T.C.Inc. has been involved in briquetting/agglomeration and mineral processing technology since the 1960's, in the pelletising, direct reduction of mineral ores, recovery of mill wastes, biomass briquetting with and without binders, roll and pressure briquetting and extrusion press. T.C.Inc. holds U.S.Patents in Agglomeration Technology and Briquetting.

It is necessary to understand the physical nature and the chemical nature of any materials that are the subject of agglomeration/briquetting. This will indicate the type of briquetting required and for the end use of the briquette, whether it be in the form of medicines, use for heating and cooking or just the ability of handling and further processing.

In the case of handling biomass materials, without binders, the sizes and mixtures are the most important in dealing with the characteristics in order for the materilas to bind together. Simplistically, very careful mixing of all the various sizes should be the determining factor in order to fill all the poors, allowing no open spaces in the briquette feed. Then the only consideration will be adequate pressure to compact the materials such that fusion will result in materials sticking together.

If the briquettes are still weak, then segregation of some of the sizes may be required. Eventually the correct mixtures will result in the best results. Testing of the end products can be done by drop tests to see how the briquettes will stand up to handling and storage.

There is a solution of any materials can be briquetted depending on the selection of the mixtures and the selection of the machines. No selection of equipment should be made without end result testing completed before hand.

Please contact: Thomas Coyne, President, T.C.Inc., email address: tcinc002@aol.com ■