Briquetting of lime based products with carbon based additives
A method is shown for briquetting quicklime fines. A source of quicklime or dolomitic quicklime fines is combined with a binder in the form of a pseudo-plastic carbon containing material which will deform under briquetting conditions of elevated temperature and pressure and flow and which will also return to a solid phase and bind the quicklime fines upon cooling. An external force is applied to the mixture of fines and binder, as with a briquetting machine, sufficient to form the mixture into a briquette having requisite strength and durability characteristics. Suitable classes of carbon containing materials include Gilsonite®, a solid coal tar pitch and recycled plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene.
1. A method of briquetting quicklime fines, comprising the steps of:
providing a source of quicklime or dolomitic quicklime fines;
adding a binder to the source of quicklime fines, the binder comprising a pseudo-plastic carbon containing material which will deform under briquetting conditions of elevated temperature and pressure and flow and which will also return to a solid phase and bind the quicklime fines upon cooling;
applying an external pelletizing force to the mixture of fines and binder sufficient to compact and form the mixture into a briquette having requisite strength and durability characteristics and
wherein the binder is present in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to 5% by weight, based upon the total weight of the mixture.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of natural asphalt and solid coal tar pitch.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the briquettes so produced are characterized as having a crush strength which is greater than about 250 pounds when the binder is present in the range from about 0.5 to 1.0% by weight.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the briquettes so produced are characterized as having a crush strength greater than about 350 pounds when the binder is present in the range from about 1.5 to 5.0% by weight.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the solid coal tar pitch is a petroleum enhanced coal tar pitch.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the briquettes so produced have a survival drop height from about 3 to 6 feet.