Pelletized products and related systems, devices, and methods

Abstract

Disclosed herein are pelletized products, as well as related systems, devices, and methods. The manufacturing system may include a heat treatment assembly with a furnace configured to treat an input material at a treatment temperature of at least 1,000°F for a treatment period of one day or less to produce a workpiece, and a pelletizing assembly configured to pelletize at least a portion of the workpiece and one or more additives to produce pellets. In some embodiments, the individual pellets include two or more of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, biochar, charcoal fines, biochar fines, or a carbon-containing material, and at least one of a binder or cross-linking agent. The manufacturing method may include receiving an input material, treating the input material at a treatment temperature of at least 1,400°F in a furnace for a treatment period to produce a workpiece, and pelletizing at least a portion of the workpiece with the one or more additives to produce pellets.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 384,024, filed November 16, 2022, and entitled "PELLETIZED PRODUCTS AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 511,148, filed November 16, 2023, entitled "PRODUCTS COMPRISING CHAR AND CARBON, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS," U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 501,795, filed November 3, 2023, entitled "COAL BLENDS, FOUNDRY COKE PRODUCTS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS," and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 052,760, filed November 4, 2022, entitled "FOUNDRY COKE PRODUCTS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS," the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD The present technology is generally directed to manufacturing methods and systems for producing products that include pellet aggregates. [Background technology]

[0003] The production of industrial products such as coke and biomass can often result in products that are too small to be used in their intended or other applications. As a result, most of these undersized products are disposed of in landfills and become waste. One solution is to pelletize the undersized products to form larger-sized pellets, but certain characteristics of the input material can make pelletization difficult. For example, the relatively high and variable moisture content of the input material can make production difficult and reduce pellet quality. As another example, the varying particle size and composition of the input material can make it difficult to achieve consistent pellet properties. The presence of impurities such as ash or contaminants can also affect the mechanical strength and combustion characteristics of the pellets.

[0004] Related to the pelletization process is torrefaction, which involves heat treating carbonaceous material under controlled conditions (e.g., at temperatures between 400°F and 600°F and in an oxygen-limited or low-oxygen environment). Another method is the "Thompson coking process," which processes coal to a devolatilized state to produce a molten mass of coke with a predetermined porosity and strength. While such methods can remove or reduce volatile matter (VM) and produce products with increased elemental carbon content, they often require long runs and may result in pellets that do not meet certain quality standards for the desired application.

[0005] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention, including preferred embodiments, are described with reference to the following figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1A] 1 shows an isometric partial cutaway view of a portion of a horizontal heat recovery plant configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technique; [Figure 1B] 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a horizontal heat recovery furnace constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present technique; [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a schematic manufacturing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology; [Figure 3] 1 shows a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process for producing pellet aggregates in accordance with an embodiment of the present technique. [Figure 4] 10 shows a flowchart illustrating another manufacturing process for producing pellet aggregates in accordance with an embodiment of the present technique. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features shown in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and that variations are possible, including different or additional features and arrangements thereof.

[0008] I. Overview The present technology is generally directed to manufacturing systems and methods for producing pellets or pellet products. Within coke facilities, coal is processed to produce coke products of various sizes, including 4+" foundry coke, approximately 2x4" oval coke, 1x2" stove coke, and less than 1" or 3 / 4" coke breeze. While the foundry and oval coke can be sold as products, the coke breeze is generally too fine to be sold as a product. The industry has not been successful in finding ways to consume or dispose of this material. Therefore, the majority of the coke breeze generated in the United States is landfilled.

[0009] Embodiments of the present technology seek to alleviate this problem associated with the waste of coke breeze and other traditional waste products by pelletizing these particulates to produce pellet products of potential value to multiple industries. As described herein, some embodiments of the present technology can include a furnace (e.g., coke oven, devolatilizer, pyrolysis furnace, blast furnace) configured to receive an input material (e.g., coal) and heat it at a processing temperature of at least 1,000°F to produce a workpiece that can include coke products (e.g., castings) and particulates (e.g., coke breeze). In some embodiments, the workpiece includes pyrolysis products. The particulates can be pelletized to produce pellet aggregates containing the desired components. In some embodiments, the fine particles may be mixed with other particulate material(s) from a different source (e.g., iron fines, anthracite fines, coal fines, metal fines, blast furnace dust, baghouse fines, waste, petroleum coke breeze, anthracite fines, and / or calcined anthracite fines), and the mixed particulate material may be pelletized into products having sizes of at least 1 / 25", 1 / 23", 1 / 20", 1 / 16", 1 / 10", 1 / 8", 1 / 5", 1 / 4", 1 / 3", 1 / 2", 3 / 4", 1", etc. In some embodiments, prior to pelletizing, the particulate material may be conditioned so that the produced pellets have desired properties (e.g., density, chemical composition, size, strength, decomposition profile, moisture content, etc.) specified by a downstream user or determined according to the intended use of the produced pellets.

[0010] Specific details of several embodiments of the present technology are described below with reference to FIGS. 1A-3. Other details describing well-known structures and systems often associated with combustion facilities, pelletizing facilities, and automatic control systems are not shown in the following disclosure to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of various embodiments of the present technology. Many of the details, dimensions, angles, and other features shown in the figures are merely illustrative of particular embodiments of the present technology. Thus, other embodiments can have other details, dimensions, angles, and features without departing from the spirit or scope of the present technology. Thus, one skilled in the art will understand that there can be other embodiments of the present technology with additional elements or that there can be other embodiments of the present technology that lack some of the features shown and described below with reference to FIGS. 1A-3.

[0011] II. Manufacturing Systems FIG. 1A illustrates a partial cutaway view of a portion of an HHR plant 10 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view of an HHR furnace (or furnace for brevity) 100 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. It is understood that the HHR furnace is provided here for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the furnace 100 may be a non-heat recovery furnace (e.g., a by-product furnace). In some embodiments, the furnace 100 may be a combustion furnace of a different type than the HHR furnace. In some embodiments, the furnace 100 may be a heat treatment furnace, including, for example, a devolatilization furnace, a pyrolysis furnace, or a blast furnace.

[0012] The furnace 100 includes an open cavity defined by a hearth 102, a pusher-side furnace door 104, a discharge-side furnace door 106 opposite the pusher-side furnace door 104, opposing sidewalls 108 extending upwardly from the floor 102 and between the pusher-side furnace door 104 and the discharge-side furnace door 106, and a crown 110. The crown 110 forms the upper surface of the open cavity of a furnace chamber 112. Controlling the air flow and pressure within the furnace chamber 112 plays an important role in the efficient operation of the heat treatment cycle. Embodiments of the present technology include one or more crown inlets 114 that admit primary combustion air into the furnace chamber 112. In some embodiments, multiple crown inlets 114 extend through the crown 110 to selectively position the furnace chamber 112 in open fluid communication with the ambient environment outside the furnace 100. The furnace 100 may include an uptake elbow inlet (not shown in FIGS. 1A or 1B ) with an air damper 116 that can be positioned in any of several positions between a fully open and a fully closed position to vary the air flow rate through the inlet. Other furnace inlets, including the door inlet and crown inlet 114, include air dampers 116 that operate in a similar manner. The uptake elbow inlet may be positioned to allow air to enter the common tunnel 128, while the door inlet and crown inlet 114 vary the amount of air flow into the furnace chamber 112. While embodiments of the present technology may use only the crown inlet 114 to provide primary combustion air within the furnace chamber 112, certain embodiments may use other types of inlets, such as door inlets, without departing from aspects of the present technology.

[0013] Various air inlets, with or without one or more air distributors, can be used to induce, circulate, and / or distribute air within the furnace chamber. As used herein, the term "air" can include ambient air, oxygen, oxidizer, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, diluent, combustion gas, air mixture, oxidizer mixture, flue gas, recirculated vent gas, steam, gas with additives, inert material, heat absorber, liquid-phase material such as water droplets, multi-phase material such as atomized droplets via a gas carrier, aspirated liquid fuel, atomized liquid heptane in a gas carrier stream, fuel such as natural gas or hydrogen, cooling gas, other gas, liquid, or solid, or combinations of these materials. In various embodiments, the air inlets and / or air distributors can function (i.e., open, close, change air distribution patterns, etc.) in response to manual control or an automated advanced control system. The air inlets and / or air distributors may operate with dedicated advanced control systems or may be controlled by a more extensive draft control system that regulates the air inlets and / or air distributors as well as the uptake dampers, single flue dampers, and / or other air distribution paths within the coke oven system.

[0014] During operation, volatile gases released from the charge material disposed within the furnace chamber 112 may collect at the crown and be drawn downstream into downcomer channels 118 formed in one or both sidewalls 108. The downcomer channels 118 may fluidly connect the furnace chamber 112 to a separate flue 120 disposed below the hearth 102. The separate flue 120 may form a bypass path below the hearth 102. The volatile gases released from the charge material may be combusted within the separate flue 120, thereby generating heat that assists in processing the charge material to produce a workpiece (e.g., reducing coal to coke). The downcomer channels 118 are fluidly connected to uptake channels 122 formed in one or both sidewalls 108. A secondary air intake 124 may be provided between the individual flue 120 and the atmosphere and may include a secondary air damper 126 that can be positioned in any of several positions between a fully open position and a fully closed position to vary the amount of secondary air entering the individual flue 120. The uptake channel 122 is fluidly connected to a common tunnel 128 by one or more uptake ducts 130. A tertiary air intake 132 may be provided between the uptake ducts 130 and the atmosphere. The tertiary air intake 132 may include a tertiary air damper 134 that can be positioned in any of several positions between a fully open position and a fully closed position to vary the amount of tertiary air flowing into the uptake ducts 130.

