New technology turns coal dust into profits.

• Author: Jones, Frederick McKinley
• Position: Company Profile

NEW TECHNOLOGY TURNS COAL DUST INTO PROFITS

Enviro-Fuels Technology Inc. has developed technology to recycle low-value waste materials produced by coal mining and coke production operations, converting them into relatively high-value products that are commercially viable. Coke briquettes produced with the technology are suitable for many industrial applications, including steel-making blast furnaces. Coal briquettes produced with the technology are a clean burning, smokeless fuel suitable for home heating as an alternative to wood. The coal briquettes can be burned in fireplaces and wood-burning stoves.

Proprietary Binding Agent

Enviro-Fuels has developed a proprietary binding agent--perfected over the last 10 years by Justin Neumeier--that allows coal and coke fines to be formed into durable briquettes. The briquettes can be made in various sizes, depending on the application of the product. Typically, the briquettes are similar in size to common charcoal briquettes used for barbecues. The briquettes produced with the technology are durable, clean burning, retain the BTU value of the coal or coke used, are economical to produce, and are suitable for a variety of industrial applications as well as home heating uses.

Enviro-Fuels' coke and coal briquettes are formed by mixing the coal or coke fines with the company's proprietary binding agent and feeding the blended mixture into a briquetting machine. The briquettes are formed by the briquetting machine through the use of dies in which metered quantities of the mixture is placed and pressure applied. "The concept of coal briquetting is quite old, but this new technology is truly state-of-the-art," says Ken Young, president of the Utah company. "We're able to recycle a disposable product that has heretofore caused environmental problems and transform it into a viable product."

Coke Briquettes

Coke is a pure carbon, high heat, clean-burning fuel used primarily in steel-making blast furnaces and other industrial applications. It is made from metallurgical grade coal which is heated in the absence of air in large ovens. Volatile matter is driven off of the coal, leaving pure carbon. Small pieces of coke, known as coke breeze or coke fines, are a waste product of the coke-making process. The coke breeze is not suitable for use in blast furnaces because of its small size and, consequently, is of little value to a steel manufacturer. Enviro-Fuels' tech-nology can convert the low-value breeze into...