阅读说明：本技术 用于形成燃料粒料的方法 (Method for forming fuel pellets ) 是由 肯尼斯·布里斯托·弗洛克哈特 布莱恩·福克斯 于 2020-02-17 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于形成燃料粒料的方法,该方法基于使用用于制造燃料粒料的特定配制物。用于形成燃料粒料的方法包括以下步骤：-提供粒度<1mm的颗粒状碳质材料；-将所述颗粒状碳质材料与多糖或聚乙烯醇粘合剂以及交联剂混合；-将如此形成的混合物成型以提供所述燃料粒料。(The present invention relates to a process for forming fuel pellets based on the use of a specific formulation for the manufacture of fuel pellets. The process for forming fuel pellets comprises the steps of: -providing a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1 mm; -mixing the particulate carbonaceous material with a polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder and a cross-linking agent; -shaping the mixture so formed to provide said fuel pellets.)

1. A process for forming fuel pellets, the process comprising the steps of:

-providing a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1 mm;

-mixing the particulate carbonaceous material with a polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder and a cross-linking agent;

-shaping the mixture so formed to provide said fuel pellets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed at or near ambient temperature.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the particulate material is coal dust or coal dust.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the shaping comprises post-mixing classification.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the post-mix staging comprises using a gated hopper or an extruded hopper.

6. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shaping comprises an agglomeration step.

7. A process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the agglomeration step is roller agglomeration or extrusion or both.

8. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shaping comprises a post-pellet-formation screening step.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the screening step uses a multi-screen hopper having a predetermined maximum granule size screen, a predetermined minimum granule size screen, or both.

10. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing comprises pre-blending, muller mixing, or both.

11. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the binder is one or more of the group comprising:

hydroxypropyl guar gum

Carboxymethyl guar gum

Hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar gum

Acacia gum

Xanthan gum

Starch and modified starch

Sodium alginate

Carboxymethyl cellulose

Hydroxyethyl cellulose

Preferred polysaccharides include:

hydroxyethyl methylcellulose (Tylose)

Guar gum.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the binder is hydroxyethyl methylcellulose (Tylose) or guar gum.

13. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-linking agent is a dialdehyde, diacid, carbonate, or borate comprising one or more ions of the group comprising: titanium, sodium, ammonia, zirconium, potassium or calcium.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the crosslinking agent is zirconium carbonate or sodium borate.

15. The process of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the particulate carbonaceous material is provided by grinding a feed to provide a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1mm, no more than 10% w/w >1mm and no less than 5% w/w <38 μ ι η (microns).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the milling is wet milling, optionally provided by a wet mill or a wet ball mill.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: the moisture content of the feed is increased by adding water prior to milling.

18. The method of any one of claims 16-17, further comprising the steps of: dewatering the ground feed to provide a particulate carbonaceous material having a water content in the range of 20 to 30 wt%.

19. The process of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the binder is present in an amount of 0.1 wt% to 2 wt% based on the total dry weight of the particulate carbonaceous material.

20. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising recycling a portion of the formed fuel pellets.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the forming comprises a post-pellet-formation screening step, and the method further comprises recycling a portion of the formed fuel pellets screened by the screening step.

22. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises at least the steps of:

an aqueous milling feed to provide particulate carbonaceous material of particle size <1 mm;

conditioning the material so formed to have a moisture content in the range of 20-30 wt%;

mixing the material so formed with a binder and a crosslinker in a preblend to form a pelletizable formulation;

kneading the pelletizable formulation in a muller mixer to form a mixed material;

classifying the mixed material;

agglomerating the material so formed to form pellets;

screening the pellets; and

the pellets were stored under cover for 1-7 days.

23. A fuel pellet formed by the process of any one of the preceding claims.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a process for forming fuel pellets based on the use of a specific formulation for the manufacture of fuel pellets.

Background

One continuing problem in many solids-based fuel extraction processes is the disposal of waste "fine" material. As much as 10% of raw ore coal (run-of-mine coal) eventually becomes fine (typically <3mm) or ultra fine (typically <0.1mm) coal dust. Such fine coal is generally not suitable for final processing and, even where size is not an issue, retains a large amount of water (10% -30%) which makes it "sticky", difficult to process, and inefficient to transport and burn.

One solution is to form briquettes. Briquettes are formed by compressing fine particles at very high pressures to physically form a secondary fuel material. However, the high capital and operating costs of the brick plant have hindered the use of briquettes outside of some high-cost countries. In many locations, coal fines are currently only "dumped" near coal mines.

Another solution is to agglomerate the carbonaceous fines using various methods, including pelletizing and extrusion. For this reason, various adhesive materials have been proposed. In US4219519, the main material of the binder is lime or a related calcium compound. US3377146 lists various organic binders and US4357145 suggests the use of tall oil pitch. US4025596 describes a process for granulating the final separated mineral solids using a latex, optionally bentonite or starch.

However, all of these processes require some treatment of the pellets after they are formed, usually drying at elevated temperatures, to provide the pellets in their final form. Thus, all of these methods require some form of heat treatment, generally consistent with the use of one or more organic binders. More importantly, all of these methods have had a history of over 30 years, but none have been used in practice, nor have any examples of success.

Another problem is the weight of moisture. High moisture levels in coal make transport and combustion inefficient. Sub-bituminous coals are a large and valuable component of world coal reserves containing "chemically attached" moisture (up to 20% -30% moisture) in the coal structure. This "moisture" severely limits the use and value of sub-bituminous coals. For example, every 3 wagons of coal must be transported, as must 1 wagon of water. When coal is burned, water also absorbs (i.e., deprives) energy from the flame (converting water into steam). Attempts to drive off moisture by heating have proven unsuccessful because coal disintegrates when dried and is subject to spontaneous combustion. Thus, sub-bituminous coal is rarely traded internationally.

Another problem is the use of additives which can lead to increased formation of environmentally harmful substances or gases upon combustion, in particular sulphur gases such as sulphur dioxide, and various nitrogen-containing gases commonly referred to as "nitrogen oxide NOX" gases. Therefore, it is preferable to use additives which do not themselves contain sulfur and nitrogen heteroatoms.

WO2006/003354a1 and WO2006/003444a1 describe a process for producing fuel pellets based on mixing a particulate carbon-based material and a binder and agglomerating the mixture by a tumbling action. The tumbling action is to agglomerate the particles and bind the mixture into pellets. The agglomeration forms spherical or ovoid pellets, but it still takes some time for the binder to migrate out of the pellets to form a "crust" of pellets, which not only serves to form the pellets, but also provides a water-resistant outer shell for the pellets prior to stacking and shipping.