[0015] Each uptake duct 130 includes an uptake damper 136 that can be used to control the flow of gas through the uptake duct 130 and into the furnace 100. The uptake damper 136 can be positioned in any number of positions between a fully open and a fully closed position to vary the amount of furnace draft within the furnace 100. The uptake damper 136 can include any automatic or manually controlled flow control or orifice blocking device (e.g., any plate, seal, block, etc.). For example, the uptake damper 136 can be set to a flow position between 0 and 2, representing "closed," and a flow position of 14, representing "fully open." It is contemplated that the uptake damper 136 can still allow a small amount of air to pass through the uptake duct 130 even in the "closed" position. Similarly, it is contemplated that when the uptake damper 136 is in the "fully open" position, a small portion of the uptake damper 136 may be at least partially disposed within the airflow through the uptake duct 130. It will be understood that the uptake damper has a nearly infinite number of positions between 0 and 14. Some exemplary settings for the uptake damper 136 include 12, 10, 8, and 6, which provide increasing amounts of flow restriction. In some embodiments, the flow position numbers simply reflect the use of a 14-inch uptake duct, with each number representing the amount of open uptake duct 130 in inches. It will be understood that otherwise, the 0-14 flow position number scale can simply be understood as gradually increasing settings between open and closed.

[0016] As used herein, "draft" refers to a negative pressure relative to the atmosphere. For example, a 0.1 inch water column draft indicates a pressure 0.1 inch water column below atmospheric pressure. The inch water column is a non-SI unit of pressure conventionally used to describe draft at various locations within a coke plant. In some embodiments, the draft ranges from about 0.12 to about 0.16 inches water column. As the draft increases or otherwise increases, the pressure moves further below atmospheric pressure. As the draft decreases, drops, or otherwise decreases or decreases, the pressure moves toward atmospheric pressure. Controlling the furnace draft with the uptake damper 136 can control not only the airflow from the crown inlet 114 into the furnace 100, but also air leakage into the furnace 100. Typically, as shown in FIG. 1B, each furnace 100 includes two uptake ducts 130 and two uptake dampers 136, although the use of two uptake ducts and two uptake dampers is not required. The system can be designed to use one uptake duct or more than two uptake ducts and two uptake dampers.

[0017] During operation, a workpiece (e.g., coke, charcoal, biochar) is produced in the furnace 100 by first loading an input material (e.g., coal, wood, biomass) into the furnace chamber 112, heating the input material in an oxygen-limited (e.g., oxygen-deficient) environment to expel the volatile fraction of the input material, and then oxidizing the VM in the furnace 100, capturing and using the released heat.

[0018] In some embodiments, the input material, or material referred to as feedstock, may include at least one of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, alkali metals, aluminum, iron, transition metals, etc., or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the input material may include at least one of a carbonaceous feedstock, a non-metallic feedstock, or a metal-containing feedstock. In some embodiments, the carbonaceous feedstock may include at least one of coal, wood, petroleum residue, biomass feedstock, or waste feedstock. In some embodiments, the non-metallic feedstock may include an N-containing feedstock, limestone (CaCO), or quartz (SiO). In some embodiments, the metal-containing feedstock may include raw mineral materials or recycled metal-containing materials. In some embodiments, the transition metal may include at least one of copper, iron, cobalt, vanadium, zinc, nickel, chromium, manganese, scandium, titanium, gold, hafnium, molybdenum, tungsten, silver, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, niobium, zirconium, technetium, iridium, osmium, palladium, tantalum, yttrium, rutherfordium, cadmium, rhenium, lengenium, seaborgium, dubnium, hassium, meitnerium, bohrium, darmstadtium, or copernicium.

[0019] For example, the input material may include a carbon-containing feedstock, such as coal. The volatile content of the coal is oxidized in the furnace 100 over an extended coking cycle, releasing heat and regeneratively promoting the carbonization of the coal into coke. The coking cycle begins when the pusher-side furnace door 104 is opened and coal is loaded onto the hearth 102 in a manner that defines the coal bed. Heat from the furnace (from the previous coking cycle) initiates the carbonization cycle. In many embodiments, no additional fuel is used beyond that generated by the coking process. Approximately half of the total heat transfer to the coal bed is radiated from the luminous flame of the coal bed and the radiant furnace crown 110 to the top surface of the coal bed. The other half of the heat is transferred to the coal bed by conduction from the hearth 102, which is convectively heated from the volatilization of gases in the single flue 120. In this way, "waves" of the carbonization process—plastic flow of coal particles and the formation of high-strength, cohesive coke—progress from both the upper and lower boundaries of the coal bed.

[0020] In some embodiments, each furnace 100 operates at a negative pressure, so that during the reduction process, the pressure difference between the furnace 100 and the atmosphere draws air into the furnace. Primary combustion air is added to the furnace chamber 112 to at least partially oxidize volatiles from the input material. In some embodiments, the amount of this primary air is controlled so that only a portion of the volatiles released from the coal are combusted within the furnace chamber 112, thereby releasing only a portion of its combustion enthalpy within the furnace chamber 112. In various embodiments, the primary air is introduced into the furnace chamber 112 above the coal bed through a crown inlet 114, and the amount of primary air is controlled by a crown air damper 116. In other embodiments, different types of inlets can be used without departing from aspects of the present technology. For example, primary air can be introduced into the furnace through an inlet, a damper port, and / or an opening in the furnace sidewall or door. Regardless of the type of inlet used, the inlet can be used to maintain a desired operating temperature within the furnace chamber 112. Increasing or decreasing the primary air flow into the furnace chamber 112 using an inlet damper can increase or decrease the VM combustion, and therefore the temperature, within the furnace chamber 112 .

[0021] The furnace 100 may be provided with crown inlets 114 configured to introduce combustion air from the crown 110 into the furnace chamber 112 in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. In one embodiment, three crown inlets 114 are positioned along the length of the furnace between the pusher-side furnace door 104 and the midpoint of the furnace 100. Similarly, three crown inlets 114 are positioned between the coke-side furnace door 106 and the midpoint of the furnace 100. However, it is contemplated that one or more crown inlets 114 may be positioned through the furnace crown 110 at various locations along the length of the furnace. The selected number and placement of the crown inlets will depend, at least in part, on the configuration and application of the furnace 100. Each crown inlet 114 may include an air damper 116 that can be positioned in any of several positions between a fully open position and a fully closed position to vary the amount of air flow into the furnace chamber 112. In some embodiments, the air damper 116 may allow a small amount of ambient air to pass through the crown inlet 114 into the furnace chamber, even in the “fully closed” position. Accordingly, various embodiments of the crown inlet 114, uptake elbow inlet, or door inlet may include a cap that may be removably secured to the open top end of the particular inlet. The cap may substantially prevent weather (such as precipitation and snow), additional ambient air, and other foreign objects from passing through the inlet. It is contemplated that the furnace 100 may further include one or more distributors configured to direct / distribute the air flow into the furnace chamber 112.

[0022] In various embodiments, the crown inlet 114 operates to introduce ambient air into the furnace chamber 112 throughout the heat treatment cycle, similar to how other inlets, such as those typically located in the furnace door, operate. However, the use of the crown inlet 114 has been shown to more evenly distribute air throughout the furnace crown, thereby improving combustion, increasing temperatures in the single flue 120, and slowing the crossover time during which the reaction in the furnace 100 changes from an exothermic to an endothermic process. The uniform distribution of air within the crown 110 of the furnace 110 reduces the likelihood of air contacting the surface of the feedstock bed and causing hot spots on the feedstock surface that could cause burnout. Instead, the crown inlet 114 significantly reduces the occurrence of such hot spots and creates a uniform feedstock bed surface as the heat treatment progresses. In certain embodiments of use, the air dampers 116 of each crown inlet 114 are set to similar positions. Thus, if one air damper 116 is fully open, all of the air dampers 116 may be positioned fully open. If one air damper 116 is set to the half-open position, all air dampers 116 may be set to the half-open position. However, in certain embodiments, the air dampers 116 may be altered independently of one another. In various embodiments, the air damper 116 at the crown inlet 114 may be opened immediately after the furnace 100 is loaded or immediately before the furnace 100 is loaded. A first adjustment of the air damper 116 to the ¾-open position typically occurs when a first door hole burnout is expected to occur. A second adjustment of the air damper 116 to the ½-open position typically occurs when a second door hole burnout is expected to occur. Additional adjustments are made based on operating conditions detected throughout the coke oven 100.

