Patent Applications on the Rise
Eco-friendly material development based on coal bottom ash is speeding up these days. According to experts, waste reduction can be achieved and less expensive industrial materials can be obtained by coal bottom ash, which amounts to 1.4 million tons a year, being recycled as concrete admixtures and insulators.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office announced on Jan. 30 that the annual average number of related patent applications increased from 45 to 56 between the 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2019 periods.
“This increase has to do with the South Korean government’s policy for promoting coal ash recycling based on the Framework Act on Resource Circulation enacted in 2016,” the office explained. At present, coal ash resulting from coal-fired power generation includes 7.2 million tons of fly ash and 1.4 million tons of bottom ash.
For the past 10 years, a total of 484 related patents were applied, including 158 for using the ash as lightweight aggregates, 151 for concrete and cement applications, and 37 for road drainage applications.