“Santee Cooper and SEFA have worked closely together in the beneficial use of ash for years,” said Lonnie Carter, president and CEO of Santee Cooper. “I am pleased for this innovative opportunity to continue our relationship in a way that brings such benefit to our environment, our economy and our customers.”
The STAR process is a thermal beneficiation system, which treats coal ash in a manner that lowers the content of residual carbon, improving its performance for use in concrete and provides additional performance attributes in products in the mineral, chemical, rubber and plastics industries. The purified mineral matter that is being produced at Winyah is 100% inorganic and meets ASTM C-618 “Standard Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use in Concrete.”
“Santee Cooper had a pond ash issue they needed to resolve,” said Jimmy Knowles, vice president of market development and research for SEFA. “Santee Cooper originally anticipated relocating the material to a landfill. Fortunately, with STAR technology, SEFA was able to provide a solution which is both cost-effective and provides for beneficial reuse of the material.”
Coal ash is the solid residue remaining after coal is burned. Much of the ash is presently placed in lined and monitored landfills to prevent toxins from seeping into the surrounding environment. Using STAR technology, previously disposed coal ash is now being recycled out of older, unlined ponds and used in concrete and other products. The Winyah facility can process 500,000 tons of ponded coal ash and produce around 350,000 product tons annually.