[0023] Partially combusted gases flow from the furnace chamber 112 through the downcomer channel 118 into the separate flue 120, where secondary air is added to the partially combusted gases. The secondary air is introduced through the secondary air inlet 124. The amount of secondary air introduced is controlled by the secondary air damper 126. The introduction of secondary air allows the partially combusted gases to be more completely combusted within the separate flue 120, thereby extracting the remaining combustion enthalpy, which is transferred through the hearth 102 to add heat to the furnace chamber 112. Completely or nearly completely combusted exhaust gases exit the separate flue 120 through the uptake channel 122 and then flow into the uptake duct 130. Tertiary air is added to the exhaust gases through the tertiary air inlet 132. The amount of tertiary air introduced is controlled by the tertiary air damper 134, and any remaining unburned gases in the exhaust gases are oxidized downstream of the tertiary air inlet 132. At the end of the heat treatment cycle, the input material is processed to produce a workpiece. The workpiece may be removed from the furnace 100 through the output furnace door 106 using a mechanical extraction system, such as a pusher ram. Finally, the workpiece may be quenched (e.g., wet or dry quenched). In some embodiments, the furnace 100 may be configured to cool the workpiece before it is removed from the furnace 100. At least a portion of the heat generated by cooling the processed material inside or outside the furnace 100 may be recycled and utilized. For example, the heat from cooling the workpiece in the furnace 100 may be used to maintain the temperature within the furnace 100 or to dry fresh input material. As another example, the heat from cooling the workpiece in the furnace 100 may be used to preheat fresh input material before it is fed into the furnace 100, or to heat water to generate steam suitable for use in the plant 10 or elsewhere.

[0024] In some embodiments, the workpiece may include fine particles and materials of larger size than the fine particles. By way of example only, in the context of coal-containing input materials, the workpiece may include coke and coke breeze. In some embodiments, the workpiece may include coke, charcoal, biochar, coke breeze, charcoal fines, etc., or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the workpiece may be processed (e.g., sized) to separate the fine particles from the larger size material. In some embodiments, the fine particles may be further processed, for example, by pelletizing, as described elsewhere in this disclosure.

[0025] In some embodiments, the heat treatment within furnace 100 may proceed and be controlled by a control system. Input materials may be processed within furnace 100 for a processing period. During at least a portion of the processing period, the heat treatment may proceed at a processing temperature of at least 1,000°F. In some embodiments, during at least a portion of the processing period, the processing temperature may be at least 1,100°F, 1,200°F, 1,300°F, 1,400°F, 1,500°F, 1,600°F, 1,800°F, 2,000°F, 2,500°F, or higher. In some embodiments, during at least a portion of the processing period, the processing temperature may reach up to 2800°F. In some embodiments, the processing period may be 5 days, 3 days, 2 days, 1 day, 18 hours, 12 hours, 8 hours, 6 hours, or 4 hours or less.

[0026] In some embodiments, the treatment duration may be set before the heat treatment begins. In some embodiments, the treatment duration may be adjusted substantially in real time as the heat treatment progresses. In some embodiments, the treatment duration may be determined or controlled based on operating parameters associated with the heat treatment in the furnace 100. Exemplary operating parameters include at least one of the temperature at an opening of the furnace 100 or a location within the furnace 100, the composition of the exhaust gas (also called flue gas) of the furnace 100, the gas flow rate of the exhaust gas, or the temperature of the exterior surface of the furnace 100.

[0027] In some embodiments, the production rate of the furnace 100 may range from 0.1 to 1 ton per hour. In some embodiments, the manufacturing system 200 may include multiple furnaces 100. The production rate of a manufacturing system 200 including multiple furnaces 100 may be multiple times the production rate of a single furnace 100. In some embodiments, at least two of the multiple furnaces 100 are thermally coupled such that one constitutes a heat source for the other. For example, a second furnace 100 is configured to heat material undergoing an exothermic process, and at least a portion of the heat generated in the exothermic process in the second furnace 100 is transferred to a first furnace 100 thermally coupled to the second furnace 100. The duration of the exothermic process in the second furnace may at least partially overlap with the heat treatment of the input material in the first furnace 100. In some embodiments, only a portion of the process in the second furnace may be exothermic, and the exothermic portion of the process in the second furnace may at least partially overlap with the heat treatment of the input material in the first furnace 100. As another example, a manufacturing system may include three furnaces 100 arranged side by side, with two side furnaces 100 located across from a central furnace 100. At least one of the two side furnaces 100 may be thermally coupled to the central furnace 100, such that at least one side furnace 100 constitutes a heat source to the central furnace 100.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a manufacturing system 200 according to embodiments of the present technology. In some embodiments, the manufacturing system 200 may include a furnace 220 and a pelletizing assembly 240. The furnace 220 may be identical to the furnace(s) 100 described above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B or may have one or more of any of the features described therein. In some embodiments, the furnace 220 may include a coke oven, a devolatilizer, a pyrolysis furnace, a blast furnace, or the like, or a combination thereof. An input material (also referred to as a feedstock) 210 may be provided to the furnace 220 and processed at a processing temperature of at least 1,000°F for a processing period to produce a workpiece. In some embodiments, processing of the input material 210 in the furnace 220 may include a pyrolysis process. In some embodiments, the workpiece includes pyrolysis products. The workpiece may include particulates 230, which may be pelletized in the pelletizing assembly 240 to produce pellet aggregates 250.

[0029] 1A and 1B, the manufacturing system 200 may include a plant including one or more furnaces 220. Accordingly, the furnaces 220 may be heat recovery furnaces or non-heat recovery furnaces (e.g., by-product furnaces).

[0030] In some embodiments, the input material, or material referred to as feedstock, may include at least one of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, alkali metals, aluminum, iron, transition metals, etc., or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the input material may include at least one of a carbonaceous feedstock, a non-metal feedstock, or a metal-containing feedstock. In some embodiments, the carbonaceous feedstock may include at least one of coal, wood, petroleum residue, biomass feedstock, or waste feedstock. In some embodiments, the non-metal feedstock may include a nitrogen-rich feedstock, limestone (CaCO), or quartz (SiO). In some embodiments, the metal-containing feedstock may include raw mineral material or recycled metal-containing material. In some embodiments, the transition metal may include at least one of copper, iron, cobalt, vanadium, zinc, nickel, chromium, manganese, scandium, titanium, gold, hafnium, molybdenum, tungsten, silver, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, niobium, zirconium, technetium, iridium, osmium, palladium, tantalum, yttrium, rutherfordium, cadmium, rhenium, lengenium, seaborgium, dubnium, hassium, meitnerium, bohrium, darmstadtium, or copernicium. The input material may include at least one component of interest, which may also be included in the particulates and / or production pellets.

[0031] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the input materials have a minimum cross-sectional dimension of at least 2 inches, 3 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches, or 6 inches. In some embodiments, manufacturing system 200 may include a device, such as a grinder or mill, configured to reduce the size of the input materials before they are combusted in furnace 220.

[0032] During at least a portion of the treatment period, the heat treatment can proceed at a treatment temperature of at least 1,000° F. In some embodiments, during at least a portion of the treatment period of the heat treatment, the treatment temperature can be at least 1,100° F., 1,200° F., 1,300° F., 1,400° F., 1,500° F., 1,600° F., 1,800° F., 2,000° F., 2,500° F., or higher. In some embodiments, during at least a portion of the treatment period of the heat treatment, the treatment temperature can be increased up to 2800° F.

[0033] In some embodiments, the treatment period may be 5 days, 3 days, 2 days, 1 day, 18 hours, 12 hours, 8 hours, 6 hours, or 4 hours or less. In some embodiments, the treatment period may be set before the heat treatment begins. In some embodiments, the treatment period may be adjusted substantially in real time as the heat treatment progresses. In some embodiments, the treatment period may be determined or controlled based on operating parameters associated with the heat treatment in the furnace 100. Exemplary operating parameters include at least one of the temperature at the opening of the furnace 100 or at a location within the furnace 100, the composition of the exhaust gas (also referred to as flue gas) of the furnace 100, the gas flow rate of the exhaust gas, or the temperature of the exterior surface of the furnace 100.

[0034] In some embodiments, the combustion temperature and / or duration of the combustion period can be coordinated or adjusted based on one or more considerations, such as, for example, the input material (e.g., composition, size, etc., or a combination thereof), the operating parameters for the heat treatment described above, the desired properties of the workpiece, particulates, and / or produced pellets, etc.

[0035] In some embodiments, the workpiece may be cooled within the furnace 220, and the heat recovered from the cooling may be reused. See the relevant discussion of Figures 1A and 1B, which will not be repeated here.

[0036] In some embodiments, the workpiece may include fine particles 230 and materials of a size larger than the fine particles. In some embodiments, the workpiece may include at least one, two, or more of coke, charcoal, biochar, coke breeze, petroleum coke breeze, calcined anthracite fines, charcoal fines, and the like, or combinations thereof. By way of example only, in connection with input materials including coal, the workpiece may include coke and coke breeze. As another example, in connection with input materials including wood, the workpiece may include charcoal and charcoal fines. In some embodiments, the workpiece may include at least one or two of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, or biochar. As a further example, in connection with input materials including biomass, the workpiece may include biochar and biochar fines. In some embodiments, the workpiece may be processed to separate the fine particles 230 from larger sized materials. For example, separation may be performed manually or automatically, for example, using a sieve.

[0037] In some embodiments, the workpiece may include coke and / or coke products having a relatively low reacted coke strength (CSR) and a relatively high coke reactivity index (CRI). For example, the coke and / or coke products may have (i) a CSR of 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1% or less, or in the range of 0.1-2%, and / or (ii) a CRI of at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or in the range of 30-60%.

