Briquetting plant

Abstract

A briquetting plant for hot briquetting particulate matter, such as mill waste containing a material that softens when heated, such as iron oxide, which includes a low temperature tumbler type heat exchanger, an intermediate temperature tumbler type heat exchanger, a fluid bed furnace and a compactor, with the feed material being fed therethrough in succession. The briquettes produced by the compactor are first fed from the outlet of the compactor into the intermediate temperature heat exchanger, for liberation of heat therein, separated from the feed material by a screen at the outlet of the intermediate temperature heat exchanger and from such screen transported into the low temperature heat exchanger for further imparting of heat to the feed material. A second screen is provided at the outlet of the low temperature heat exchanger for separating and discharging the briquettes in relatively cooled form. The tumbler type heat exchangers are in the form of a hollow cone having a wide included angle enclosed by a cover and slowly rotated about an inclined axis to provide intimate mixing of the components and uniform withdrawal of the mixture. The heat exchangers are mounted at a low level and the screens are mounted at a high level with bucket type elevators in between and with the furnace and compactor being located at successive intermediate levels so that, except for the two bucket elevators, all of the flow in the plant takes place under action of gravity. Wet and dry feed materials are separately handled, with means being provided for conveying the dry feed directly to the second heat exchanger.