WO2018/033712a1 describes the formation of briquettes from a particulate material and a binder comprising at least partially saponified polyvinyl alcohol and an alkali metal alkyl or polyalkyl silane. However, due to the size of the briquettes, the briquettes are still limited to be used only in medium and large boilers, and the use of briquette pressing equipment is still required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient method of treating said material, wherein said method is achieved using a suitable pelletizable formulation.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, the present invention provides a process for forming fuel pellets, the process comprising the steps of:

-providing a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1 mm;

-mixing the particulate carbonaceous material with a polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder and a cross-linking agent;

-shaping the mixture thus formed to provide fuel pellets.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a fuel pellet formed by the process described herein.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic flow diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the overall process according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c are side views of different parts of FIG. 2; and is

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective and side views of different staging devices used in one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6 and 6a are schematic perspective views of a drum type agglomeration drum and an enlarged portion thereof used in one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of FIG. 2; and is

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a stoker pellet formed by the present invention for a coal feeder.

Detailed Description

Clean coal recovery systems are now a common part of modern coal processing operations, but a cost-effective high tonnage solution is needed to utilize wet coal fines produced by various beneficiation (beneficiating) processes.

The high capital and operating costs of coal brickyards have prevented many enterprises from maximizing coal reserves. Briquette manufacture is a process of pressing certain types of materials under high pressure. There are low cost hydraulic briquette-making presses designed to operate only for a few hours a day. Larger mechanical presses for large scale installations can run at hundreds of kilograms per hour, but require approximately 200kWh of energy input (for drying and processing) per ton of briquette manufacturing material. In countries where the cost of coal is already so low, the cost of this practice is prohibitive that many countries in the world today simply dump pulverized coal onto nearby ground.

By way of example only, various types of mined coal are listed below, along with their moisture content (m/c), heat content (h/c), and carbon content typically found when mining coal.

The heat content of coal can be directly related to the moisture content. Thus, on a moist, mineral-free basis, high-grade anthracite coal having a moisture content of 15% has a heat content of 26-33 mJ/kg. On the other hand, on a moist, mineral-free basis, lignite (the lowest rank coal) will have a moisture content of up to 45% and a heat content of only 10-20 mJ/kg.

In most power stations that use coal, the coal is typically ground to a fine powder and injected into a furnace. However, the power for crushing coal with, for example, a moisture content of 25% is relatively high. Thus, it is currently believed that millions of tons of "unusable coal" are currently stockpiled in the United states alone. As described above, the moisture content of freshly mined bituminous coal can be as high as 20%, low-rank coal can be as high as 30%, and lignite can be as high as 45%. Driving off this level of moisture (by converting it to steam) prior to actual coal combustion requires so much energy as to begin with that the coal is not used at all because it is inefficient.

In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a process for forming fuel pellets, the process comprising the steps of:

-providing a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1 mm;

-mixing the particulate carbonaceous material with a polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) binder and a cross-linking agent;

the mixture so formed is shaped to provide fuel pellets.

Particulate carbonaceous materials suitable for use in the present invention may be accepted as wet or dry and may be provided by any type of coal macerals fuel (maceral fuel) including peat and lignite, to sub-bituminous coals, metallurgical coals, anthracite fines, petroleum coke fines and the like, to provide fuel pellets that can be used in a furnace for direct or indirect heating, heat generation, power generation, chemical processes and the like. For example, the anthracite coal can be formed into pellets for coal-filling machines and used directly in furnaces for power generation. Metallurgical coal can be formed into pellets for use as a carbon and fuel source in industrial reduction of iron ore to provide iron.

Optionally, the particulate carbonaceous material includes a minor amount (<50 wt%) of another material or materials, including drainage waste, biomass, animal waste, and other hydrocarbon materials that may be considered fuel sources. Biomass is also typically carbon-based and includes one or more of the following groups: waste water sludge, drainage system sludge, agricultural wastes such as chicken manure, bone meal, waste mushroom compost, wood chips, etc., plant residues including rapeseed, hemp seed, corn and sugar residues, and including by-products of industrial processes. These materials may already be in fine or "dusty" form or require grinding to form a particulate material.

The particulate material may also be a combination of two or more starting materials or "ingredients", not necessarily pre-mixed, such as those mentioned above, in order to provide a "hybrid" fuel pellet.

It is particularly advantageous that the present invention may be used with any type of "wet" particulate carbon-based feedstock having a water or moisture content of greater than 10 wt%, for example in the range of 10-50 wt% or higher, including >20 wt% or >25 wt%, or >30 wt% or >35 wt% or >40 wt% or higher. Different locations and countries mine different types and grades of coal, and therefore they use this type of coal in different ways to maximize its economic value as much as possible. The present invention provides a particularly advantageous method to benefit what is currently considered to be waste from current industrial processes without the need for a pre-drying process.

In one embodiment, the feed material is coal dust or coal fines, and thus the particulate carbonaceous material is coal dust or coal fines.

The term "having a particle size of <1 mm" or "particle size <1 mm" as used herein is defined as particulate carbonaceous material having no more than 10% w/w >1.0mm and having no less than 5% w/w <38 μm.

Optionally, the feed for the particulate carbonaceous material is screened prior to the grinding process to obtain a more uniform particle size. The particle size of the feed may typically be in the range >5mm, and up to 10-15mm, for example in the range 5-10mm or 5-8mm or 6-8 mm.

In one embodiment, the particulate carbonaceous material is provided by grinding a feed to provide a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1mm, no more than 10% w/w >1mm and no less than 5% w/w <38 μm (microns).

Grinding provides particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1 mm.

The grinding may be provided by one or more of the group comprising a jaw crusher, a rotor mill, a ball mill, a mortar grinder, etc.

Optionally, the milling is provided in the form of wet milling.

Optionally, milling is provided by a wet mill or wet ball mill. Such grinding may include the use of an inclined grinder, variable grinding speed, and variation in the number/ratio/size of grinding balls to achieve a desired final size output or grading.

Optionally, the particulate carbonaceous material is provided from a feed which is then tested for moisture content and if necessary, the moisture content during grinding is maintained at a predetermined level, e.g. >20 wt%, including in the range of 25-45 wt%, e.g. in the range of 30-40 wt%, by the addition of water.

Thus, optionally, the method of the invention may further comprise the steps of: the moisture content of the feed was increased by adding water prior to milling.

