Ammonia in fly ash

Instructions for concrete manufacturers

Prepared for:
E-mineral
Prepared by:
Jrn Bdker
Taastrup, 27 September 2006

Title: Ammonia in fly ash. Instructions for concrete manufacturers

Author:

Jrn Bdker

Rendering of parts of the instruction is permitted when the source

is stated.

1.

Contents
1.

Contents ................................................................................................................1

2.

Background and purpose ......................................................................................2

3.

Indoor climate .......................................................................................................3

3.1 Measurements .............................................................................................3
3.2 Practical importance to the indoor climate .................................................5

4.

Working environment ...........................................................................................7

4.1 Measurings ..................................................................................................7
4.2 Practial importance to the working environment ........................................7

5.

Control measurements ..........................................................................................8

6.

Conclusion ............................................................................................................9

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

2.

Background and purpose

During recent years the power plants have started to clean the flue gas for nitrogen
oxides. For this purpose, small amounts of ammonia are added to the flue gas to
neutralise the nitrogen oxide. Dependent on the operating conditions at the individual power plants, a minor part of the added ammonia will end in the fly ash.
The ammonia content in the fly ash is typically below 100mg/kg, but under specific
circumstances the concentration may be higher.
On mixing the fly ash with wet concrete, which is very alkaline, ammonia will be
released. Consequently, newly mixed concrete containing fly ash may smell of ammonia.
Concrete smelling of ammonia is a relatively new phenomenon, and the purpose of
these instructions is to describe the scope of the problem and possible measures to
be taken by the concrete manufacturers.

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

3.

Indoor climate

3.1

Measurements
Newly cast concrete containing fly ash may smell of ammonia, and you may, of
course, be worried that this odour emission will continue for a long time and give
rise to indoor climate problems in a building made of this concrete type.
In time, the ammonia will, however, evaporate, and the Danish Technological Institute has made a number of studies in climate chamber to clarify the emission process.
Measurements of the ammonia evaporation rates have been made from ordinary
concrete without fly ash and from concrete with fly ash containing ammonia. In addition to traditional concrete, the tests were also made with lightweight aggregate
concrete.
The tests show that the ammonia evaporates relatively fast just after mixing and
casting and that the rate of evaporation slows down after some time.
The measurements show that the emission rate follows Ficks law, demonstrating
that the evaporation rate is conversely proportional to the square root of the time.
The principles applying to carbonisation and chloride penetration into concrete are
almost the same.

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

Figure 3.1 illustrates the emission rate as a function of time . The tests have been
made with concrete without fly ash, concrete with fly ash containing 65mg/kg ammonia and concrete with fly ash to which an extra amount of ammonia has been
added ie, an ammonia content of 200mg/kg.
1000,0

Concrete with flyash. Extra ammonia

added. Total ammonia content in the
ash is 200mg/kg
200

900,0
800,0

g/m2/hour

700,0
600,0

Concrete with flyash

Ammonia content in the
ash is 65 mg/kg

500,0
400,0

Concrete without ash

300,0
200,0
100,0
0,0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Days

Figure 3.1 The emission rate of ammonia from ordinary concrete containing increased amounts
of ammonia.

In the same way measurements have been made with a typical lightweight concrete.
1400,0

1200,0

Lightweight aggregate concrete

Total ammonia content in the flyash
is 200 mg/kg

g/m2/hour

1000,0

800,0

Ordinary heavy concrete

Water/cement ratio 0,6. Extra
ammonia added. Total
ammonia in the fly ash is 200 mg/kg

600,0

Lightweight aggregate concrete.

Ammonia in flyash 65
mg/kg

400,0

200,0

0,0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Days

Figure 3.2 Ammonia emission from lightweight concrete compared with the emission from
ordinary concrete.

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

The emission rate is directly proportional to the ammonia content in the fly ash, and
lightweight concrete emits more ammonia than ordinary concrete immediately after
the casting; but the ammonia emission from lightweight concrete is reduced relatively fast.
Cement may also contain small amounts of ammonia, and consequently concrete not
containing fly ash may also emit ammonia.