[0038] In some embodiments, the particulates 230 may include at least one of charcoal fines, coal fines, petroleum coke breeze, or coke breeze. In some embodiments, the particulates 230 from the heat treatment may be mixed with additional particulate material from a source other than the heat treatment of the input material. Such additional particulate material may include, for example, raw particulate material (e.g., iron fines, other metal fines), particulate material from another process (e.g., blast furnace dust, baghouse fines, waste, petroleum coke breeze, anthracite fines, calcined anthracite fines), or the like, or combinations thereof. Additional examples of such particulate material include iron ore pellet fines, direct reduced iron (DRI) pellet fines, DRI / hot-formed reduced iron (HBI) pellet fines, quench pond dip (QPD), effluent coal and coke recovery material, coal washing plant waste, or the like, or combinations thereof. Such particulate material may not be directly suitable for use. For example, unlike coke, coke breeze is not suitable for use in blast furnaces for steelmaking. In some cases, such particulate materials may contain useful compositions, but are disposed of due to the difficulties associated with using them directly, which often entails costs. Pellets containing and / or made from such particulate materials can be used in a variety of applications. The mixed particulate materials may be pelletized alone or may be mixed with particulates produced in the thermal treatment of input materials as described elsewhere in this disclosure.

[0039] In some embodiments, the feedstock to furnace 220, the particulates produced by thermally treating the feedstock in furnace 220, and / or additional particulate materials mixed with the particulates produced by thermally treating the feedstock in furnace 220 may include minerals, metal oxides, metal halides, metal sulfates, aluminum and silicon minerals, industrial waste, recycle streams, or unwashed coal. Examples of minerals include limestone, quicklime, dolomite, trona, calcium-containing materials, iron-containing materials (e.g., hematite, magnetite), magnesium-containing materials, and the like, or combinations thereof. Examples of metal oxides include Al2O3, SiO2, CaO, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, TiO, transition metal oxides, calcined minerals, and the like, or combinations thereof. Examples of metal halides include CaCl2, MgCl2, NaCl, and the like, or combinations thereof. Examples of metal sulfates include CaSO4, and the like, or combinations thereof. Examples of aluminum and silicon minerals include quartz, muscovite, feldspar, etc., or combinations thereof. Examples of industrial waste and recycle streams include blast furnace slag (also called blast furnace dust), foundry cupola slag, metal fines, wallboard waste, FGD waste (fly ash), coal-fired plant fly ash, or heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) wash mud, etc., or combinations thereof.

[0040] In some embodiments, prior to pelletizing, the particulates 230 may be conditioned so that the resulting pellets have desired properties, such as properties specified by a downstream user or determined according to the intended use of the resulting pellets. For example, additives may be added to the particulates. By way of example only, at least one of limestone, quicklime, or dolomite may be crushed in a grinder or mill and mixed with the particulates 230. As another example, prior to being pelletized, the particulates 230 may undergo one or more other pretreatments, including, for example, adjusting moisture content, milling, crushing, or the like, or a combination thereof.

[0041] For example, particulates may be crushed or milled before being pelletized. As another example, a mixture of particulates 230 and a second particulate material from a different source other than the heat treatment of input material 210 in furnace 220 may be crushed or milled before being pelletized. As a further example, the second particulate material may be crushed before being mixed with particulates 230 and pelletized. In some embodiments, particulate materials from the same or different sources may have different dimensions. By crushing and / or milling, the particulate material may have a size suitable for a subsequent pelletizing operation. For example, particulate materials may include waste material, some of whose dimensions are too large to be pelletized alone or with another particulate material (e.g., particulates 230), and the waste material may be crushed or milled to reduce its size so that it is suitable for pelletizing. As another example, pellet products of manufacturing system 200 may have different dimensions. The pellet product may be subjected to size selection to separate pellets of different sizes, and pellets whose dimensions do not meet the dimensional specifications (pellets outside the desired size range) may be crushed or milled and re-pelletized, either alone or in combination with another particulate material (e.g., particulate 230, particulate material from a different source than particulate 230).

[0042] For simplicity, the following description is provided with reference to particulate 230, regardless of whether particulate 230 is a mixture of particulate materials from different sources or whether particulate 230 has been pre-processed and / or conditioned. That is, particulate 230 may comprise particulates obtained from thermal processing of input materials as described elsewhere in this disclosure, alone or in combination with other particulate materials from different sources as described herein.

[0043] In some embodiments, the pelletizing assembly 240 can be configured to mix the particulates 230 with one or more additives, such as at least one of a binder or a cross-linking agent. For example, the pelletizing assembly 240 can include a mixer. In some embodiments, mixing the particulates 230 with at least one of a binder or a cross-linking agent is performed manually. The particulates 230 (or other particulate material to be pelletized) can have properties suitable for enabling or facilitating the pelletization process. Examples of such properties include the surface chemistry, surface morphology, pi-stacking site, etc. of the particulates 230 (or other particulate material to be pelletized). By way of example only, such properties include the surface area, porosity, surface tension, surface charge, etc., or combinations thereof, of the particulates 230 (or other particulate material to be pelletized). In some embodiments, the mixer is configured to mix the particulates 230 with a second particulate material derived from a source other than the processing of the input material 210 in the furnace 220.

[0044] In some embodiments, the particulates 230 may be blended with and / or bound by one or more additives, such as binders. In some embodiments, the pelleting and binding may occur at room temperature or at other temperatures below 200°F, 150°F, or 100°F. In some embodiments, the binder is hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or amphiphilic. In some embodiments, the binder is hydrophilic. Examples of suitable binders include molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), and water-soluble synthetic polymers (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH, PVA, or PVAl)). By way of example only, the particulates 230 may have a relatively high moisture content, e.g., 30%, 40%, or 50%, and the binder may be or become hydrophobic such that the moisture content in the particulates 230 can be driven off by the binder. The process of reducing the moisture content (e.g., drying) of the particulates 230 can proceed without the additional provision of heat, such as at room temperature or other temperatures below 200°F, 150°F, or 100°F.

[0045] In some embodiments, the binder is in a first state before being blended with the particulate 230 and / or workpiece. The binder can be configured to switch from the first state to a second state upon blending with at least a portion of the particulate 230 and / or workpiece. The binder can be more hydrophilic in the first state than in the second state, allowing the binder to bond to the particulate 230, which may have a relatively high moisture content, as described above. Because the binder is more hydrophobic in the second state than in the first state, the binder can drive moisture out of the particulate 230 and / or workpiece (e.g., dry) without the use of potentially costly heat treatments.

[0046] The cross-linking agent may include compositions used to prepare the microparticles 230, as discussed elsewhere in this disclosure. Examples of suitable cross-linking agents may include water, limestone, calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, borax, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, potassium, or mixtures thereof. The cross-linking agent may be a homobifunctional or heterobifunctional cross-linking agent. The cross-linking agent may remain in the produced pellets 250.

[0047] In some embodiments, the production rate of pelletizing assembly 240 may be at least 1 ton per hour, 2 ton per hour, 3 ton per hour, 5 ton per hour, 6 ton per hour, 8 ton per hour, 10 ton per hour, 12 ton per hour, 15 ton per hour, 16 ton per hour, 18 ton per hour, or 20 ton per hour. In some embodiments, pelletizing assembly 240 may have a modular configuration that may use one or more pelletizing units.

[0048] In some embodiments, pelletizing assembly 240 may be installed near furnace 220. For example, pelletizing assembly 240 may be installed within plant 10, where furnace 100 and one or more other furnaces 100 are located. In some embodiments, pelletizing assembly 240 may be set up as a portable facility so that pelletizing assembly 240 can be transported to a location where particulate material, e.g., particulate 230, one or more other particulate materials are available for pelletizing. In some embodiments, pelletizing assembly 240 may have a modular configuration such that a specific number of pelletizing units can be assembled at a location. In some embodiments, the number of pelleting units in pelletizing assembly 240 can be adjusted over time depending on, or changes to, the processing needs at the location.

[0049] It is understood that the description of manufacturing system 200 is provided for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, manufacturing system 200 may omit furnace 220 and include pelletizing assembly 240. Pelletizing assembly 240 may pelletize particulate material from a single source or a mixture of particulate material from multiple sources. For example, pelletizing assembly 240 may pelletize one or more particulate materials including at least one of charcoal fines, coal fines, petroleum coke breeze, coke breeze, iron fines, other metal fines, blast furnace dust, baghouse fines, waste, petroleum coke breeze, anthracite fines, calcined anthracite fines, iron ore pellet fines, direct reduced iron (DRI) pellet fines, DRI / hot-formed reduced iron (HBI) pellet fines, or the like, quench pond dip (QPD), effluent coal and coke recovery material, coal washing plant waste, or a combination thereof. By way of example only, the pelletizing assembly 240 may pelletize blast furnace dust, including blast furnace iron fines. III. Pellets

[0050] In some embodiments, aggregate pellets 250 may be produced. In some embodiments, the individual pellets of the pellet aggregate 250 may include at least one of calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, potassium, or mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 may include an oxide. In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 may include at least one of iron-containing pellets, N-containing pellets, carbon-containing pellets, etc. Examples of carbon-containing pellets include coke pellets, charcoal pellets, biochar pellets, petroleum coke pellets, anthracite pellets, calcined anthracite pellets, etc. In some embodiments, the individual pellets of the pellet assembly 250 may include at least one of coke fines, coal fines, charcoal fines, biochar fines, blast furnace dust, baghouse fines, petroleum coke, anthracite, calcined anthracite, quench pond dip (QPD), effluent coal and coke recovery material, coal washing plant waste, or waste. In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 may include a component of interest including, for example, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, alkali metals, aluminum, iron, or transition metals. For example, the component of interest of an individual pellet may be at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% by weight of the individual pellet 250.

