Compaction: why ?
Briquetting (agglomerates, briquettes, compacts, ... ), and compaction-granulation (granules) processes are technologies of particle size enlargment using a dry process in which dusts or powders are formed into calibrated shapes.
A Technical Solution
- Obtain products of the same size, volume and weight: an agglomerate/a compact can represent the exact dose required in a process.
- Obtain a specified and constant product size-range.
- Reduce the volume of a powder.
- Stabilize mixtures of powders: during handling and transport, the heterogeneous mixtures of particles lose their uniformity because of the variation in density, shape and size of the particles. The problems of segregation disappear.
- Improve the flowability of the powders, thus preventing problems of feed, dosage or packaging.
- Improve the compactability of some powders.
- Eliminate the problems of dust generation during handling.
- Control the hardness and strength of products.
- Control the dispersion rate of granules.
- Solve the problems of powder caking during storage.
A Commercial/Marketing solution
- Increase the sales appeal of a product.
- Facilitate dosage use: a briquette can represent the exact dose required in a process for ease of exact dosage.
An Environmental solution
- Recycle industrial waste.
- Recycle beneficiated dust in an industrial process.
- Eliminate pollution problems caused by airborne dust : air and ground pollution.
An Economical solution
- Replace the wet process of agglomeration involving costly drying and binder addition techniques.
- Allow more flexibility in the choice of raw materials purchased at the most attractive price (Fertilizer compounds).
- Adapt easily and quickly to a wider range of mixed fertilizer formulas.
- Granule products that cannot be granulated by means of other techniques (wet process).
- Upgrade by-products.
- Reduce the packing, storage and transport costs thanks to a volume reduction and higher density of the product.
- Avoid loss of product in dust form.
