PHYSICAL TESTING OF FUEL BRIQUETTES

Four physical properties have been identified as being of greatest value when developing or evaluating fuel briquette formulations or processes. They are resistances to crushing, impact, abrasion and water penetration. Arbitrary tests for these properties have evolved in this laboratory during a decade of investigations of binders and formulations for briquetting coal fines and the like. The simple test methods are described and some typical results are given. Tests of several types of commercial and pilot process fuel briquettes have been used to set realistic target values for these four physical properties. In the process development stages, it is suggested that the tests should relate to the briquette material, rather than the briquette as an entity, and that this can be achieved by transforming the raw data into various indices. These would allow intra-laboratory or inter-laboratory comparisons of briquette formulations. This approach is illustrated by presenting results for compressive strength, impact resistance and abrasion resistance. The same could apply to water resistance and some suggestions are discussed. The needs of research and development and of production in respect of briquette testing are seen as different, but complementary. It is hoped that the paper will stimulate researchers and producers alike to work towards the adoption of codes of standard practice in briquette testing. © 1990.