GB2091760A

GB2091760A - Waste residues of coffee beans as firelighter extender

Info

Publication number: GB2091760A
Application number: GB8134859A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TIGER TIM PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: TIGER TIM PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 1980-11-19
Filing date: 1981-11-19
Publication date: 1982-08-04
Also published as: GB2091760B

Abstract

An extender for firelighter compositions comprises organic material having a moisture content of up to 40% by weight. The preferred material is dried waste residues of ground coffee beans. The extender has also a vegetable fat content of up to 25% by weight. The composition has a diluent material, such as talc, of up to 20% by weight, preferably 10% by weight.

Description

SPECIFICATION Combustible compositions The invention relates to combustible compositions, particularly to firelighters.

So-called "white" firelighters have a high kerosine content and thus have become more expensive to manufacture with recent increases in the price of oil.

As a consequence, there has been much investigation of the possibilities of adding cheaper solid combustible material, effectively as an extender. It appears, however, see Patent Specification No.

1,544,635, that separation problems have been experienced in adding such solids to the normal emulsion of cold-curing aqueous resin (ureaformaldehyde) and liquid hydrocarbon (kerosine). That is mentioned in relation to "non-carbonaceous" fuels including comminuted or granulated wood and peat, and criteria are laid down that no more than 5% of such materials shall pass a sieve of 0.44 mm nominal aperture size. We shall, herein, refer to such materials as will pass such a sieve as "dust".

What we have now established is that such strict size criteria do not apply to certain organic matter, such as the non-water-soluble residues of vegetable material, specifically the waste residues from ground coffee beans which is readily available from manufacturers of so-called "instant" coffee. That material, as waste, comprises a very wet sludge which we have found it possible to dry out and convert into particulate material of which substantially more than five percent, generally 10% or more, can be dust, i.e. fine enough to pass a sieve of 0.44 mm aperture size, without any deleterious effects on incorporation into our white firelighters in quantities of up to 10% by weight, where the particulate material has at least 10% dust content.

This came to us rather as a surprise considering the apparently comprehensive investigations of the above mentioned patent specification.

In our investigations, we noted the inevitable increase of proportionate oil/wax content for waterinsoluble organic residues, compared, that is, to the organic material before removal of water-solubles, and that such could be as high as 25% for coffee residues. So long as such oils/waxes are at least partially compatible with white firelighter emulsions, we are now led to postulate herein that waterinsoluble combustible residues of at least vegetable organic material including vegetable fat typically at about 25% content by weight are particularly advantageous as extenders for fi relighter compositions.

Amongst those advantages are, of course, the above-mentioned tolerance of dust contents above 5%, and also their economy in being available as waste products, as well as most advantageous increased burning effectiveness as fire lighters.

We prefer two use a free-flowing particulate material that is semi-pelletised with a dust content of about 10% and whilst we have not fully investigated maximum dust content of coffee bean residues as an extender for white firelighters we are satisifed that up to 20%, if not 30%, can be tolerated without giving rise to significant difficulties.

It will be appreciated that combustible particulate extender material made by drying instant coffee residues will inevitably have some residual moisture content. For our preferred material, that moisture content is about 5 to 10% by weight though the likely limits in practice for white firelighters are expected to be 1 to 40%.

That preferred material was developed from a grade of coffee residues that have found application in the agriculture industry as a binder for animal feedstuffs. A typical specification of our preferred material is as follows: Bulk Density - approx. 30 Ibs per cubic foot True Density - approx. 1 Moisture Content - 5-10% Calorific Value (Dry) - 10,000 Btu/lb Fibre Content - 40% - Oil and Wax Content - 23-25%(Palmitic34%, Lineolic37%, Oleic 14%, Stearic 10%, Arachidic 4%) lodine Value - 86 Sponification Number - 190 Peroxide Value - 11-17 Such a material of 10% dust content has been successfully incorporated into white firelighters using ureaformaldehyde resin in a proportion of 8% by weight, and would be suitable up to 10%, perhaps 20% at 6.0% dust content for the extender.

We have previously mentioned vegetable fat content of the coffee residues and enhanced burning effectiveness for typical vegetable fat contents of up to around 25%. In fact, we find that firelighters hereof will tolerate inclusion of significant quantities of cheap not readily combustible, even incombustible, diluent materials, for example talc at 10% even up to 20% for at least low dust contents.

1. A combustible extender material for use in firelighter compositions comprising dried waste residues of ground coffee beans.

2. A material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dried waste residues have a moisture content of up to 40% by weight.

3. Afirelightercomposition comprising a combustible extender material of vegetable organic material having a moisture content of up to 40% by weight.

4. A composition as claimed in claim 3, wherein said material is dried waste ground coffee residues.

5. 'A material or composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dried waste residues have a moisture content of up to 10% by weight.