[0051] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 may have dimensions suitable for their intended use. In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 may have a diameter of at least 1 / 25", 1 / 23", 1 / 20", 1 / 16", 1 / 10", 1 / 8", 1 / 5", 1 / 4", 1 / 3", 1 / 2", 3 / 4", 1", or in the range of 1 / 25 inch to 1.5 inch, 1 / 5 inch to 1.5 inch, 1 / 4 inch to 1 inch, or 1 / 2 inch to 1 inch. For example, the iron-containing pellets may be further processed, for example, in an electric arc furnace, to produce steel. Such iron-containing pellets may have a diameter of 1 / 4 inch to 1 inch, or 1 / 2 inch to 1 inch. As another example, the pellets so produced may be used as fuel for certain types of burners, animal feed, fertilizer, cleaning agents configured to filter air or water, etc., and therefore have an appropriate property profile including, for example, size, density, surface area, porosity, and composition, or a combination thereof.

[0052] In some embodiments, individual pellets 250 include a mixture or combination of a carbonized product (e.g., charcoal, biochar) and one or more coal blends. In some embodiments, individual pellets 250 include a mixture or combination of a carbonized product and one or more coke products. In some embodiments, the carbonized product is in pulverized form (e.g., average size of about 2-4 mm or 10 mesh). In some embodiments, the mass ratio of the carbonized product in an individual pellet 250 is 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 30%, or within a range of 1-30%.

[0053] In some embodiments, individual pellets 250 contain 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, or in the range of 0.1-25% volatile content.

[0054] In some embodiments, the density of the individual pellets 250 may be different from the density of the particulates 230. For example, the density of the individual pellets 250 may be higher than the density of the particulates 230.

[0055] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 have a density of at least 1 g / cm 3 , or 1.2 g / cm 3 ~2.5g / cm 3 range, or 1.5 g / cm 3 ~1.8g / cm 3 Includes densities in the range of

[0056] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 comprise a strength of at least 10 pounds per square inch (psi), 20 psi, 30 psi, 40 psi, 50 psi, 60 psi, 70 psi, 80 psi, 90 psi, 100 psi, 120 psi, or in the range of 10 psi to 120 psi, 10 psi to 100 psi, 20 psi to 90 psi, or 40 psi to 80 psi.

[0057] In some embodiments, individual pellets 250 comprise carbon-containing pellets, each of which comprises a heat of combustion of at least 150 kJ / mol, 180 kJ / mol, 200 kJ / mol, 220 kJ / mol, 250 kJ / mol, or 260 kJ / mol, 280 kJ / mol, 300 kJ / mol, 320 kJ / mol, in the range of 150 kJ / mol to 350 kJ / mol, in the range of 180 kJ / mol to 350 kJ / mol, or in the range of 200 kJ / mol to 350 kJ / mol.

[0058] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 comprise a moisture content of less than 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12%, 15%, in the range of 2% to 12%, in the range of 4% to 10%, or in the range of 5% to 10%.

[0059] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 contain 0.1-9%, 3-8%, 4-6%, 5-6%, or 8%, 7%, 6%, 5% or less ash.

[0060] In some embodiments, individual pellets 250 comprise a sulfur content of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 1%, 1.5%, 1.8%, 2%, 2.5%, 2.8%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, in the range of 0.05% to 1%, in the range of 0.2% to 1%, in the range of 0.4% to 1%, or in the range of 0.5% to 1%, 0.1% to 1.5%, in the range of 0.2% to 1.5%, in the range of 0.4% to 1.5%, or in the range of 0.5% to 1.5%, 0.1% to 2%, in the range of 0.2% to 2%, in the range of 0.4% to 2%, or in the range of 0.5% to 2%, 1% to 1.5%, in the range of 1% to 2%, in the range of 1% to 2.5%, or in the range of 1% to 3%.

[0061] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 comprise a calcium oxide content of at least 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 78%, or in the range of 60-78%.

[0062] In some embodiments, individual pellets 250 comprise a carbonized product:fines ratio of at least 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, or in the range of 2.0-10.0.

[0063] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 include a chelating agent.

[0064] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 have a cylindrical, spherical, and / or oval shape.

[0065] In some embodiments, the individual pellets 250 have a predetermined degradation profile, for example, the individual pellets 250 have a predetermined degradation profile that causes the individual pellets to break down into chunks.

[0066] IV. Manufacturing Process FIG. 3 shows a flow chart illustrating a manufacturing process or method 300 for producing pellet aggregates according to an embodiment of the present technique.

[0067] Method 300 may include receiving an input material (process portion 310). The input material may be received in a furnace. In some embodiments, the furnace may be a heat treatment furnace, including, for example, a devolatilization furnace, a pyrolysis furnace, or a blast furnace. In some embodiments, the input material may be milled or crushed to reduce its size before being provided to the furnace for heat treatment. A description of the input material may be provided elsewhere in this disclosure and will not be repeated here.

[0068] Method 300 may also include processing the input material at a processing temperature of at least 1400°F in a furnace for a processing period to produce a workpiece (process portion 320). In some embodiments, the processing temperature may be at least other temperature values ​​(e.g., at least 1600°F), as described elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the workpiece includes coke, coke breeze, charcoal, charcoal fines, biochar, and / or biochar fines. Descriptions of these and other workpieces may be found elsewhere in this disclosure and will not be repeated here. In some embodiments, processing the input material in the furnace may include a pyrolysis process. In some embodiments, the workpiece includes pyrolysis products. One or more modifiers may be used in the thermal treatment. The one or more modifiers may include a mineral oxide modifier. Examples of modifiers include CaO, SiO, MgO, etc., or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the modifier may be an ash composition modifier, a gasification reaction modifier, etc. The type and / or amount of modifier used can be determined or adjusted based on factors including, for example, the input material, the desired components in the input material, and / or the pellets to be produced, the device used in the heat treatment and / or pelletization, or a combination thereof. For example, when processing the input material to produce pellet aggregates, the CaO / SiO2 ratio and MgO content in the heat treatment cycle can be appropriately determined. The workpiece may contain fine particles. Through heat treatment, volatile substances can be removed from the input material. The content of the desired components can be increased. One or more properties can also be improved or adjusted for subsequent application or processing. For example, the fine particles of the workpiece may have one or more surface chemistry and / or morphological / microstructural properties that enable or facilitate their pelletization. Examples of such properties include the surface area, porosity, surface tension, surface charge, pi-stacking sites, etc., or a combination thereof, of the fine particles thus produced. A description of the heat treatment of the input materials (including the operating parameters of the heat treatment, the furnace and its controls, the workpiece, particulates in the workpiece, etc.) may be found elsewhere in this disclosure and will not be repeated here.

[0069] Method 300 may further include pelletizing at least a portion of the workpiece with one or more additives to produce pellet aggregates (process portion 330). Descriptions of additives may be described elsewhere in this disclosure and will not be repeated here. The pelletizing process may include one or more of pre-treatments (e.g., moisture content adjustment, milling, grinding), conditioning, mixing with another particulate material, etc. Optimization of operating conditions, equipment involved, control or optimization, intermediate and / or final products produced, properties of such intermediate and / or final products so produced, etc. may be described elsewhere in this disclosure and will not be repeated here.

[0070] 4 shows a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process or method 400 for producing pellet aggregates according to an embodiment of the present technology. Method 400 can include receiving a workpiece (process portion 410) including coke having a CSR of 2% or less and a CRI of at least 30%. In some embodiments, the workpiece includes furnace-processed input material (e.g., material containing carbon and / or non-metals). In some embodiments, the workpiece additionally or alternatively includes coke, coke breeze, charcoal, charcoal fines, biochar, and / or biochar fines.

[0071] Method 400 can also include blending one or more additives with the workpiece to form a blend (process portion 420). In some embodiments, the one or more additives include at least one of (i) a binder including at least one of molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), or polyvinyl alcohol, (ii) a cross-linking agent including at least one of water, limestone, calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, borax, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, or potassium, or (iii) a homobifunctional or heterobifunctional cross-linking agent. In some embodiments, the one or more additives include a binder configured to switch from a first state to a second state upon blending with at least a portion of the workpiece, the binder being more hydrophobic and less hydrophilic in the second state than in the first state.

[0072] Method 400 may further include pelletizing the blend at a temperature of 200° F. or less (e.g., room temperature) to produce pellet aggregates (process portion 430). In some embodiments, pelletizing includes pelletizing the blend without subjecting the blend to a heat treatment.

[0073] Method 300 may include additional or alternative steps. For example, method 300 may include producing a mixture by mixing the workpiece with one or more additives by (i) crushing at least one of limestone, quicklime, or dolomite, and (ii) mixing the crushed limestone, quicklime, or dolomite with the workpiece.