The process of the present invention may also include periodically monitoring the moisture content of the feed prior to grinding to help control or otherwise regulate the addition of water to the feed as it enters the grinder.

Optionally, the method of the invention further comprises the steps of: the material or milled feed material provided by milling is dewatered to provide particulate carbonaceous material having a water content in the range of from 20 to 30 wt%, for example in the range of from 23 to 27 wt%.

Dewatering may be provided as any suitable device, unit or apparatus, or combination thereof, including but not limited to gravity separators, hydrocyclones, and the like, optionally using one or more screens or membranes to allow water separation.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the step of providing a particulate carbonaceous material is provided by: the feed is screened to provide particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size <1mm, no more than 10% w/w >1mm and no less than 5% w/w <38 μm (microns). The screening may include one or more screens that operate in a coordinated manner or in a non-coordinated manner, and may include one or more vibrating screens. This embodiment may be more efficient or economical where the feed is already sufficiently particulate carbonaceous material with a particle size of <1 mm. It may still be desirable to monitor and optionally vary the water content of such provided particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size of <1mm to provide suitable material, in particular particulate carbonaceous material having a water content in the range of 20-30 wt%, to the next stage of the process of the present invention.

Optionally, buffering the provided mixture of particulate carbonaceous material and water to achieve a predetermined pH, for example in the range of pH 7-10, for example in the range of pH 9-10. Buffering can be provided by any suitable buffering agent or agents (e.g., sodium bicarbonate and sodium hydroxide) in a manner known in the art.

The provided particulate carbonaceous material is mixed with a polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) binder and a cross-linking agent.

Polysaccharides are polymeric carbohydrate molecules composed of long chains of monosaccharide units joined together by glycosidic linkages, which hydrolyze to produce monosaccharide or oligosaccharide components. Their structure varies from linear to highly branched. Examples include storage polysaccharides such as starch and glycogen, and structural polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin.

Polyvinyl alcohol is a synthetic polymer produced by hydrolysis or partial hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate, generally characterized by% hydrolysis and molecular weight.

Many polysaccharides and PVOH are capable of hydrating when dissolved in water, trapping water in the hydrocolloid with a concomitant substantial increase in viscosity and "stickiness".

Optionally, the binder is one or more of the group comprising:

hydroxypropyl guar gum

Carboxymethyl guar gum

Hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar gum

Acacia gum

Xanthan gum

Starch and modified starch

Sodium alginate

Carboxymethyl cellulose

Hydroxyethyl cellulose

Preferred polysaccharides include:

hydroxyethyl methylcellulose (Tylose)

Guar gum.

Optionally, the binder is hydroxyethyl methylcellulose (Tylose).

Optionally, the binder is guar or another guar derivative. Guar gum, also known as guar (guaran), is a galactomannan polysaccharide extracted from guar.

Optionally, the binder is present in an amount of 0.1 to 2 wt% based on the total dry weight of the particulate carbonaceous material.

Optionally, the binder is present in an amount of 0.2 to 0.7 wt% based on the total dry weight of the particulate carbonaceous material.

A number of crosslinking agents can be used to crosslink the polysaccharide or PVOH adhesive. These crosslinking agents include bifunctional reagents capable of co-coordinating (co-ordinating) with two separate polymer chains.

Optionally, the bifunctional reagent is a dialdehyde, diacid, carbonate or borate comprising one or more ions of the group comprising titanium, sodium, ammonia, zirconium, potassium or calcium.

Optionally, the crosslinking agent is zirconium carbonate.

Optionally, the crosslinking agent is sodium borate.

The cross-linking agent is generally added during processing in the form of an aqueous solution to allow for thorough mixing, since the amount added is very small relative to the overall mixture.

In one embodiment, the weight ratio of the cross-linking agent and binder to the dry weight of the particulate carbonaceous material (i.e., minus any moisture content of the particulate carbonaceous material) is in the range of 1g:1kg, such as in the range including 1.5g, 2g, 2.5g, 3g, 3.5g, 4g, 4.5g, 5g, 5.5g, 6g, 7g, 8g, 9g, or 10g per 1kg dry weight of the particulate carbonaceous material.

The dry weight of the particulate carbonaceous material can be readily calculated by the following method: the moisture content of the feed of particulate carbonaceous material is measured in a manner known in the art and the calculated weight of the measured moisture content is subtracted.

In one embodiment, the binder is present in an amount of 0.1 to 2 wt%, for example in the range of 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 or 0.5 to 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1 or 1.5 wt% on a dry weight basis (i.e. minus any moisture content of the particulate carbonaceous material).

In another embodiment, the crosslinking agent is present in an amount of 0.00001 to 0.001% w/w based on the dry weight of the particulate carbonaceous material (i.e., minus any moisture content of the particulate carbonaceous material).

The present invention is not affected by the high ash or sulfur content of the particulate material.

In addition, the binders and crosslinkers useful in the present invention do not include any sulfur or nitrogen heteroatoms and therefore do not increase the sulfur or nitrogen content of the particulate carbonaceous material in any way, such that the present invention does not increase any further emissions of sulfur or nitrogen-based gases upon combustion of the formed pellets. That is, the pelletizable formulations of the present invention provide a "neutral" effect, allowing pellets formed from the formulations of the present invention to be used directly in existing power stations or industrial sites or other furnaces that use, for example, coal or carbon-based source materials.

This applies in particular to the case where the process of the invention forms granules for use as metallurgical coal or "metal" (coal grades used industrially for the production of quality coke). Coke is an essential fuel and reactant in primary steelmaking blast furnace processes, partly to fuel the coking process, but equally important as the primary reductant for removing oxygen (as carbon dioxide) from the base iron ore. The process of the invention allows the pellets formed to be used directly as a metal because the formulation is neutral in adding any additional components that might otherwise introduce harmful compounds. Some known pellet formulations have a component that contains one or more sulfur or nitrogen atoms or sulfur or nitrogen-based compounds. The present invention avoids any such components or compounds and thus the pellets formed by the process can be used directly with other metal in a manner known in the art.

In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided that uses a pelletizable formulation consisting of, or consisting essentially of, a particulate carbonaceous material that is coal dust or coal fines, a polysaccharide binder that is guar gum, and a crosslinking agent that is zirconium carbonate or sodium borate.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the method uses a pelletizable formulation that includes ingredients capable of reducing emissions of sulfur-based gases or nitrogen-based gases or both when the pellets formed are burned. These gases include sulphur dioxide and one or more "NOX" gases, such as NO2 or NO 3.

