Process and apparatus for manufacturing a composite fire product and product resulting therefrom

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a composite fire product comprising mixing materials, that include wax, at least one dry material and at least one non-dry material with a moisture content of at least 15%, blending and heating the mixed materials, compressing and heating the blended mixture, the compression pressure being at least 500 psi and the temperature being at least 100 F, and extruding the compressed mixture to form the composite fire product.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a composite fire product, comprising:
 a) blending and heating materials, the materials including wax, at least one dry material and at least one non-dry material with a moisture content of at least 15%;   b) compressing and heating the blended mixture, the compression pressure being at least 500 psi and the temperature being at least 100 F; and   c) extruding the compressed mixture to form the composite fire product;   
       wherein at least one of the dry material and non-dry material contains cellulose. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step a) is performed at a temperature of at least 100 F. 
     
     
         3 . The method of either of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the step a) is performed for a duration of 5 to 30 minutes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the pressure at step b) ranges from 500 psi to 25,000 psi. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the pressure at step b) ranges from 500 psi to 5,000 psi. 
     
     
         6 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the temperature at step b) is at least 120 F. 
     
     
         7 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein the temperature at step b) ranges from 100 F to 400 F. 
     
     
         8 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the step b) is performed for a duration of less than or equal to 1 minute. 
     
     
         9 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  8 , wherein step c) is performed at a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to 32 F. 
     
     
         10 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  8 , wherein step c) is performed at a temperature ranging from 50 to 75 F. 
     
     
         11 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the step c) is performed for a duration of less than or equal to 1 minute. 
     
     
         12 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  11 , further comprising:
 d) shaping the composite fire product. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein step d) consist in cutting at least one extremity of the composite fire product at an angle between 10 and 80°. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the angle is 45°. 
     
     
         15 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  14 , wherein the at least one dry material is selected from a group consisting of cardboard, wax, waste paper, dry green residue waste, saw dust and wood residue. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the wood residue is selected from a group consisting of softwood, hardwood and wood waste trimmings. 
     
     
         17 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  16 , wherein the wax has a melting point of at least 100 F. 
     
     
         18 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  17 , wherein the at least one non-dry material selected from a group consisting of wet waste streams and non-dry green residue waste. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the wet waste streams is selected from a group consisting of paper pulp, corn stalks, coffee grounds, Christmas trees and waste flowers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the non-dry green residue waste is selected from the group consisting of coffee grinds, tea leaves, sunflower hulls, sunflower stocks, soy bean hulls, soy bean stocks, straw, citrus fruit peels, corn stocks, corn husks, corn cob; grass, hay, sugar cane, industrial pulp and paper waste. 
     
     
         21 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  20 , wherein the at least one non-dry material has a moisture content of at least 25%. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one non-dry material has a moisture content lower or equal to 50%. 
     
     
         23 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  22 , further comprising heating the non-dry materials at a temperature of at least 100 F prior to step a). 
     
     
         24 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  23 , wherein the materials comprise wax in a proportion from 1 to 50%, wax cardboard, cardboard, waste paper or pulp in a proportion from 5 to 75%, green residue wastes in a proportion from 5 to 75% and saw dust or wood residue in a proportion from 5 to 75%. 
     
     
         25 . The method of any of  claims 1  to  24 , wherein the materials further include leaves and components from aromatic trees or spices in order to provide additional nature scent. 
     
     
         26 . A composite fire product manufactured by the method of any of  claims 1  to  25 . 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus for manufacturing a composite fire product, comprising:
 a first pressure chamber having a heater;   a material composition receiving input having a feeding mechanism for providing the material composition to the first pressure chamber; and   a second pressure chamber having a temperature adjustment mechanism and an extrusion output for providing the composite fire product, the first and second pressure chambers being operatively connected so as to allow material to pass therebetween;   
       wherein the first and second pressure chambers are configured so as to provide a pressure ranging from 500 psi to 25,000 psi and the heater is configured so as to provide a temperature of at least 100 F. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein first and second pressure chambers are configured so as to provide a pressure ranging from 500 psi to 5,000 psi. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of either of  claim 27  or  28 , wherein the heater is configured so as to provide a temperature of at least 120 F. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  29 , wherein the heater is configured so as to provide a temperature ranging from 100 F to 400 F. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  30 , wherein the temperature adjustment mechanism is configured so as to provide a temperature ranging from 50 to 75 F. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  30 , wherein the temperature adjustment mechanism is configured so as to provide a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to 32 F. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  32 , wherein the extrusion output is in the form of a die. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  32 , wherein the extrusion output is configured so as to shape the extruded composite fire product. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  34 , wherein the feeding mechanism is a feeding screw. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , further comprising a compression screw operatively connected to the feeding screw so to provide the pressure for the first and second pressure chambers. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  36 , wherein the extrusion output includes a slicing mechanism so as to cut at least one of the extremities of the composite fire product at an angle. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of any of  claims 27  to  37 , further comprising a blender adapted to receive mixed materials and providing the material composition to the receiving input by blending the mixed materials. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the blender includes a heater.