EP2108035A2 - Firelighter based on lignite and a solidified emulsion of a hydrocarbon in water - Google Patents

Firelighter based on lignite and a solidified emulsion of a hydrocarbon in water

Info

Publication number
EP2108035A2
EP2108035A2 EP07824503A EP07824503A EP2108035A2 EP 2108035 A2 EP2108035 A2 EP 2108035A2 EP 07824503 A EP07824503 A EP 07824503A EP 07824503 A EP07824503 A EP 07824503A EP 2108035 A2 EP2108035 A2 EP 2108035A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
firelighter
composition according
lignite
weight
firelighter composition
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP07824503A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Fredrick Michael Joseph Vernon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Standard Brands UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Standard Brands UK Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Standard Brands UK Ltd filed Critical Standard Brands UK Ltd
Publication of EP2108035A2 publication Critical patent/EP2108035A2/en
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L11/00—Manufacture of firelighters
    • C10L11/04—Manufacture of firelighters consisting of combustible material
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L5/00—Solid fuels
    • C10L5/02—Solid fuels such as briquettes consisting mainly of carbonaceous materials of mineral or non-mineral origin
    • C10L5/34—Other details of the shaped fuels, e.g. briquettes
    • C10L5/36—Shape
    • C10L5/363—Pellets or granulates
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L5/00—Solid fuels
    • C10L5/02—Solid fuels such as briquettes consisting mainly of carbonaceous materials of mineral or non-mineral origin
    • C10L5/34—Other details of the shaped fuels, e.g. briquettes
    • C10L5/36—Shape
    • C10L5/366—Powders
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L7/00—Fuels produced by solidifying fluid fuels
    • C10L7/02—Fuels produced by solidifying fluid fuels liquid fuels
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L9/00—Treating solid fuels to improve their combustion
    • C10L9/10—Treating solid fuels to improve their combustion by using additives