[0074] It is understood that the description of manufacturing method 300 is provided for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, one or more operations of manufacturing method 300 may be omitted or modified. For example, pelletizing operation 330 may be performed on particulate material from a single source or a mixture of particulate material from multiple sources. Examples of such one or more particulate materials include at least one of charcoal fines, coal fines, petroleum coke breeze, coke breeze, iron fines, other metal fines, blast furnace dust, baghouse fines, waste, petroleum coke breeze, anthracite fines, calcined anthracite fines, iron ore pellet fines, direct reduced iron (DRI) pellet fines, DRI / hot-formed reduced iron (HBI) pellet fines, quench pond dip (QPD), effluent coal and coke recovery material, coal washing plant waste, or the like, or combinations thereof. By way of example only, pelletizing may be performed on blast furnace dust containing only blast furnace iron fines.

[0075] V. Conclusion Although the present technology has been described in language specific to particular structures, materials, and methodological steps, it should be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the particular structures, materials, and / or steps described. Rather, certain aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Furthermore, certain aspects of the novel technology described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Furthermore, while advantages associated with particular embodiments of the present technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments necessarily need to exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the present disclosure and associated technology may encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited, except as by the appended claims. Unless otherwise indicated, all numerical values ​​or formulas expressing dimensions, physical properties, and the like used in this specification (other than the claims) are understood to be modified in all instances by the term "approximately." At the very least, and without intending to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter set forth in the specification or claims and modified by the term "approximately" should be construed in light of the recited number of significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein should be understood to encompass and support the claims reciting all subranges or individual values ​​contained therein. For example, the range of 1 to 10 should be considered to encompass and support the claims reciting all subranges or individual values ​​between and / or including the minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10. That is, all subranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or greater and ending with a maximum value of 10 or less (e.g., 5.5 to 10, 2.34 to 3.56, etc.), or any value between 1 and 10 (e.g., 3, 5.8, 9.9994, etc.).

[0076] For convenience, the present technology will be described according to various aspects, for example, as described in the following listed embodiments (1, 2, 3, etc.). These are provided merely as examples and are not intended to limit the present technology. It should be noted that any of the dependent embodiments can be combined in any combination and can be included in each independent embodiment. 1. A manufacturing system comprising: 1. A heat treatment assembly comprising a furnace, the furnace is configured to process input materials at a process temperature of at least 1,000°F during a process period to produce a workpiece; the input material comprises at least one of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, an alkali metal, aluminum, iron, or a transition metal; the heat treatment assembly, wherein the workpiece comprises at least one of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, charcoal fines, biochar, or biochar fines, and a carbon-containing material; a pelletizing assembly configured to pelletize at least a portion of the workpiece and one or more additives to produce a pellet aggregate; The manufacturing system.

[0077] 2. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the workpiece includes particulates, and the pelletizing assembly is configured to pelletize the particulates to produce the pellet aggregates.

[0078] 3. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material comprises at least one of a carbonaceous feedstock, a non-metallic feedstock, or a metal-containing feedstock.

[0079] 4. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material comprises a carbonaceous feedstock comprising at least one of coal, wood, petroleum residue, biomass feedstock, or waste feedstock.

[0080] 5. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material comprises a metalliferous feedstock comprising raw mineral material or recycled metalliferous material.

[0081] 6. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein at least a portion of the input material has a minimum cross-sectional dimension of at least 2 inches, 3 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches, or 6 inches.

[0082] 7. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, further comprising a grinder or mill configured to reduce the size of the input material before feeding the input material into the furnace.

[0083] 8. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the processing period is 18 hours, 12 hours, 8 hours, 6 hours, or 4 hours or less.

[0084] 9. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the processing duration is determined based on operational parameters associated with the processing in the furnace.

[0085] 10. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the treatment duration is determined based on operational parameters related to the treatment in the furnace, the operational parameters including at least one of the temperature at the opening of the furnace, the composition of the furnace exhaust gas, the temperature of a location inside the furnace, the temperature of an external surface of the furnace, or the temperature of a location inside the workpiece.

[0086] 11. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein during at least a portion of the treatment period, the treatment temperature is greater than 1,000°F, 1,100°F, 1,200°F, 1,300°F, 1,400°F, 1,500°F, 1,600°F, 1,800°F, 2,000°F, 2,500°F, or less than or equal to 2800°F.

[0087] 12. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the furnace is further configured to cool the workpiece within the furnace.

[0088] 13. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the furnace comprises a coke oven.

[0089] 14. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the furnace is a heat recovery furnace or a non-heat recovery furnace.

[0090] 15. The furnace is a first furnace; the manufacturing system further comprising a second furnace on one side of the first furnace and a third furnace on an opposite side of the first furnace; the second furnace and the third furnace are each thermally coupled to the first furnace; The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the second furnace and / or the third furnace is a heat source for the first furnace.

[0091] 16. The furnace is a first furnace; The manufacturing system further comprises: A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, comprising a second furnace configured to heat a material undergoing an exothermic process, the second furnace being in thermal communication with the first furnace such that at least a portion of the heat generated in the exothermic process in the second furnace is transferred to the first furnace.

[0092] 17. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the one or more additives include at least one of a binder or a cross-linking agent.

[0093] 18. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the one or more additives include at least one of a binder or a cross-linking agent, and the binder is hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

[0094] 19. The one or more additives include at least one of a binder or a cross-linking agent; the pelletizing assembly further comprising a mixer or mill configured to mix the particulates with the one or more additives; The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the binder comprises at least one of molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), or polyvinyl alcohol.

[0095] 20. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pelletizing assembly further comprises a grinder or mill configured to crush and / or combine with the particulates at least one of limestone, quicklime, or dolomite.

[0096] 21. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pelletizing assembly further comprises a grinder or mill configured to crush or mill at least a portion of the workpiece prior to said pelletizing.

[0097] 22. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection comprise at least one of calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, or potassium.

[0098] 23. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise an oxide.

[0099] 24. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the particulates include at least one of charcoal fines, biochar fines, or coke breeze.

[0100] 25. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pelletizing assembly includes a mixer configured to mix the particulates with a second particulate material derived from a source other than the processing of the input material in the furnace.

[0101] 26. The pelletizing assembly includes a mixer configured to mix the particulates with a second particulate material derived from a source other than the processing of the input material in the furnace; 10. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the second particulate material comprises coal fines, iron fines, iron ore pellet fines, direct reduced iron (DRI) pellet fines, DRI / hot formed reduced iron (HBI) pellet fines, blast furnace dust, metal fines, baghouse fines, quench pond dip (QPD), effluent coal and coke recovery material, coal washing plant waste, or waste.

[0102] 27. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise charcoal and / or biochar.

[0103] 28. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a diameter of at least 1 / 25", 1 / 23", 1 / 20", 1 / 16", 1 / 10", 1 / 8", 1 / 5", 1 / 4", 1 / 3", 1 / 2", 3 / 4", 1", or in the range of 1 / 25 inch to 1.5 inch, in the range of 1 / 5 inch to 1.5 inch, in the range of 1 / 4 inch to 1 inch, or in the range of 1 / 2 inch to 1 inch.

[0104] 29. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the production rate of the pelletizing assembly is at least 1 ton per hour, 2 ton per hour, 3 ton per hour, 5 ton per hour, 6 ton per hour, 8 ton per hour, 10 ton per hour, 12 ton per hour, 15 ton per hour, 16 ton per hour, 18 ton per hour, or 20 ton per hour.

[0105] 30. The particulate has a first density; 10. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a second density greater than the first density.

[0106] 31. A pellet agglomerate comprising particulates and one or more additives, the one or more additives include at least one of a binder or a cross-linker; The pellet assembly, wherein each individual pellet contains carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, an alkali metal, aluminum, iron, or a transition metal.

[0107] 32. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pellet assembly comprises charcoal and / or biochar.

[0108] 33. A pellet collection according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pellet collection comprises at least one of coke fines, coal fines, charcoal fines, biochar fines, blast furnace dust, baghouse fines, petroleum coke, anthracite, calcined anthracite, quench pond dip (QPD), effluent coal and coke recovery material, coal washing plant waste, or waste.

[0109] 34. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pellet assembly comprises iron or metal fines.

[0110] 35. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise at least one component comprising calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium or potassium.

[0111] 36. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise an oxide.

[0112] 37. The pellet assembly is receiving the input material; heating the input material in a furnace at a temperature of at least 1,000°F for a treatment period to produce a workpiece; pelletizing at least a portion of the workpiece to produce the pellet aggregate; A pellet aggregate according to any one of the clauses herein, produced by a process comprising:

[0113] 38. A pellet assembly described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the workpiece comprises at least one of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, biochar, charcoal fines, biochar fines, or a carbon-containing material.

[0114] 39. The workpiece contains fine particles; A pellet aggregate described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein pelletizing at least a portion of the workpiece to produce the pellet aggregate comprises pelletizing the fine particles to produce the pellet aggregate.

[0115] 40. The individual pellets have a density of at least 1 g / cm 3 , or 1.2 g / cm 3 ~2.5g / cm 3 range, or 1.5 g / cm 3 ~1.8g / cm 3 3. A pellet aggregate according to any one of the clauses herein, comprising a density in the range of:

[0116] 41. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a diameter of at least 1 / 25", 1 / 23", 1 / 20", 1 / 16", 1 / 10", 1 / 8", 1 / 5", 1 / 4", 1 / 3", 1 / 2", 3 / 4", 1", or in the range of 1 / 25 inch to 1.5 inch, in the range of 1 / 15 inch to 1.5 inch, in the range of 1 / 4 inch to 1 inch, or in the range of 1 / 2 inch to 1 inch.

