EEC Matching: Design and Construction of Coal/Biomass-to-Liquids (CBTL) Process Development Unit (PDU) at the University of Kentucky

The goal of this project is to create a center to support the development of new products and industries that manufacture construction materials from coal combustion by- products or CCB's. The center will have three functions: 1. to facilitate the development of technology to produce new forms of non-Portland cement, pozzolanic concrete additives, and masonry from coal products; 2.to provide informational transfer and technical liaison between coal combustion producers and the construction industry; 3. support relevant education and training via participation of graduate and co-operative students. This center will conduct research into the development of low energy, low CO2 emitting construction materials from CCB's, including calcium sulfoaluminate and plaster based cements, high performance pozzolanic cement additives and geopolymers. The specific objectives of this project include the design, procurement, installation and finally testing of a processing system built around a research kiln. This system will be installed in a new 6,400 ft2 facility constructed with funds from the State of Kentucky (Figure 1 and 2). The project has four broad task components: project management and planning, design of equipment, purchasing, construction and testing of equipment, and production and performance testing of low energy cements. Important milestones and deliverables include the formation of a technical advisory board; the final design of the system; system procurement and testing; final shakedown operation and finally the production and testing of a calcium sufoaluminate clinker. .