples from Kemerkoy power plant were subjected to characterization studies. The chemical, mineralogical, and morphological characteristics of the samples were measured using different techniques including chemical analyses, XRD, SEM, and EDS. The results of the characterization studies were interpreted to reveal ash deposit formation mechanism and the relationship between the naturally existing mineral phases in feed coal and mineral phases generated by coal combustion process.