For example, the addition of powdered carbonates, such as calcium carbonate, to a pelletizable formulation allows the carbonates to be intimately mixed and distributed throughout the pellets so formed, and thus react with any sulfur dioxide formed during combustion of the pellets so formed to form calcium sulfate, thereby avoiding the emission of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. This sulfur dioxide is not produced by the process of the present invention but is formed from particulate carbonaceous material, or from one or more sulfur compounds in other materials that are combusted with the pellets formed by the present invention.

In this manner, the present invention also provides a method of reducing emissions of sulfur-based gases or nitrogen-based gases or both when combusting a fuel material containing one or more S or N heteroatoms or both, the method comprising the steps of: to a material pellet formed by a method as defined herein (which method uses a pelletizable formulation) is added a component capable of reacting, in use, with an S or N heteroatom in the material, or with a sulfur-based gas, or with a nitrogen-based gas, or with both gases, to form a solid residual material.

Optionally, the added ingredient is a powdered carbonate, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate or a mixture thereof, e.g. obtained from crushed limestone or dolomite.

Optionally, the fuel material is a coal maceral fuel, including coal.

Optionally, the process of the invention is carried out at or near ambient temperature. Ambient temperature is a term known in the art and includes temperatures near ambient. The ambient temperature may vary from-10 ℃ to 40 ℃ depending on the location of the process and local conditions.

Optionally, the process is capable of forming rigid fuel pellets from the particulate carbonaceous material.

Mixing a particulate carbonaceous material, a polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder, and a cross-linking agent provides a pelletizable formulation capable of forming fuel pellets according to the present invention.

Optionally, mixing the particulate carbonaceous material, the polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder, and the crosslinking agent comprises pre-blending, muller mixing, or both.

The components are pre-blended, optionally in a dedicated pre-blender, to achieve precise dosing of the components.

Optionally, mixing the particulate carbonaceous material, the polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder, and the crosslinking agent to form the pelletizable formulation forms a slurry. Optionally, the slurry has an increased density compared to the provided particulate carbonaceous material, especially if water is added compared to the particulate starting material (e.g. coal fines). Optionally, the density of the slurry so formed is greater than 0.5 g/ml. Optionally, the slurry forms a paste.

Optionally, the blended particulate carbonaceous material, polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder, and crosslinking agent are then further mixed. Such further mixing includes active processing or mixing, such as kneading, pounding, beating, twisting or other types of active blending, typically involving arms or paddles or wheels or the like, to obtain a more consistent material.

Optionally, further mixing is carried out in a separate mixer, such as a muller mixer (muller mixer).

Optionally, further mixing allows the particles to clump together, expelling trapped air, increasing the density of the material so formed, for example to >1 g/ml.

Optionally, shaping comprises an agglomeration step. The agglomeration step may comprise roller agglomeration or extrusion, or both. Extrusion includes hot extrusion, cold extrusion, warm extrusion, micro extrusion, vacuum extrusion, plastic extrusion, friction extrusion, and the like.

Drum-type agglomeration involves the use of one or more drums, optionally horizontal or slightly inclined compared to horizontal, through which the mixture so formed passes, and the rotation of the one or more drums causes agglomeration of the mixture during passage of the material along the length of the drum.

Optionally, drum-type agglomeration comprises the use of a drum having a variable dimension along its length from the input end to the output end. This may include the use of one or more inserts or ribs, typically longitudinal inserts and ribs. Optionally, one or more of any inserts or ribs may extend inwardly from the inner circumference of the drum. The height of such inserts or ribs may be varied to allow their extension or depth to be adjusted from the inner circumference of the drum. Optionally, the drum further comprises an inner granulation liner around its inner circumference, and one or more of any inserts or ribs may be used to cause a change in the inner circumference of the inner granulation liner.

Optionally, the forming in the process of the present invention further comprises a post-mixing classification step to classify the now fully mixed particulate carbonaceous material, polysaccharide or polyvinyl alcohol binder and crosslinker components.

Staging includes determining post-mixing or outflow from mixing the material so formed to be a more regular flow, and optionally a more regularly shaped flow.

Optionally, the sizing comprises determining at least one dimension of the material so formed by a flow regulating device, such as a gate, a die, or a screen, or a combination thereof.

Optionally, classifying comprises shaping the material so formed into a regular shape or shapes before the material enters the granulation stage.

The grading may be determined using suitable grading devices, apparatus or means, including suitable hoppers, extruders, screens, vibrators and dies.

Optionally, the classification also comprises a conveyor to convey the effluent of the material thus formed to a granulation stage.

In one embodiment of the invention, the classification comprises the use of a gated hopper.

Gated hoppers typically include a hopper with a door on one side, usually located at or near the bottom of the hopper, capable of providing a sized aperture. One or more dimensions of the aperture may be changed by moving the door from a closed position to one or more open positions. The variation in door movement allows a user to vary the size of the aperture, and thus the size of the material flowing therethrough; typically varying the height or depth of the material. The gated hopper allows for the collection of the mixed material under one or more mixers that mix the components and provides a regular flow of material to a conveyor, such as a conveyor extending out of the gate, based on a determined height or depth. Optionally, to provide the fuel pellets of the present invention, a conveyor feeds the sized material directly to the next forming step or stage of the mixture so formed.

Optionally, any conveyor may include one or more regular dividers, arms or knives to divide the conveyed material into regular or irregular defined lengths.

In another embodiment of the invention, the grading comprises the use of an extrusion hopper.

An extrusion hopper typically includes a hopper inlet for receiving mixed material from mixing, and an extruder located at or near the lower portion of the hopper, the extruder having one or more dies or screens on one side, and complementary and opposing extrusion faces or plates. The extrusion plates may be operated and controlled by actuators (typically hydraulic rams and piston arrangements) to push the material collected in the hopper through one or more dies or the like to provide graded material for a forming step or stage.

The outlet of the extrusion hopper may coincide with a suitable conveyor capable of conveying the effluent of the extrusion hopper to the granulation stage.

Optionally, the graded material is completely or substantially regular. Optionally, the shaped material includes more than one size to provide more than one size of material for shaping, and is expected to provide more than one size of fuel pellets formed. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the gate or die may be formed with holes of regular or different shapes to provide the same or various shapes of material therethrough, and that the exit of the material through the die typically causes the material to break along the length of the extruded material to form a broken portion of the material.

The size and shape of the formed pellets may be adjusted based on the process conditions of the forming, for example, including one or more of the group of: granulator-drum size, inclination of the granulator, rotational speed, moisture content, impact force, impact height and residence time.