3.2

Practical importance to the indoor climate

The odour limit of ammonia is approx 3mg/m3, and the occupational exposure limit
value in Denmark is 14mg/m3. No limit values have been set for the indoor climate,
but often 1/50 or 1/100 of the limit value of the working environment is applied.
This means that 1/100 of the limit value of the working environment is 0.14mg/m3.

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

For illustration:
An ammonia concentration of 0.14mg/m3
may be illustrated by using common household ammonia in a small room of eg, 25m3
and letting the ammonia in a quarter of a
drop evaporate.

Figur 3.2

Theoretical calculations of the ammonia concentration in a room in a concrete house

show that even if fly ash containing up to 200mg/kg ammonia is applied for the concrete, the ammonia concentration in the room will have decreased to below that
value already after two months, counting from the day of the concreting, which is
much earlier than a building normally is ready to be occupied.

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

4.

Working environment

4.1

Measurements
The ammonia emission is highest during and just after the casting of the concrete.
Consequently, it is in relation to the working environment that you will be exposed
to the highest ammonia concentrations in the air.
It has not been possible to find a company in which you under realistic conditions
can measure the ammonia content of the room air. Consequently, a series of climate
chamber measurements have been carried out to determine the maximum concentration of ammonia which may occur over newly cast concrete.
Laboratory measurements show that under extreme conditions in a chamber with
large quantities of newly cast mortar and no air change at all, the ammonia concentration in the chamber may increase to approx 75mg/m3. This is an equilibrium state
in which the ammonia concentration in the air cannot be further increased no matter
how much concrete is put into a hermetic sealed chamber. The mortar used contains
fly ash with an ammonia content of 200mg/kg.

4.2

Practical importance to the working environment

The occupational exposure limit value of ammonia is 14mg/m3. This is an average
value throughout the work day which must not be exceeded by more than 100% at
any time.
Measuring in a completely closed climate chamber is unrealistic in relation to the
impact on the working environment. You may expect that even working with concrete containing fly ash with an ammonia content of 200mg/kg, ammonia concentrations above the limit value of 14mg/m3 cannot be measured in well-ventilated production spaces.
In the case of outdoor casting the ammonia concentrations in the air will be far below the limit values.

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

5.

Control measurements
Ammonia has a strong smell and is easily detected by the sense of odour in concentrations far below the occupational exposure limit value. However, it may be necessary to carry out measurements of the ammonia concentration in the air to ensure
that working in the premises does not imply any health risks.
The simplest method for determination of the ammonia concentration in the working
premises is the detector tube test using eg, Drger tubes.
You may use Drger tubes labeled Ammonia 2/a. Break the glass tip of the tube
and suck five strokes through the pipe by means of Drgers hand pump. If ammonia
is present, the tube will change its colour from yellow to blue, and the ammonia
concentration in the air may be read on the tube.
The application of the method is quick and simple. The disadvantage of the method
is that the reading has an uncertainty of approx 10 to 15%, and that it is a snapshot
measurement not directly determining the average concentration throughout a work
day.
If a more precise measurement is required, samples may be extracted for later analysis in a laboratory. This method requires trained personnel to carry out the sampling
procedure, and the results of the analysis will not be available until several days after the sampling.
In return the method is very accurate, and the detection limit is low below
0.01mg/m3 meaning that the method may also be used to check the ammonia concentration in the indoor climate.

Hand pump with test tube for ammonia detection

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC

6.

Conclusion
Fresh and hardened concrete with fly ash containing ammonia will emit ammonia to
the air. The ammonia emission will weaken relatively fast and based on laboratory
tests and theoretical calculations, it may be concluded that as long as the limit of
200mg/kg ammonia in the fly ash is not exceeded:

the casting of concrete will not create concentrations of ammonia hazardous

to health in well-ventilated rooms
the ammonia will be evaporated after a few months to such a degree that it
will not cause indoor climate problems in a concrete building.

Ammonia vapour is relatively easy to smell and relatively simple to detect in the air.
By means of eg, "Drger tubes" you may have an indication of the air concentration
level. For a more precise determination of the ammonia concentration in the air, in
the working environment and the indoor climate, a sampling and chemical analysis
procedure may be carried out.

Ammonia in fly ash - Instructions for concrete manufacturers.DOC