Definitions

  • This invention relates to firelighters, that is, flammable compositions in solid form for use in lighting fires.
  • Solid block flammable firelighters are manufactured so that the product is either white in colour or grey-black, according to the national target market.
  • Conventional firelighters contain kerosene as the flammable ingredient together with a resin binder, typically a urea/formaldehyde resin, water, emulsifier and, for grey-black firelighters, a colouring material.
  • Peat is also used in grey-black firelighters as a filler and to modify the combustion properties of the kerosene.
  • the invention provides a firelighter composition
  • a firelighter composition comprising a solid emulsion of a fuel distributed or dispersed within a solid matrix of an aqueous cured resin, in which the fuel comprises a liquid hydrocarbon and lignite, the total water content of the composition being from 12.5 to 20 parts by weight.
  • the lignite may optionally be partially substituted by peat.
  • Lignite is a soft brown fuel with a lower carbon content than coal but a higher moisture content which, nevertheless, crumbles readily and can be comminuted to form granules.
  • lignite comprises a heterogeneous mixture of compounds for which there is no single chemical structural formula. It has surprisingly been found that, when used as a component of a firelighter composition, lignite has the effect of extending the burn time and lowering the flame height, thereby increasing the combustion efficiency for a given weight of firelighter. In firelighter compositions containing peat, the use of lignite enables a lower concentration of peat to be used and, indeed, as with white compositions, also a lower relative amount of kerosene or other hydrocarbon in the overall composition.
  • lignite in the present invention is used in the form of granules of particles size 2 to 6 mm, more preferably 3 to 4 mm.
  • the granules may be formed from naturally-occurring lignite, ground and sieved to the desired particle size, and/or from lignite dust, obtained for example as a by-product of the grinding process, mixed with a petroleum wax such as "Kerowax" as a binder and ground and sieved to the desired particle size as above.
  • the total fuel (hydrocarbon and lignite) concentration should preferably be from 50 to 85 parts by weight of the total composition.
  • the weight ratio of lignite to kerosene may vary from 0.2% to 50%, preferably 5% to 25%, depending on the properties required of the composition.
  • a lower requirement for lignite results in a higher requirement for kerosene, to meet the total fuel requirement.
  • Firelighter compositions according to the invention may include, either as an additive component of the fuel or as a filler or extender, minor amounts of other solid organic or inorganic materials such as coal dust or particles, wood flour, silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide. Such additional ingredients preferably do not exceed 10% by weight, preferably not more than 5 % by weight. Where such ingredients as fuel components are absent, the fuel consists essentially of a liquid hydrocarbon and lignite.
  • Firelighter compositions are generally manufactured as solid blocks in which the fuel is distributed or dispersed within the solid matrix of an aqueous cured resin, forming a solidified emulsion.
  • the resin comprises an acid-catalysed urea-formaldehyde resin and the composition also includes an emulsifier.
  • the emulsifier may be a surfactant, preferably an anionic surfactant such as an alkyl aryl sulphonate, generally provided as an aqueous solution.
  • compositions according to the invention including naturally- occurring water in the lignite and any water present in the solution of emulsifier, is preferably 15 to 17.5 parts by weight.
  • firelighter compositions according to the invention include a trace amount of fragrance material for olfactory enhancement and/or masking purposes.
  • the same formulations may be used substituting a peat-lignite mixture for the lignite and including a trace amount of a dye for colouring purposes.
  • firelighter compositions according to the invention may comprise liquid hydrocarbon (50 to 85, preferably 60 to 75%), lignite (0.1 to 20, preferably 4 to 15%), resin (5 to 15, preferably 7.5 to 12.5%), water (10 to 20, preferably 12.5 to 18%) and emulsifier (1 to 1.25, preferably 1.1 to 1.2%).
  • the urea-formaldehyde resin is Prefere (RTM) 87 1640H (CFL3) (Dynea Ireland Ltd.) and the emulsifier is Ufacid K (Unger Fabrikker, Norway) supplied by Lanlcro Chemicals.
  • the firelighters were manufactured by forming a base material by mixing together the resin, emulsifier, water and any optional additives, adding the kerosene, preferably pre-heated, and mixing at high speed to form an emulsion, and finally adding the lignite and acid catalyst and allowing the mixture to solidify by acid-initiated polymerisation of the resin.

Abstract

A firelighter composition comprises a mixture of a liquid hydrocarbon and lignite. The liquid hydrocarbon preferably comprises kerosene. It has been found that lignite has the effect of extending the bum time and lowering the flame height, thereby increasing the combustion efficiency for a given weight of firelighter.