Optionally, the shaping in the present invention includes a post-pellet formation screening step.

Optionally, the screening step uses a multi-screen hopper having a predetermined maximum pellet size screen, a predetermined minimum pellet size screen, or both. An example of a multi-screen hopper is a grid screen hopper, optionally a vibrating grid screen hopper.

After granulation, the granulated material may be screened to produce a desired, usually narrow, size distribution. Screening may be provided by any suitable screening unit, apparatus or device to provide a size distribution optionally in the range comprising lower diameters of 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm or higher and higher diameters of 25mm, 28mm, 30mm, 32mm, 35mm, 37mm, 40mm or higher.

One suitable range of pellets is 6-32 mm. This range is consistent with known coal-fed machine coals. Coal-filling machine coals are typically formed in a series of well-known sizes, referred to as "1/4" (one-quarter inch), "1/2" (one-half inch), "3/4" (three-quarters inch), "1" (1 inch), and "1, 1/4" (one and one-quarter inches). The present invention enables the formation of coaler pellets that match these sizes, thus facilitating their use in conventional furnaces with, i.e., in admixture with, coaler coal.

Optionally, the process of the present invention comprises recovering at least a portion of the formed fuel pellets.

Optionally, where the shaping comprises a post-pellet-formation screening step, the process of the present invention further comprises recycling a portion of the formed fuel pellets screened by the screening step.

Recycling can increase the efficiency of the process of the present invention by reducing the amount of any pellets that do not meet the operator's requirements. The recovered material may be added back to the forming at any suitable stage, for example, reprocessed or re-kneaded, or added back to the resizing, or added directly back to the granulation, for example, at the input of the drum of a roller agglomerator.

As with any method, the skilled artisan will appreciate that adjustment of one or more process conditions or parameters of any stage or step of the inventive method described herein allows a user to control and improve the output of the forming stage, thereby maximizing the size or shape of the formed pellets, and/or minimizing screened material that does not match the desired size or shape. As with any process, it is desirable to optimize process conditions, operating conditions, parameters, and the like, and the skilled artisan can directly see the results of any such changes by the nature of the pellets formed and/or the amount of material recovered.

Optionally, the process of the present invention further comprises storing the formed fuel pellets under cover for 1 to 7 days. This aids in cold setting and hardening of the pellets.

The initial pellets may have a green strength of about 20 lbf (e.g., greater than 80N to 89N or 90N or more).

Optionally, storage is at least initially conducted under cover, i.e. under a protective screen or roof or ceiling, to prevent direct atmospheric conditions, such as rain water, from falling on the pellets. After any initial curing, the formed pellets are optionally allowed to stand for a period of time, which may be several days, such as 1-7 days or 3-7 days, to provide or allow curing to complete. Like other cured products, the pellets continue to cure over time to gain strength, such as additional days or weeks.

Optionally, the method comprises at least the steps of:

an aqueous milling feed to provide particulate carbonaceous material of particle size <1 mm;

conditioning the material so formed to have a moisture content in the range of 20-30% by weight;

mixing the material so formed with a binder and a cross-linking agent in a pre-blender to form a pellet formulation;

kneading the pellet material in a muller mixer to form a mixed material;

classifying the mixed material;

pelletizing the material so formed to form pellets;

screening the pellets; and

the pellets were stored under cover for 1-7 days.

The size of the granulated material formed may be adjusted based on the process conditions of the forming, such as one or more of the group comprising: classification conditions and parameters, granulator-drum size and internal configuration, inclination of the granulator, rotational speed, moisture content, impact force, impact height and residence time, and size of the sieve after formation.

The invention also provides a fuel pellet prepared by the process as defined herein, preferably at ambient temperature, and optionally formed from coal dust or coal fines.

The fuel pellet product of the present invention is a material that is easy to store. It is also easy to transport due to the variable diameter distribution. This increases the packing concentration and also reduces attrition and consequent breakage of the pellets.

More preferably, the pellets once formed have sufficient hardness to allow handling, stacking and/or shipping without any significant breakage.

One particular advantage of the present application is that pellets are formed by molding rather than briquettes. A particular advantage of the present invention is that pellets can be formed having a smaller size than previously suggested in the art, i.e., having a greater relative surface area, making them easier to burn and faster to transfer heat than briquettes.

Optionally, the pellets are of any suitable shape or design, including but not limited to spherical, and various sizes.

Such pellets may be formed to be the same size or similar to coal used in "stoker" applications so that they are used directly in the same location as conventional coal used in "stoker" applications.

In another embodiment of the invention, the process of the invention is performed by a modular and/or mobile device that can be repositioned to a new location for a different source of particulate carbonaceous material.

Optionally, a plurality, optionally all, of the processing devices, units or apparatuses useful in the present invention are modular and/or removable to allow a user to reposition the devices, units or apparatuses. For example, the treatment apparatus, unit or device useful in the present invention is mounted on or movable by a road trailer, or in a road container.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic flow diagram of the steps of a method of producing fuel pellets at ambient temperature as defined herein.

Fig. 1 begins with providing a feed that is an un-pulverized coal. Suitable feed for use in the present invention is "raw coal fines" as described herein, which may be provided by one or more coal fines stockpiles, which are typically located at a coal production site or a coal storage site.

Preferably, the feed is pre-screened to obtain a more regular size, preferably, for example, in the range of 5-8mm diameter, although the invention is not limited thereto.

The feed may have any suitable moisture content and a moisture content (by weight) of greater than 5%, for example in the range of 10-20% or higher, is known in the art. The present invention is not limited by the moisture content of the feed.

In the first stage of an embodiment of the process of the present invention, the feed may be subjected to milling. Milling may be provided by any suitable grinding machine or device, such as a mill or ball mill.

Depending on the type of milling and other process parameters, the water content of the feed may be adjusted. Typically, the moisture content of the feed is monitored using a suitable sensor, and the water feed from an adjustable valve or faucet is adjusted to provide the desired ground moisture content.

The milled feed may be carried out as a continuous process or a batch process and is preferably based on having a moisture content of at least 20 wt%, optionally at least 30 wt% or 40 wt%. The moisture content may be measured using any suitable device or sensor, such as a Near Infrared (NIR) sensor, and suitable additional water may be added to maintain the predetermined moisture content level. The higher moisture content not only aids in the milling process, but also helps to prevent ignition of the carbonaceous material upon comminution.

The milling of the feed material may be adjusted in a manner known in the art based on one or more of the speed of the mill or grinder, any inclination, and the amount and/or size of any comminuted material, such as ball bearings.

