Process and apparatus for briquette production

Abstract

Process for producing a briquette containing carbon carriers ( 2 ): mixing the carbon carriers ( 2 ) together with a binder system ( 3 ) with introduction of steam and the mixture obtained is pressed to form briquettes. At least one of drying carbon carriers ( 2 ), setting the temperature of the carbon carriers ( 2 ) to be mixed with the binder system before mixing or heat treating the briquettes after pressing by direct or indirect interaction with superheated steam. Waste steam is at least part of the steam introduced during mixing. An apparatus for carrying out such a process has such interaction with steam, from which a waste steam conduit leads and opens directly or indirectly into the mixing device.

1 . A process for producing a briquette containing carbon carriers comprising:
 mixing the carbon carriers together with a binder system and with the introduction of steam;   pressing the mixture obtained to form briquettes,   
       performing at least one step selected from the group consisting of
 drying the carbon carriers before mixing, 
 setting the temperature of the carbon carriers to be mixed with the binder system before mixing in a predefined temperature range, 
 heat treating of the briquettes after the pressing, 
 
       wherein
 the drying of the carbon carriers before mixing, and/or 
 the heat treating of the briquettes after pressing, and/or 
 the setting of the temperature of the carbon carriers to be mixed with the binder system before mixing in a predefined temperature range, 
 
       are performed by means of direct or indirect interaction with superheated steam. 
     
     
         2 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: mixing the binder system with the carbon carriers in a first mixing step to form a premix, and mixing the premix in a second mixing step with the introduction of the steam. 
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising setting the inlet temperature of the premix in a predefined temperature range on entry of the premix into the second mixing step. 
     
     
         4 . The process as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising setting the inlet temperature of the premix by setting the temperature of the carbon carriers that are supplied to the first mixing step in a predefined temperature interval. 
     
     
         5 . A process as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising performing at least one step selected from the group consisting of
 setting the inlet temperature of the premix in a predefined temperature range on entry of the premix into the second mixing step,   setting the inlet temperature of the premix by setting the temperature of the carbon carriers supplied to the first mixing step in a predefined temperature interval, wherein direct or indirect interaction with steam takes place.   
     
     
         6 . The process as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising using waste steam during the interaction as at least one component of the steam introduced during mixing. 
     
     
         7 . A process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the binder system comprises starch. 
     
     
         8 . A process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the binder system comprises at least one component from the group consisting of
 synthetic polymers,   monomers polymerized under the conditions of the second mixing step to form synthetic polymers,   monomers polymerized under the conditions of the drying of the briquettes obtained during the pressing to form synthetic polymers; and   polyvinyl acetate.   
     
     
         9 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the binder system comprises polyvinyl acetate that is at least partially produced from monomers which are obtained by means of a synthesis gas, and the synthesis gas is based on export gas occurring during a process for the production of pig iron under gasification of the carbon carriers, with conversion of CO of the synthesis gas via acetic acid into vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for producing a briquette containing carbon carriers, comprising
 a mixing mechanism configured and operable for mixing carbon carriers with a binder system for the briquette; the mixing mechanism comprising a steam supply conduit for supplying steam:   
       a pressing mechanism configured and operable for receiving and a mixture obtained from the mixing mechanism and for pressing briquettes on the basis
 at least one member of the group consisting of 
 a dryer before the mixing mechanism for drying the carbon carriers, 
 a heat treatment apparatus for heat treatment of the briquettes during and/or after the pressing by the pressing mechanism, 
 and apparatus configured and operable for changing the temperature of the carbon carriers before their entry into the mixing mechanism, 
 
       wherein
 the dryer, and/or 
 the apparatus for changing the temperature of the carbon carriers before entry into the mixing mechanism and/or 
 the heat treatment apparatus for heat treatment of the briquettes comprises an apparatus configured and operable for direct or indirect interaction with steam, having a steam-feeder conduit for feeding steam therein and a waste-steam conduit therefrom and the waste-steam conduit opens into the steam supply conduit and/or into the mixing mechanism. 
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising a carbon-carrier store for storage of carbon carrier, a carbon-carrier output conduit from the store into the dryer; the carbon-carrier store includes an apparatus for changing a temperature of the carbon carriers in the carbon-carrier store. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the mixing mechanism comprises
 a premixing unit for carrying out a first mixing step,   a binder supply conduit connected to a supply of a binder and that opens into the premixing unit to supply a binder system into the premixing unit,   a carbon carrier supply conduit connected to a supply of carbon carriers from the dryers to supply carbon carriers from the dryer and opening into the premixing unit to supply the carbon carriers from the dryer into the premixing unit,   a final mixing unit configured for carrying out a second mixing step and into which the steam supply conduit opens.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the premixing unit comprises an apparatus for changing the temperature of the premix in the premixing unit. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising at least one member of the group consisting of
 apparatus for changing the temperature of the premix in the premixing unit, and   apparatus for changing the temperature of carbon carriers in the carbon-carrier store and the apparatus for changing is temperatures are configured and operable for direct or indirect interaction with steam into which a steam feeder conduit opens to feed steam.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the premixing unit and the final mixing unit are combined into one piece of equipment in the mixing mechanism.