How to make coal briquettes for heating

In boilers designed for this purpose, regular sawdust and wood chips can be burned; this is not as easy with coal dust.

Those who have previously attempted to heat their boiler using this fuel have discovered that half of it just vanishes, falling into the ash between the grate rods, and the other half is sintered into stone, preventing the burned fuel from falling into the ash. The quality of combustion and heat transfer are both negatively impacted by all of these factors.

Nevertheless, since coal dust is highly energetic, discarding it would be foolish at best. Here, the issue can be resolved by converting coal into briquettes, a topic we will discuss later.

More about briquetting technology

Fuel briquettes are categorized using several factors:

• material from which the briquette is made;
• form;
• security;
• environmental friendliness;
• type of packaging.

Naturally, you can burn this kind of dust by heating the boiler with wood and then adding the fine fraction to it. However, this method is not a solution and is very laborious because coal dust must be added frequently, little by little.

The problem of partial fuel combustion will not be solved if you apply a lot of coal dust to the firewood at once because it will still spill into the grate and fall between the firewood, obstructing air flow and severely weakening combustion.

Pressing coal dust into briquettes will avoid all of the aforementioned inconveniences because the coal dust will burn perfectly and release all of its energy in this form.

Scientist A.P. Veshnyakov devised a method for pressing the fuel’s fine fraction at the start of the previous century.

His concept is still applied in business and daily life. The basic concept is to compress wood powder into solid materials so that it burns and emits heat no less efficiently than coal.

Fuel briquettes can be broadly classified into two categories without delving into the specific technology involved in their production.

• using binding components, industrial combustion;
• without them, for home use.

It’s crucial to understand that briquettes created with matching element technology cannot be utilized in regular situations. Many toxic substances are released when they burn, and during production, special equipment removes these substances.

We are discussing the technology that makes it possible to produce briquettes without the need for binding agents. Production moves along as follows:

• Initially, coal dust and small pebbles are crushed, the largest particle at the exit should not be larger than 6 mm;
• then the mixture is dried to a moisture content of 15%. For this purpose, steam and gas type dryers are used;
• then the dust is cooled and transferred to the press. Its effect on the fine fraction occurs with a pressure of 100 to 150 MPa, in a special stamp-type press;
• after which the finished products are sent for storage.

Depending on the apparatus being used and the fuel’s intended use, there may be different requirements for particle size and press pressure. For instance, the UNITEK company’s production line handles particles as small as 0.25 mm and varies their humidity between 6 and 16%.

This yields a product that has a liveliness of 15-20%, can withstand pressure B of 3 kg/cm, and will lose very little mass in a blow when it falls from a height of two meters. The coal dust used to make briquettes will directly affect their energy density.

Industrial production

In order to produce industrial-style briquettes, the following binders are utilized:

• oil -assembly mixture;
• cement;
• liggononutic supplements;
• liquid glass;
• molasses.

Liquid glass and cement are frequently used in the processing of small coke particles and certain other types of coal. These materials are mostly used in metallurgy, where it is legal to use them.

Industrial coal briquettes are also made by combining coal tar and petroleum bitumen. Because they release significant amounts of benzopyrene and other toxic elements that are forbidden by the SES, they cannot be used to heat residential buildings.

Home production

You will need coal dust itself and clay, a safe binding element, to make coal briquettes by hand. Dust and clay are combined 10:1 with a small amount of water to give the mixture the right consistency. Thorough mixing of the ingredients is crucial.

You can use a standard construction mixer or specialized tools, like those made by the Weber brand, to make briquettes. Whatever containers, boxes, pans, etc. you choose to use when making briquettes by hand is acceptable. The fuel briquettes need to be dried after production is finished.

Please be aware that making briquettes at home with equipment will not be profitable.

Naturally, homemade briquettes are not the best. Because of their differences in humidity and heat transfer, their strength is not as great as that of industrial analogs.

Of course! The following is the thesis statement for your paper: We look at an economical way to make briquettes out of coal dust and household waste in our guide, "How to Make Coal Briquettes for Heating." This eco-friendly method offers a productive heating substitute in addition to assisting with waste reduction. In order to make these briquettes easily at home and promote sustainable heating solutions for both residential and commercial use, we cover step-by-step instructions and helpful hints.

That being said, they burn much more efficiently in the boiler than coal dust that bakes and falls through. And they will be happy with the price. The glowing evaluations this technology has received speak for themselves.

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