Milling results in a particulate carbonaceous material of particle size <1mm, which can be readily measured by suitable means, for example by sieve analysis or Dynamic Image Analysis (DIA), to determine its achievement.

Optionally, the particulate carbonaceous material is conveyed to a suitable location or tank, such as a slurry settling tank, to allow some settling of the particulate carbonaceous material, and then the particulate carbonaceous material may be extracted from a suitable lower or bottom location to be subjected to a dewatering process.

The dewatering stage is intended to reduce the moisture content to a lower level, for example in the range of 20-30%, for example 23-27% (all by weight). Dewatering may be provided by any suitable device, means or mechanism, either active or passive or a combination thereof, including one or more membranes, screens or dryers, hydrocyclones or the like.

The dried material so formed then enters a mixing stage for combination with the binder and cross-linking agent. The mixing can be performed in a single step, or in a combination of multiple steps or stages.

Optionally, the particulate carbonaceous material binder and the crosslinking agent are first blended to form a pellet formulation or a pelletizable formulation. The pre-mixing may be performed under controlled conditions, batch controlled based on adjusted dosing streams and pre-weights from the binder and cross-linker supplies. Precise dosing can be achieved by using pre-blenders known in the art in a controlled environment and process control of the dosing of each component.

In addition, the generally more efficient mixing of the components may then be provided as a second stage. Such mixing may include kneading, breaking, beating, twisting, or other types of active blending, typically involving arms or paddles or wheels, etc., to obtain a more consistent material.

Further mixing may be provided by a suitable mixer or mixing mechanism. In one embodiment, further mixing is provided by a muller mixer. Muller mixers are known in the art and typically include an inner wheel, often arranged in an opposed or dual configuration, that moves within a pan, frame or bowl. The height of the mixing wheel from the floor level is adjustable and includes a snap lock or rocker arm to help disperse the material. The motor speed may be in the range of 5-65RPM and the mixer may also include scrapers, optionally at different levels or heights within the pan, to ensure removal of the mixed material at the end of mixing.

Optionally, the pre-mixed pelletizable material is provided to the muller mix by a suitable injector, such as a high pressure or pneumatic injector, intended to provide a forced or high pressure shock wave (blast) directly into the mixing disk over a predetermined period of time, thereby avoiding the rocker arm of the mixture from moving the wheel and maximizing the blending of the mixture to form a uniform final material. Optionally, the muller mixing includes using one or more motion sensors to accurately determine the placement of the adhesive and crosslinker in the pre-blender and/or muller mixing pan.

Optionally, muller blending also increased the density of the final material to >1 g/ml.

Once the mueller mixing is achieved, which can be determined by a suitable device or sensor, the material so formed undergoes shaping. Optionally, the first shaping is a grading.

In one embodiment, the so-formed material from the muller mix is transferred into a hopper having an adjustable exit gate through which the material passes. The position of the gate determines the size of the material before pelletizing. One suitable gate is a bell cast chute gate.

Optionally, the outlet of the classification stage comprises a conveying mechanism, such as a conveyor belt, along which the classified material may be provided to feed it to a suitable granulator.

The graded material may be in the form of logs, i.e. cylinders, the shape of which may develop at the forming stage, for example, to be more spherical.

The next part of the shaping can be a granulation stage, which can be provided by means of a suitable drum or drums, wherein the classified material from the classification stage falls down. Optionally, the inner surface of the one or more drums comprises one or more ribs. The ribs help to hold the material on the inner surface of the drum as the drum rotates from the bottom position and moves upward. Optionally, the extension or height of the ribs from the overall inner diameter of the inner surface of the drum or drums is adjustable to vary the action of the ribs and the inner surface of the drum or drums.

Optionally, the speed of the drum or drums is adjustable, for example in the range of 5-60RPM, and is adjustable in inclination or pitch, for example +/-2.5 along its horizontal axis⁰。

The rotating drum has low capital and low operating costs, especially compared to a briquette manufacturing plant. They may even be provided in a mobile form so that the method of the invention can be provided where desired or necessary, for example can be moved and located to where the particulate material is currently stored or "dumped", without requiring significant movement (and hence cost) of transporting the material to a fixed processing site.

The roller action in the rotating drum serves to agglomerate the particles and to consolidate the mixture into pellets, typically of variable size distribution. No mechanical compression force is required (with low productivity and high cost) and the process of the invention can be carried out at or near ambient temperature.

Preferably, the method provides pellets having a hardened outer, skin, shell or shell. More preferably, the interior of the pellets is dry and is wholly or substantially in the form of internal dust, granules and/or powder. One way to achieve this is to allow the formed pellets to dry at ambient temperature and under a cover for 1-7 days, after which the pellets have sufficient green strength to allow them to be further stacked and/or stored, particularly into larger stacks, and without the need for a cover, which is a timely "production ready" pellet.

Optionally, the agglomerate particles formed by the present invention are allowed to stand or more gently roll for a short period of time, typically a few minutes, before undergoing a curing and/or refining step. The curing and/or refining step may be provided by a further rolling action, for example in the same or another drum.

After initial curing, the formed pellets are preferably allowed to stand for a period of time, which may be several days, for example 3-7 days, to provide or allow any final curing. Like other cured products, the pellets continue to cure to gain strength over time (e.g., additional days or weeks).

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the overall process of forming fuel pellets according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 shows, starting from the left, an industrial loader or loading shovel 10, which loader or loading shovel 10 is capable of loading a loading or weighing hopper 12 with a suitable feed material as discussed herein. The loading hopper 12 provides conditioned or conventional feed to a first batch feed conveyor 14, the first batch feed conveyor 14 being capable of providing feed to a ball mill 16.

The output of the ball mill 16 falls into a suitable reservoir or settling tank 18 from which material may be pumped by a pump 19 into one or more thickening screens 20. The material passing through the thickening screen 20 may be collected by a suitable second or dewatering conveyor 21, held in a suitable buffer store or hopper 22, and then, when ready, dropped onto a mixer feed inclined auger 24, the outlet of which auger 24 is in and above a muller mixer 26 and pre-blender 27 in a suitable structural platform 28.

The preblend 27 provides blending and dosage control and may include a micro-ingredient meter that provides a uniform flow of binder and cross-linker into the material as it passes down into the muller mixer 26. This helps prevent caking of the adhesive on contact with wet material. Micro-ingredient meters may also help achieve faster uniform mixing.