6. A material or composition as claimed in claim 5, wherein the dried waste residues have a moisture

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Combustible compositions The invention relates to combustible compositions, particularly to firelighters. So-called "white" firelighters have a high kerosine content and thus have become more expensive to manufacture with recent increases in the price of oil. As a consequence, there has been much investigation of the possibilities of adding cheaper solid combustible material, effectively as an extender. It appears, however, see Patent Specification No. 1,544,635, that separation problems have been experienced in adding such solids to the normal emulsion of cold-curing aqueous resin (ureaformaldehyde) and liquid hydrocarbon (kerosine). That is mentioned in relation to "non-carbonaceous" fuels including comminuted or granulated wood and peat, and criteria are laid down that no more than 5% of such materials shall pass a sieve of 0.44 mm nominal aperture size. We shall, herein, refer to such materials as will pass such a sieve as "dust". What we have now established is that such strict size criteria do not apply to certain organic matter, such as the non-water-soluble residues of vegetable material, specifically the waste residues from ground coffee beans which is readily available from manufacturers of so-called "instant" coffee. That material, as waste, comprises a very wet sludge which we have found it possible to dry out and convert into particulate material of which substantially more than five percent, generally 10% or more, can be dust, i.e. fine enough to pass a sieve of 0.44 mm aperture size, without any deleterious effects on incorporation into our white firelighters in quantities of up to 10% by weight, where the particulate material has at least 10% dust content. This came to us rather as a surprise considering the apparently comprehensive investigations of the above mentioned patent specification. In our investigations, we noted the inevitable increase of proportionate oil/wax content for waterinsoluble organic residues, compared, that is, to the organic material before removal of water-solubles, and that such could be as high as 25% for coffee residues. So long as such oils/waxes are at least partially compatible with white firelighter emulsions, we are now led to postulate herein that waterinsoluble combustible residues of at least vegetable organic material including vegetable fat typically at about 25% content by weight are particularly advantageous as extenders for fi relighter compositions. Amongst those advantages are, of course, the above-mentioned tolerance of dust contents above 5%, and also their economy in being available as waste products, as well as most advantageous increased burning effectiveness as fire lighters. We prefer two use a free-flowing particulate material that is semi-pelletised with a dust content of about 10% and whilst we have not fully investigated maximum dust content of coffee bean residues as an extender for white firelighters we are satisifed that up to 20%, if not 30%, can be tolerated without giving rise to significant difficulties. It will be appreciated that combustible particulate extender material made by drying instant coffee residues will inevitably have some residual moisture content. For our preferred material, that moisture content is about 5 to 10% by weight though the likely limits in practice for white firelighters are expected to be 1 to 40%. That preferred material was developed from a grade of coffee residues that have found application in the agriculture industry as a binder for animal feedstuffs. A typical specification of our preferred material is as follows: Bulk Density - approx. 30 Ibs per cubic foot True Density - approx. 1 Moisture Content - 5-10% Calorific Value (Dry) - 10,000 Btu/lb Fibre Content - 40% - Oil and Wax Content - 23-25%(Palmitic34%, Lineolic37%, Oleic 14%, Stearic 10%, Arachidic 4%) lodine Value - 86 Sponification Number - 190 Peroxide Value - 11-17 Such a material of 10% dust content has been successfully incorporated into white firelighters using ureaformaldehyde resin in a proportion of 8% by weight, and would be suitable up to 10%, perhaps 20% at 6.0% dust content for the extender. We have previously mentioned vegetable fat content of the coffee residues and enhanced burning effectiveness for typical vegetable fat contents of up to around 25%. In fact, we find that firelighters hereof will tolerate inclusion of significant quantities of cheap not readily combustible, even incombustible, diluent materials, for example talc at 10% even up to 20% for at least low dust contents. CLAIMS

6. A material or composition as claimed in claim 5, wherein the dried waste residues have a moisture content from about 5 to 10% by weight

7. A material or composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dried waste esidues are particulate.

8. A material or composition as claimed in claim 7, wherein substantially more than 5% by weight of the particulate dried waste residues is dust.

9. A material or composition as claimed in claim 8, wherein the particulate dried waste residues are semi-pelletised and have a dust content of at least 10'.' bv weight.

10. A material or composition as claimed in claim 9, wherein the dust content is up to 20% by weight.

11. A material or composition as claimed in claim a, wherein the dust content is up to 30% by weight.

12. A material or composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extender has a vegetable fat content up to 25% by weight.

13. A composition as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 12, comprising a diluent material up to 20% by weight.

14. A composition as claimed in claim 13, wherein the diluent material is talc.

15. A composition as claimed in claim 14, wherein the talc is 10% by weight.

16. A material substantially as herein described.

17. Acomposition substantially as herein described.