Description

Firelighter
This invention relates to firelighters, that is, flammable compositions in solid form for use in lighting fires.
Solid block flammable firelighters are manufactured so that the product is either white in colour or grey-black, according to the national target market. Conventional firelighters contain kerosene as the flammable ingredient together with a resin binder, typically a urea/formaldehyde resin, water, emulsifier and, for grey-black firelighters, a colouring material. Peat is also used in grey-black firelighters as a filler and to modify the combustion properties of the kerosene.
Conventional white firelighters are to some extent wasteful of heat in that they burn with a flame height which is higher than required in most grates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved firelighter composition which enhances the characteristics of conventional white firelighters.
In one aspect, the invention provides a firelighter composition comprising a solid emulsion of a fuel distributed or dispersed within a solid matrix of an aqueous cured resin, in which the fuel comprises a liquid hydrocarbon and lignite, the total water content of the composition being from 12.5 to 20 parts by weight.
In firelighter compositions according to the invention, the lignite may optionally be partially substituted by peat.
Lignite is a soft brown fuel with a lower carbon content than coal but a higher moisture content which, nevertheless, crumbles readily and can be comminuted to form granules. Being a natural product, lignite comprises a heterogeneous mixture of compounds for which there is no single chemical structural formula. It has surprisingly been found that, when used as a component of a firelighter composition, lignite has the effect of extending the burn time and lowering the flame height, thereby increasing the combustion efficiency for a given weight of firelighter. In firelighter compositions containing peat, the use of lignite enables a lower concentration of peat to be used and, indeed, as with white compositions, also a lower relative amount of kerosene or other hydrocarbon in the overall composition.
Preferably, lignite in the present invention is used in the form of granules of particles size 2 to 6 mm, more preferably 3 to 4 mm. The granules may be formed from naturally-occurring lignite, ground and sieved to the desired particle size, and/or from lignite dust, obtained for example as a by-product of the grinding process, mixed with a petroleum wax such as "Kerowax" as a binder and ground and sieved to the desired particle size as above.
In firelighter compositions according to the invention, the total fuel (hydrocarbon and lignite) concentration should preferably be from 50 to 85 parts by weight of the total composition. Assuming the hydrocarbon is kerosene, the weight ratio of lignite to kerosene may vary from 0.2% to 50%, preferably 5% to 25%, depending on the properties required of the composition. Thus, a lower requirement for lignite results in a higher requirement for kerosene, to meet the total fuel requirement.
Firelighter compositions according to the invention may include, either as an additive component of the fuel or as a filler or extender, minor amounts of other solid organic or inorganic materials such as coal dust or particles, wood flour, silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide. Such additional ingredients preferably do not exceed 10% by weight, preferably not more than 5 % by weight. Where such ingredients as fuel components are absent, the fuel consists essentially of a liquid hydrocarbon and lignite.
Firelighter compositions are generally manufactured as solid blocks in which the fuel is distributed or dispersed within the solid matrix of an aqueous cured resin, forming a solidified emulsion. Preferably, the resin comprises an acid-catalysed urea-formaldehyde resin and the composition also includes an emulsifier. The emulsifier may be a surfactant, preferably an anionic surfactant such as an alkyl aryl sulphonate, generally provided as an aqueous solution.
The total water content of compositions according to the invention, including naturally- occurring water in the lignite and any water present in the solution of emulsifier, is preferably 15 to 17.5 parts by weight. Optionally, firelighter compositions according to the invention include a trace amount of fragrance material for olfactory enhancement and/or masking purposes.
For a grey-black firelighter, the same formulations may be used substituting a peat-lignite mixture for the lignite and including a trace amount of a dye for colouring purposes.
In percentage terms by weight, firelighter compositions according to the invention may comprise liquid hydrocarbon (50 to 85, preferably 60 to 75%), lignite (0.1 to 20, preferably 4 to 15%), resin (5 to 15, preferably 7.5 to 12.5%), water (10 to 20, preferably 12.5 to 18%) and emulsifier (1 to 1.25, preferably 1.1 to 1.2%).
By way of example, the following formulations may be used for a white firelighter according to the invention, amounts being quoted in parts by weight:
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
In the above Examples, the urea-formaldehyde resin is Prefere (RTM) 87 1640H (CFL3) (Dynea Ireland Ltd.) and the emulsifier is Ufacid K (Unger Fabrikker, Norway) supplied by Lanlcro Chemicals. The firelighters were manufactured by forming a base material by mixing together the resin, emulsifier, water and any optional additives, adding the kerosene, preferably pre-heated, and mixing at high speed to form an emulsion, and finally adding the lignite and acid catalyst and allowing the mixture to solidify by acid-initiated polymerisation of the resin.