The pre-blender 27 provides for initial mixing of the particulate carbonaceous material, binder and crosslinker under controlled conditions and then more actively mixes the components in the lower muller mixer 26 in a continuous or batch process. The muller mixer 26 has an outlet that is capable of conveying material down a classifier 30 (the classifier 30 will be discussed in more detail below) and along a pelletizer feed conveyor 32 and into a drum based pelletizer unit 34 from which the outlet of the pelletizer unit 34 provides material to the lower end of an inclined stacked radial conveyor 36. The exit end of the inclined stacking radial conveyor 36 provides a pile 40 of granulated coal pellets or shaped fuel pellets, optionally formed on a voided solidified air plenum 42 capable of providing an air stream to the interior of the pile 40, and having a solidified veil 44 to provide substantial shading for at least 1-7 days, typically 3-7 days.

The part of the method shown in fig. 2 will now be described in more detail.

Fig. 3a shows an enlarged portion of an initial part of the method of fig. 2, in particular the hopper 12 feeding the loading conveyor 14 into a suitable ball mill 16. The outlet of the feed hopper 12 may be controlled to provide a regulated and/or periodic outflow of material to regulate or adjust the material entering the ball mill 16.

The ball mill 16 is a wet mill ball mill crusher capable of adjusting the particle size of the feed provided into the hopper 12 and along the first conveyor 14 to provide particulate carbonaceous material of particle size <1 mm.

The inlet of the ball mill 16 includes a Near Infrared (NIR) sensor 17 which is capable of determining the moisture content of the feed material and increasing the moisture content by adding water from the water source 15 when required.

Typically, the ball mill 16 is capable of grinding the feed to provide particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size of no more than 10% w/w >1mm, and no less than 5% w/w <38 μm (microns).

In one option, the effluent of the ball mill 16 is screened to achieve a particle size of <1mm throughout. The skilled person is able to sample the effluent of the ball mill 16 and determine its graded particle size based on a known combination of graded screens or sieves which are able to identify the grading or division of the particle size from the largest to the smallest mesh size used. In this manner, the skilled artisan can determine the operational parameters of the ball mill 16 in order to achieve a gradation of the particulate carbonaceous material provided from the ball mill according to the needs of the process of the present invention.

Moving from fig. 3a to fig. 3b, the outlet of the ball mill 16 is provided to a suitable storage tank 18, which allows for some settling of the heavier material (e.g., the desired particulate carbonaceous material) of the outlet flow material. Reservoir 18 may have an inclined floor to help collect material toward the bottom of pump 19. A pump 19 supplies material from the bottom of the storage tank 18 to one or more thickening screens 20. The thickening screen 20 provides dewatering for the material in the storage tank 18, particularly to reduce the moisture content of the particulate carbonaceous material to 20-30% by weight. That is, it is desirable to have a reduced moisture content at the next stage of the process of the present invention as compared to the moisture content of the feed material being milled in the ball mill 16.

The screen material provided by a suitable bottom outlet from the thickening screen 20 is conveyed along a suitable conveyor 21 in figure 3 to a buffer store or trough 22 to help regulate the rate of production thereafter. Optionally, the material in the hopper 22 is occasionally or regularly agitated to break up any surface covering, such as ice (where ambient temperatures are relatively low, e.g., below the "freezing point"), and/or the material is at rest for a period of time before proceeding. The agitating material helps to monitor the moisture content by suitable sensors and reduces the chance of false or erroneous readings.

Fig. 3b shows hopper material 22 being fed to the bottom of a feed inclined auger 24 so as to travel above a pre-blender 27 and be presented to the pre-blender 27, and then to a lower muller mixer 26 and associated devices supported by a platform 28.

The pre-blender 27 is capable of mixing the particulate carbonaceous material, binder, and crosslinker material under controlled conditions to form a pelletizable formulation prior to entering the muller mixer 26.

The muller mixer 26 can blend and knead the materials fed thereto, typically using an adjustable internal double-wheel mechanism. Suitable speeds for the dual wheels may be in the range of 10-50rpm, optionally variable depending on process parameters such as the weight or length of time of the material poured therein, and/or the desired mixing time. Optionally, the muller mixer 26 is programmed to operate based on the parameters of the feed provided by the buffer hopper 22 and the expected amounts of binder and cross-linking agent to be added to provide a suitable shaped material which is then passed to the bottom of the sizer 30.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a classifier, which is a gated hopper 30 a. The gated hopper 30a includes a hopper inlet 51 having an adjustable gate 50 on one side (typically at or near the bottom of the hopper 30 a) that can be provided with a sized aperture. One or more dimensions of the aperture may be changed by moving the door 50 from the closed position to one or more open positions. The change in movement of the door allows the user to change the size of the aperture, and thus the size of the material flowing therethrough; typically varying the height or depth of the material. The gated hopper provides a regular material flow 52 to a conveyor belt 53 extending out of the gate 50 based on a determined height or depth.

In particular, the adjustable gate 50 produces an outlet size wherein at least the height of the outlet is adjustable to a height suitable for the expected conditions and parameters of the pelletizer drum 34. In one embodiment, the height of the gate 50 above the conveyor is in the range of 30-35 mm. The exit material 52 is conveyed along a conveyor 53 toward the pelletizer drum 34 as described below.

Fig. 5 shows another example of a classifier, which is an extrusion hopper 70. The extrusion hopper 70 includes a hopper for receiving the mixed material from the mixing, and an extruder 72 located at or near a lower portion of the hopper, the extruder 72 having a die 74 on one side and a complementary and opposing extrusion plate 76. The extrusion plate 76 is operated and controlled by a hydraulic actuator 78 to push the material collected in the hopper through one or more dies or the like to provide graded material 80 for a forming step or stage.

The outlet of the extrusion hopper may coincide with a suitable conveyor, such as conveyor 32, capable of conveying the effluent of the extrusion hopper to the granulation stage.

Fig. 6 shows a schematic view of the pelletizer drum 34, the pelletizer drum 34 generally having an elongated shape and optionally having a flexible inner surface 82 and some internal ribs 84, as shown in more detail in the enlarged portion of fig. 6 a. The ribs 84 may be flush with the inner circumference of the pelletizer drum 34 and optionally may extend into the interior of the pelletizer drum 34 so as to form a series of extendable ribs along the longitudinal inner surface of the pelletizer drum 34 such that the inner surface 82 has an increased variation (in cross-sectional view). The ribs 84 help to alter the height of the peaks of the inner surface 82, which then increases the amount of pellets that the insert is able to carry from the bottom of the pelletizer drum 32 to a higher location as it rotates, and then fall back down to the bottom of the pelletizer drum.

