The fly ash (high carbon content and high unreacted CaO) recirculation in CFB is a typical method to improve the carbon burnout efficiency and the calcium utilization ratio. While the effectiveness of it is limited by the resident time and the reactivity of the re-injected fly ash particles. In the present research, an improved fly ash recirculation method is suggested in which the CFB fly ash is mixed with water or the mixtures of additives (such as waste water of paper mill, cement, sodium silicate, and carbide slag) and water in a blender. Then, this mixture is re-injected into the combustion chamber of CFB by a sludge pump. Because the temperature in CFB is higher, the fly ash was flash hydrated. At the same time, it was dehydrated and agglomerated. The size of agglomerates is bigger than that of original particle and their attrition rate is lower. Therefore the resident time of agglomerates is much longer than that of fine fly ash particles. The absorption of SO, is higher than that of original particles, too. This results in high carbon burnout efficiency. The hydrated lime also improves the calcium utilization. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.