Improvements in Manufacturing Agglomerated Fuel Blocks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
Improvements in Manufacturing Agglomerated Fuel Blocks.
I, Count ALBERT DILLON DE MICHEROUX, of 15, Rue Blondeau, Namur, Belgium,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
The process of manufacturing agglomerated fuel blocks which constitutes the
subject of the present invention has for its object to render this manufacture
more economical, to augment the heating power of the fuel, to reduce the giving-
off of smoke, and to permit of the agglomeration of all kinds of coal residues,
whether close-burning, bituminuous, lignite, or anthracite and the like, and also
of mineral wastes or dusts for subjecting them under this form and without the
addition of any other combustible or of a flux, to the reducing action of a blast
furnace.
The process consists essentially in the preparation, as hereinafter described,
of an agglomerating mass and its incorporation with the other matters to be
agglomerated in the place of pitch employed for this purpose in the ordinary
manufacture of agglomerated blocks or small masses of coal.
"
The process consists in mixing, under the action of heat and an energetic
stirring, liquid hydrocarbons such as petroleum oils or preferably tar of gas-
works, an alkali, such as lime or chaux sodée" (a compound of lime and caustic
soda) and organic acids under the form of fatty animal or vegetal matters or
resins.
The tar which represents about 80% of the mixture is firstly submitted to a
partial distillation in order to free from it ammoniacal waters and light oils
which are collected and condensed.
The "chaux sodée" or lime-soda compound in the condition of a thick cold pap
is subjected to the action of a current of air freed of carbonic acid and electrified
by discharges and sparks by any suitable known apparatus applicable to such
purpose . When the electrified air has sufficiently acted on the lime-soda com-
pound, the resin, in a finely pounded or pulverized state, is added to the latter.
The lime-soda compound and the resin which together represent in equal pro-
portions about 20% of the mixture are then added to the tar, and the tempera-
ture is raised to about 100 degrees Centigrade and the mixture is energetically
stirred, causing the water of the lime-soda compound to evaporate as well as
a portion of the mineral oils which are collected by condensation.
After a heating of several hours, the mixture is allowed to cool, and is then
conducted into a kneader or other like apparatus where it is mixed with a com-
bustible such as coal dust, anthracite, lignite, peat, wood or other wastes, or with
mineral and chemical substances in fragments or dust, such as the dust of ores,
oxides, sulphides, earths, and the like, alone or mixed with the former.
The proportion of the agglomerating mass varies from 10 to 30 kilogrs., per
100 kilogrs. of the whole agglomerate. This proportion may even be up to 50%

page_text: of the agglomerate for certain ores, these agglomerates of ores being treated
directly in a blast furnace without addition of combustible or flux.
The agglomerated mass after coming out from the kneader is compressed into
small masses or bricks in a suitable press.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The process of manufacturing agglomerated fuel blocks consisting in mixing
any agglomerable matters with a composition of liquid hydrocarbons, an alkali
and organic acids, as set forth.
2. The process of manufacturing agglomerated fuel blocks consisting in form-
ing a composition of tar submitted to a partial distillation, chaux sodée submitted
to the action of a current of electrified air and pulverized resin, and in mixing
this composition with any agglomerable matters, as set forth.
3. As a new article of manufacture, an agglomerated fuel block consisting of
a mixture of tar, lime, resin and mineral matters, susceptible of being treated
directly in a blast furnace without addition of combustibles or flux, as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of Nov 1800.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.