This is the standard movement of material in the prilling drum, but the variation in rib 84 height facilitates variation in the prilling action and provides variation in output (particularly in the size distribution of the granules and/or the size ratio of the granules so formed). The variable ribs 84 provide the user with additional process parameters that can be controlled and refined to provide a desired output at the end of the pelletizer drum 34.

Figures 3c and 7 show the output end 34a of the granulator drum 34 at which output end 34a grizzly hopper 90 is provided, the grizzly hopper 90 being capable of sizing the material in a manner that facilitates sizing of the material to either a maximum predetermined size or a minimum predetermined size or both. The grid screen hopper 90 includes a top screen 94 capable of screening for pellets larger than a desired predetermined size, and one or more inner screens or mesh openings capable of screening down for pellets or pellet material smaller than a predetermined minimum size.

Fig. 3c and 7 also show a radial stacking conveyor 36 capable of receiving fuel pellets approved by a grizzly hopper 90 for storage as shown in fig. 2.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic of a range of fuel pellets 40a formed by the present invention, the fuel pellets 40a being coal charger pellets typically ranging in diameter between 1/4 inches (typically 6mm) to 1.1/4 inches (typically 32 mm).

Such material that is larger than the maximum desired size or smaller than the minimum desired size may be recovered along an endless conveyor 96 as shown in fig. 3c and 7. The recycled material may be fed to one or more of the steps or stages described above, including but not limited to directly into the prilling drum 34 and/or classifier 30.

The process of the present invention can form pellets of any suitable size or diameter. Any material that is smaller than a certain size or larger than a certain size can be recycled back in the process in order to obtain a more uniform pellet size. Such predetermined lower and upper limits may be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art based on optional parameters, such as the weight or length of time the material is poured therein, and/or the expected mixing time.

As shown in fig. 3c, pellets 40 are stored for solidification. Storing pellets in a suitable conical arrangement may be based on including suitable internal air regions or pockets, for example by using suitable tubing 42, to allow for better circulation of air in the storage and around its outer surface. In this way, the pellets can be dried from both surfaces to speed up the curing process.

Pellets 40 may be stored under a cover 44 (e.g., a cover or roof) to provide a degree of initial protection from certain factors, particularly rain water or falling moisture/water, to allow the pellets to attain initial green strength, to allow for further processing and/or stronger storage.

The product preferably allows for a very high percentage of combustion (which may be 100% combustion) so that little or no combustible fuel is left in the ash.

In particular, the process of the invention may not involve forced drying of the pellets, as the effect of the polysaccharide or PVOH and the cross-linking agent is maximised at ambient temperature.

In another embodiment of the invention, the process of the invention is performed by a modular and/or mobile device that can be relocated to a new location for a different source of particulate carbonaceous material.

Optionally, a plurality, optionally all, of the processing devices, units or apparatuses useful in the present invention are modular and/or removable to allow a user to reposition the devices, units or apparatuses.

For example, at least the loading or gravimetric feed hopper 12, the first batch feed conveyor 14, the ball mill 16, the thickening screen 20, the second conveyor 21, the buffer storage or hopper 22, the inclined auger 24, the structural platform 28, the pelletizer feed conveyor 32, and the pelletizer unit 34 are all modular and optionally movable, by using one or more suitable transport devices known in the art (e.g., trailers, wheeled chassis or trucks, etc.).

For example, fig. 2 shows a pelletizing unit 34 having a wheeled carriage at one end, such that the pelletizing unit 34 can be moved to a separate location by simple towing using a suitable unit, such as a tractor unit as is known in the art.

Many conveyors are also intended to be easily repositionable, and figure 2 also shows a radial stacking conveyor 36 based on a two-wheeled carriage or chassis, which can also be easily repositioned by a suitable tractor unit when needed at another location.

Thus, according to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for performing the method defined herein, the apparatus being modular and mobile. The device generally includes the features shown in fig. 2. The skilled person will appreciate that the use of one or more suitable road conveyors, such as tractor units, allows the apparatus shown in figure 2 to be relocated to any particular location.

In this manner, the present invention can be used to pelletize a feedstock of particulate carbonaceous material at a particular location and then relocate to the next intended source of particulate carbonaceous material.

Another application of the process is to reduce the feed moisture of pulverized coal fuel in power and thermal stations, where the pulverized coal or coal tailings are pelletized and fully solidified and dried before being pulverized and burned in a furnace. Typical moisture levels found in current coal dust piles are typically between 12-35%, which makes them difficult to use or blend with other feeds.

The present invention provides a simple yet effective process that uses waste carbon-based materials and forms a useful fuel product that is easily transported and efficiently combusted. The rotary drum granulator is relatively low in manufacturing cost and can achieve high tonnage production capacity. Customized products can be produced and the invention improves the economics of ash removal and desulfurization in coal upgrading plants.

Low-tech applications can also readily utilize the present invention in countries with little investment in efficient coal processing plants, thus allowing efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective processing plants to be manufactured and operated. In these places, any material that cannot be used immediately is currently treated as waste, simply stacked into larger and larger piles, increasing environmental hazards.

The products of the invention can in many cases be used directly as fuels, in particular in industry, for example in power plants, or in metallurgical plants, etc.

The product is made from current "waste" materials, thereby increasing the efficiency of current solid fuel extraction and production.

The present invention provides significant benefits over the prior art, including:

coal/lignite fines <3mm can be granulated dry or directly from the filtration plant.

Tonnage throughputs can range from 5 tons per hour (community scale) per granulation line to 300 or 500 tons per hour.

A high level of automation can be used in the granulation process to achieve precise control and reagent use.

The pellets air dry only when chemically "cured".

The pellets, when solidified, can be handled by bulk transport equipment.

Depending on the characteristics of the coal and the process parameters, the pellet size can be customized from 5mm to 150mm, if desired.

High ash coal fines will ignite and burn efficiently due to good combustion characteristics.

Persistent combustion, high percentage carbon combustion.

Coal <20mm can be pulverized and granulated with fines into high value pellets.

Contaminated coal or waste, such as sawdust, rice hulls, sewage, animal manure, petroleum coke, or waste oil, may be included in the pellets.

Residual ash with negligible unburned fuel (e.g. coal) residue, very suitable for other industrial uses.

Residual ash can also be granulated with similar binder agents for concrete raw materials, aggregate blending and high porosity landfills.

Lignite can be processed with the same technology, or can be blended with other fuel sources to produce hybrid pellet fuels with pre-designed characteristics (e.g., smokeless combustion).