Claims

Claims
1. A firelighter composition comprising a solid emulsion of a fuel distributed or dispersed within a solid matrix of an aqueous cured resin, in which the fuel comprises a liquid hydrocarbon and lignite, the total water content of the composition being from 12.5 to 20 parts by weight.
2. A firelighter composition according to claim 1, in which the lignite is partially substituted by peat.
3. A firelighter composition according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the total water content is in the range 15 to 17.5 parts by weight.
4. A firelighter composition according to any preceding claim, in which the total fuel concentration is from 75 to 85 parts by weight of the composition.
5. A firelighter composition according any preceding claim, in which the liquid hydrocarbon comprises kerosene.
6. A firelighter composition according to claim 5 in which the hydrocarbon comprises kerosene, the weight ratio of lignite to kerosene being from 5% to 25%.
7. A firelighter composition according to any preceding claim, in which the lignite is in the form of granules.
8. A firelighter composition according to claim 7, in which the granules have a particle size of from 2 to 6mm.
9. A firelighter composition according to any preceding claim, in which the resin comprises an acid-catalysed urea-formaldehyde resin and the composition also includes an emulsifier.
10. A firelighter composition according to claim 9, in which the emulsifier comprises a surfactant.
11. A firelighter composition according to claim 10, in which the surfactant comprises an anionic surfactant.
12. A firelighter composition according to claim 11, in which the surfactant comprises an alkyl aryl suplhonate.
13. A firelighter composition according to any preceding claim, further including a trace amount of fragrance material.
14. A firelighter according to any preceding claim, further including a fuel additive or a filler or extender in an amount up to 10% by weight.
15. A grey-black firelighter composition according to any preceding claim, also including peat in partial substitution for the lignite, the formulation including a trace amount of a dye for colouring purposes.
EP07824503A 2006-11-09 2007-11-08 Firelighter based on lignite and a solidified emulsion of a hydrocarbon in water Ceased EP2108035A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0622349.9A GB0622349D0 (en) 2006-11-09 2006-11-09 Firelighter
GB0712520A GB2435387C (en) 2006-11-09 2007-06-27 Firelighter
PCT/GB2007/004270 WO2008056153A2 (en) 2006-11-09 2007-11-08 Firelighter based on lignite and a solidified emulsion of a hydrocarbon in water

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2108035A2 true EP2108035A2 (en) 2009-10-14

Family

ID=37594620

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07824503A Ceased EP2108035A2 (en) 2006-11-09 2007-11-08 Firelighter based on lignite and a solidified emulsion of a hydrocarbon in water

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20100115827A1 (en)
EP (1) EP2108035A2 (en)
GB (2) GB0622349D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2008056153A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2479185B (en) * 2010-03-31 2014-04-02 Standard Brands Uk Ltd Solid firelighters
GB201116761D0 (en) 2011-09-29 2011-11-09 Standard Brands Uk Ltd Solid firelighters
GB201116762D0 (en) 2011-09-29 2011-11-09 Standard Brands Uk Ltd Solid firefighters

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1438944A (en) * 1972-06-05 1976-06-09 Brobat Kayford Ltd Combustible compositions and method of use
CA1071868A (en) * 1975-04-30 1980-02-19 Andrew C. Ball Fire-lighters
GB1544635A (en) * 1975-07-11 1979-04-25 Reckitt & Colmann Prod Ltd Combustible composition
NZ194493A (en) * 1979-08-02 1983-07-29 Reckitt & Colmann Prod Ltd Ignitable combustible composition containing solid resin combustible liquid water and expanded perlite
EP0036783A3 (en) * 1980-03-26 1982-02-03 Kenco Chemicals (Bolton) Limited Firelighters
IE51571B1 (en) * 1980-09-01 1987-01-21 Reckitt & Colmann Prod Ltd Combustible compositions,firelighters,barbeque starters and firelogs
DE3130870A1 (en) * 1980-09-18 1982-04-15 Technische Hochschule "Carl Schorlemmer" Leuna-Merseburg, DDR 4200 Merseburg FLAMMABLE COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
US4895511A (en) * 1988-10-24 1990-01-23 Schmid Ronald W Color or scent modified flame pocket lighters

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2008056153A2 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0712520D0 (en) 2007-08-08
GB0622349D0 (en) 2006-12-20
WO2008056153A3 (en) 2008-08-21
WO2008056153A2 (en) 2008-05-15
US20100115827A1 (en) 2010-05-13
GB2435387C (en) 2011-07-13
GB2435387A (en) 2007-08-22
GB2435387B (en) 2008-05-07

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