[0117] 42. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a strength of at least 10 pounds per square inch (psi), 20 psi, 30 psi, 40 psi, 50 psi, 60 psi, 70 psi, 80 psi, 90 psi, 100 psi, 120 psi, or in the range of 10 psi to 120 psi, 10 psi to 100 psi, 20 psi to 90 psi, or 40 psi to 80 psi.

[0118] 43. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a heat of combustion of at least 150 kJ / mol, 180 kJ / mol, 200 kJ / mol, 220 kJ / mol, 250 kJ / mol, or 260 kJ / mol, 280 kJ / mol, 300 kJ / mol, 320 kJ / mol, in the range of 150 kJ / mol to 350 kJ / mol, in the range of 180 kJ / mol to 350 kJ / mol, or in the range of 200 kJ / mol to 350 kJ / mol.

[0119] 44. A pellet collection according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a moisture content of less than 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12%, 15%, in the range of 2% to 12%, in the range of 4% to 10%, or in the range of 5% to 10%.

[0120] 45. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a sulfur content of 0.2%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.8%, 1%, 1.5%, 1.8%, 2%, 2.5%, 2.8%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, in the range of 0.1% to 1%, in the range of 0.2% to 1%, in the range of 0.4% to 1%, in the range of 0.5% to 1%, in the range of 0.1% to 1.5%, in the range of 0.2% to 1.5%, in the range of 0.4% to 1.5%, or in the range of 0.5% to 1.5%, in the range of 0.1% to 2%, in the range of 0.2% to 2%, in the range of 0.4% to 2%, or in the range of 0.5% to 2%, in the range of 1% to 1.5%, in the range of 1% to 2%, in the range of 1% to 2.5%, or in the range of 1% to 3%.

[0121] 46. ​​A pellet collection according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a chelating agent.

[0122] 47. A pellet collection according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a cylindrical, spherical, and / or oval shape.

[0123] 48. A pellet collection according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a predetermined decomposition profile.

[0124] 49. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a predetermined disintegration profile that causes the individual pellets to break apart into agglomerates.

[0125] 50. A manufacturing method comprising: receiving an input material, the input material including at least one of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, an alkali metal, aluminum, iron, or a transition metal; treating the input material in a furnace at a treatment temperature of at least 1,000°F for a treatment period to produce a workpiece, the workpiece comprising coke, coke breeze, charcoal, charcoal fines, biochar, biochar fines, or a carbon-containing material; pelletizing at least a portion of the workpiece with one or more additives to produce a pellet agglomerate; A manufacturing method comprising:

[0126] 51. The workpiece contains fine particles; The manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses of the present specification, wherein pelletizing at least a portion of the workpiece includes pelletizing the fine particles.

[0127] 52. The manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material comprises at least one of a carbonaceous feedstock or a metal-containing feedstock.

[0128] 53. The manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material comprises a carbonaceous feedstock comprising at least one of coal, wood, petroleum residue, biomass feedstock, or waste feedstock.

[0129] 54. A manufacturing method as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material comprises a metalliferous feedstock comprising raw mineral material or recycled metalliferous material.

[0130] 55. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein at least a portion of the input material has a minimum cross-sectional dimension of at least 2 inches, 3 inches, 4 inches, 5 inches, or 6 inches.

[0131] 56. A manufacturing method as described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising crushing or milling the input material before feeding the input material into the furnace.

[0132] 57. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the treatment period is 5 days, 3 days, 2 days, 1 day, 18 hours, 12 hours, 8 hours, 6 hours, or 4 hours or less.

[0133] 58. Treating the input material at a treatment temperature of at least 1,000°F in a furnace for a treatment period to produce a workpiece, receiving operating parameters associated with said processing in said furnace; determining the processing duration based on the operating parameters; 2. The method of manufacturing according to any one of the clauses of the present specification, comprising:

[0134] 59. Treating the input material at a treatment temperature of at least 1,000°F in a furnace for a treatment period to produce a workpiece, receiving operating parameters associated with the processing in the furnace, the operating parameters including at least one of a temperature at an opening of the furnace, a composition of exhaust gases from the furnace, a temperature at a location within the furnace, a temperature at an exterior surface of the furnace, or a temperature at a location within the workpiece; determining the processing duration based on the operating parameters; 2. The method of manufacturing according to any one of the clauses of the present specification, comprising:

[0135] 60. The manufacturing method of any one of the clauses herein, wherein during at least a portion of the treatment period, the treatment temperature is greater than 1,000°F, 1,100°F, 1,200°F, 1,300°F, 1,400°F, 1,500°F, 1,600°F, 1,800°F, 2,000°F, 2,500°F, or is less than or equal to 2,800°F.

[0136] 61. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising supplying at least one of a desulfurizing agent or a chelating agent to the furnace during the treatment period.

[0137] 62. A manufacturing method according to any one of the clauses herein, further comprising allowing the workpiece to cool within the furnace.

[0138] 63. A method of manufacture as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the oven comprises a coke oven.

[0139] 64. A manufacturing method according to any one of the clauses of the present specification, wherein the furnace is a heat recovery furnace or a non-heat recovery furnace.

[0140] 65. The furnace is a first furnace in thermal communication with a second furnace and a third furnace; the second furnace and the third furnace are disposed opposite the first furnace; the second furnace and / or the third furnace is a heat source for the first furnace; The manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising transferring at least a portion of the heat generated in the second furnace and / or the third furnace to the first furnace during the processing period.

[0141] 66. The furnace is a first furnace in thermal communication with a second furnace configured to heat a material undergoing an exothermic process; The manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the manufacturing method further comprises transferring at least a portion of the heat generated in the exothermic process in the second furnace to the first furnace during the processing period.

[0142] 67. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising separating the particulates from the workpiece.

[0143] 68. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising crushing or milling at least a portion of the workpiece prior to said pelletizing.

[0144] 69. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising mixing the particulate with a second particulate material derived from a source other than the processing of the input material in the furnace.

[0145] 70. The method of any one of the clauses herein, further comprising mixing the particulates with a second particulate material derived from a source other than the processing of the input material in the furnace, wherein the second particulate material comprises coal fines, iron fines, iron ore pellet fines, direct reduced iron (DRI) pellet fines, DRI / hot formed reduced iron (HBI) pellet fines, blast furnace dust, metal fines, baghouse fines, petroleum coke breeze, anthracite fines, calcined anthracite fines, quench pond dip (QPD), effluent coal and coke recovered material, coal washing plant waste, or waste.

[0146] 71. The pelletizing of the particulates comprises: 3. The method of any one of the clauses herein, comprising adjusting the moisture content of the microparticles.

[0147] 72. The pelletizing of the particulates comprises: A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, comprising producing a mixture by mixing the microparticles with the one or more additives, wherein the one or more additives include at least one of a binder or a cross-linking agent.

[0148] 73. Producing a mixture by mixing the particulates with the one or more additives, the one or more additives include at least one of a binder or a cross-linker; 10. The method of any one of the clauses herein, further comprising producing, wherein the binder is hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

[0149] 74. The manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising producing a mixture by mixing the microparticles with the one or more additives, wherein the one or more additives comprise a binder or cross-linking agent, and the binder comprises at least one of molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), or polyvinyl alcohol.

[0150] 75. Crushing limestone; mixing the crushed limestone with the particulates; The method of any one of the clauses herein, further comprising mixing the particulates with the one or more additives to produce a mixture by the method of any one of the clauses herein.

[0151] 76. A method of production according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets contain at least calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium or potassium.

[0152] 77. A method of manufacture according to any one of the clauses of the present specification, wherein the individual pellets comprise an oxide.

[0153] 78. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise charcoal and / or biochar.

[0154] 79. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the particulates comprise at least one of charcoal fines, biochar fines, coke breeze, or carbon-containing material.

[0155] 80. The method of manufacture of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a diameter of at least 1 / 25", 1 / 23", 1 / 20", 1 / 16", 1 / 10", 1 / 8", 1 / 5", 1 / 4", 1 / 3", 1 / 2", 3 / 4", 1", or in the range of 1 / 25 inch to 1.5 inch, in the range of 1 / 5 inch to 1.5 inch, in the range of 1 / 4 inch to 1 inch, or in the range of 1 / 2 inch to 1 inch.

[0156] 81. A manufacturing system comprising: 1. A heat treatment assembly comprising a furnace configured to process an input material at a treatment temperature of at least 1,000°F for a treatment period of one day or less to produce a workpiece, the input material comprises at least one of a carbonaceous feedstock or a non-metallic feedstock; the heat treatment assembly, wherein the workpiece comprises at least one of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, or biochar; a pelletizing assembly configured to pelletize at least a portion of the workpiece and one or more additives to produce a pellet aggregate; A manufacturing system comprising:

[0157] 82. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material further comprises a metal feedstock.

[0158] 83. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the input material comprises a carbonaceous feedstock comprising at least one of wood, petroleum residue, biomass feedstock, or waste feedstock.

[0159] 84. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein at least a portion of the input material has a minimum cross-sectional dimension of at least 4 inches.

[0160] 85. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising a grinder or mill configured to reduce the size of the input material before feeding the input material into the furnace.

[0161] 86. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the workpiece comprises at least one of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, or biochar.

[0162] 87. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the workpiece comprises at least two of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, or biochar.

