Many thermal power plants use coal as fuel. The function of the coal fired thermal power plant is to convert the energy available in the coal to electricity. More than half of the electricity generated in the world is by using coal as the primary fuel. Coal power plants convert stored energy in coal in several steps to usable electricity. Coal can assume many forms, shapes, and consistencies in a typical power plant. In the coal preparation area, coal looks like a large rock. When injected into the burners, it resembles a fine dust or powder. Fly ash particles are found in the flue gas and can cause serious erosion on metal surfaces along its flow path. Fly ash removal and transfer is a very important process of all coal-fired power plants. Coal attacks steel and alloy components when the fuel is transported about the plant. Over time, the abrasive nature of coal prevails against any metal surface because metal will eventually erode. Such erosion can significantly reduce the operational life of boiler components if it is not addressed. Cast iron pipe system is used in power plants fired by coal for conveyance of ash, a byproduct of thermal power plants. However, cast iron pipe system has some limitations like: • Heavy in weight • High cost • Corrosion A FRP producer in Korea called Hankuk Fiber Glass Co Ltd (HFG) has developed a FRP pipe based on EPOVIAŽ vinyl ester resin and abrasion resistant fillers. The inner layer is manufactured by continuous filament winding by mixing vinyl ester resin with abrasion resistant fillers, wound with glass fiber. The outer layer is made only of vinyl ester resin, passing through a filament winder with glass fiber and then finally cured and cut to length. These pipes in smaller sizes have been used in a pilot study and have found to perform well without significant abrasion over 4 years of use. Some abrasion is observed in FRP pipe system after 4 years, but the degree of abrasion is not much while examining the inner surface of the pipe systems. It is minimal, which reduces the thickness of the inner layer of the pipe system. However, no breakages or perforations have been found, nor any leakage detected, indicating that the lifetime of the composite pipe is expected to be in excess of twice that of cast iron pipes. This will bring cost economy for the power plants. Laboratory results of Tabor abrasion testing comparing the composite pipes with the cast iron pipes, suggest that composite pipes prove to be a better choice than cast iron by a factor of 10. For the vinyl ester resin, EPOVIA® KAYAK KRF-1001 - a low foam, pre-promoted and high heat and abrasion resistance grade of Bisphenol-A epoxy acrylate resin developed by Cray Valley was used. Abrasion resistant fillers of alumina/silicone carbide were employed in the system. (Source Courtsey: www.reinforced composites.com)