[0163] 88. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the processing temperature exceeds 1,200°F during at least a portion of the processing period.

[0164] 89. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the furnace is further configured to cool the workpiece within the furnace.

[0165] 90. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the furnace comprises a coke oven.

[0166] 91. The furnace is a first furnace; the manufacturing system further comprising a second furnace on one side of the first furnace and a third furnace on an opposite side of the first furnace; the second furnace and the third furnace are each thermally coupled to the first furnace; The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the second furnace and / or the third furnace is a heat source for the first furnace.

[0167] 92. The furnace is a first furnace; The manufacturing system further comprises: A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, comprising a second furnace configured to heat a material undergoing an exothermic process, the second furnace being in thermal communication with the first furnace such that at least a portion of the heat generated in the exothermic process in the second furnace is transferred to the first furnace.

[0168] 93. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the one or more additives include a binder comprising at least one of molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), or polyvinyl alcohol.

[0169] 94. A manufacturing system described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the one or more additives include at least one of a hydrophobic cross-linking agent or a binder.

[0170] 95. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pelletizing assembly further comprises a grinder or mill configured to crush limestone and / or combine it with the workpiece.

[0171] 96. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection comprise at least one of calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, or potassium.

[0172] 97. The pelletizing assembly includes a mixer configured to mix the workpiece with a second workpiece derived from a source other than the processing of the input material in the furnace; 10. The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the second workpiece comprises at least one of iron fines, iron ore pellet fines, direct reduced iron (DRI) pellet fines, hot formed reduced iron (HBI) pellet fines, blast furnace dust, metal fines, baghouse fines, and quench pond dip (QPD).

[0173] 98. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection comprise charcoal and / or biochar.

[0174] 99. A manufacturing system as described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a diameter of at least 1 / 16".

[0175] 100. A manufacturing system according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the production rate of the pelletizing assembly is at least 3 tons per hour.

[0176] 101. The workpiece has a first density; The manufacturing system of any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection have a second density higher than the first density.

[0177] 102. A pellet assembly, wherein the individual pellets are: two or more of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, biochar, charcoal fines, biochar fines, or a carbon-containing material; at least one of a binder or a cross-linker; The pellet assembly.

[0178] 103. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the pellet assembly comprises coke breeze, coal fines, and at least one of charcoal fines or biochar fines.

[0179] 104. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets further comprise at least one component comprising calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium or potassium.

[0180] 105. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise an oxide.

[0181] 106. The individual pellets have a density of 1.2 g / cm 3 ~2.5g / cm 3 3. A pellet aggregate according to any one of the clauses herein, comprising a density in the range of:

[0182] 107. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a diameter of at least 1 / 4".

[0183] 108. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets comprise a strength of at least 40 pounds per square inch.

[0184] 109. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a heat of combustion of at least 200 kJ / mol.

[0185] 110. A pellet collection according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a moisture content of less than 4%.

[0186] 111. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a sulfur content of less than 1%.

[0187] 112. A pellet assembly according to any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets have a cylindrical, spherical, or oval shape.

[0188] 113. A manufacturing method comprising: receiving a workpiece containing coke having a post-reacted coke strength (CSR) of 15% or less and a coke reactivity index (CRI) of at least 30%; blending one or more additives with the workpiece to form a blend; pelletizing the blend at a temperature of 200°F or less to produce pellet aggregates; A manufacturing method comprising:

[0189] 114. The manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, further comprising crushing or milling the input material before feeding the input material into the furnace, wherein the processing temperature exceeds 1,600°F during at least a portion of the processing period.

[0190] 115. Crushing limestone to produce crushed limestone; mixing the crushed limestone with the workpiece; The method of any one of the clauses herein, further comprising mixing the workpiece with the one or more additives to produce a mixture by

[0191] 116. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection comprise at least one of calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium or potassium.

[0192] 117. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the one or more additives include at least one of (i) a binder comprising at least one of molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), or polyvinyl alcohol; (ii) a cross-linking agent comprising at least one of water, limestone, calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, borax, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, or potassium; or (iii) a homobifunctional or heterobifunctional cross-linking agent.

[0193] 118. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein the one or more additives include a binder configured to switch from a first state to a second state when blended with at least a portion of the workpiece, the binder being more hydrophobic and less hydrophilic in the second state than in the first state.

[0194] 119. A manufacturing method described in any one of the clauses herein, wherein pelletizing comprises pelletizing the blend without subjecting the blend to a heat treatment.

Claims

1. 1. A manufacturing system comprising:

1. A heat treatment assembly comprising a furnace configured to process an input material at a treatment temperature of at least 1,000°F to produce a workpiece, the heat treatment assembly, wherein the input material comprises at least one of a carbonaceous feedstock or a non-metallic feedstock; a pelletizing assembly configured to pelletize at least a portion of the workpiece and one or more additives to produce a pellet aggregate; A manufacturing system comprising:

2. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the input materials further comprise a metal feedstock.

3. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the input material comprises the carbonaceous feedstock comprising at least one of wood, petroleum residue, biomass feedstock, or waste feedstock.

4. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the input material has a minimum cross-sectional dimension of at least 4 inches.

5. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , further comprising a grinder or mill configured to reduce the size of the input material before feeding the input material into the furnace.

6. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the workpiece comprises at least one of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, or biochar.

7. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the workpiece comprises at least two of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, or biochar.

8. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the furnace is configured to process the input material for a processing period of one day or less to produce the workpiece.

9. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the processing temperature exceeds 1,200°F during at least a portion of the processing period.

10. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the furnace is further configured to allow the workpiece to cool within the furnace.

11. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the furnace comprises a coke oven.

12. the furnace is a first furnace; the manufacturing system further comprising a second furnace on one side of the first furnace and a third furnace on an opposite side of the first furnace; the second furnace and the third furnace are each thermally coupled to the first furnace; The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the second furnace and / or the third furnace is a heat source for the first furnace.

13. the furnace is a first furnace; The manufacturing system further comprises:

10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, comprising: a second furnace configured to heat a material undergoing an exothermic process, the second furnace being in thermal communication with the first furnace such that at least a portion of the heat generated in the exothermic process in the second furnace is transferred to the first furnace.

14. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the one or more additives comprise a binder comprising at least one of molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), or polyvinyl alcohol.

15. The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more additives include at least one of a crosslinking agent or a coupling agent that is amphiphilic.

16. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the pelletizing assembly further comprises a grinder or mill configured to crush and / or combine at least one of limestone, quicklime, or dolomite with the workpiece.

17. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection comprise at least one of calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, or potassium.

18. the pelletizing assembly comprising a mixer configured to mix the workpiece with a second workpiece derived from a source other than the processing of the input material in the furnace; 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the second workpiece comprises at least one of iron fines, iron ore pellet fines, direct reduced iron (DRI) pellet fines, hot formed reduced iron (HBI) pellet fines, blast furnace dust, metal fines, baghouse fines, and quench pond dip product (QPD).

19. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection comprise charcoal and / or biochar.

20. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the individual pellets comprise a diameter of at least 1 / 16".

21. 10. The manufacturing system of claim 1, wherein the pelletizing assembly has a production rate of at least 3 tons per hour.

22. the workpiece has a first density; The manufacturing system of claim 1 , wherein the individual pellets of the pellet collection have a second density greater than the first density.

23. A pellet assembly, wherein each pellet comprises: two or more of coke, coke breeze, charcoal, biochar, charcoal fines, biochar fines, or a carbon-containing material; at least one of a binder or a cross-linker; The pellet assembly.

24. 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, wherein the pellet assembly comprises coke breeze, coal fines, and at least one of charcoal fines or biochar fines.

25. 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets further comprise at least one component comprising calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, or potassium.

26. 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets comprise an oxide.

27. The individual pellets have a density of 1.2 g / cm ３ ~2.5g / cm ３ 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, comprising a density in the range of:

28. 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets comprise a diameter of at least 1 / 4".

29. 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets comprise a strength of at least 40 pounds per square inch.

30. 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets comprise a heat of combustion of at least 200 kJ / mol.

31. 24. The pellet collection of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets have a moisture content of less than 4%.

32. 24. The pellet assembly of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets contain less than 1% sulfur content.

33. 24. The pellet collection of claim 23, wherein the individual pellets have a cylindrical, spherical, or oval shape.

34. A manufacturing method comprising: receiving a workpiece containing coke having a post-reacted coke strength (CSR) of 15% or less and a coke reactivity index (CRI) of at least 30%; blending one or more additives with the workpiece to form a blend; pelletizing the blend at a temperature of 200°F or less to produce pellet aggregates; A manufacturing method comprising:

35. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the one or more additives comprise at least one of: (i) a binder comprising at least one of molasses, carboxymethyl guar, hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, starch, modified starch, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (tylose), or polyvinyl alcohol; (ii) a crosslinking agent comprising at least one of water, limestone, calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sodium, borax, iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, platinum, palladium, cadmium, ammonia, zirconium, or potassium; or (iii) a homobifunctional or heterobifunctional crosslinking agent.

36. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the one or more additives include a binder configured to switch from a first state to a second state when blended with at least a portion of the workpiece, the binder being more hydrophobic and less hydrophilic in the second state than in the first state.

37. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein pelletizing comprises pelletizing the blend without subjecting the blend to a heat treatment.

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