Coal binder composition

Abstract

The presently claimed invention relates to a briquette comprising coal fines and a binder composition comprising at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid (i) and at least one alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer (ii), a method for manufacturing said briquette and the use of a binder composition for the agglomeration of coal fines.

1 : A briquette comprising
 A) coal fines and   B) a binder composition comprising
 (i) at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and 
 (ii) at least one alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer. 
   
     
     
         2 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the coal fines comprise at least 50 wt.-% coal particles passing Tyler Mesh 16 sieve, 1 mm sieve opening. 
     
     
         3 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the coal fines have an ash particle content of up to 40 wt.-% determined according to a gravimetric method. 
     
     
         4 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the binder composition further comprises at least one cross-linking agent (iii) selected from the group consisting of:
 a polymer having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, primary amine, secondary amine, tertiary amine, epoxy and aldehyde; and   a polyvalent metal complex.   
     
     
         5 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid (i) is not an alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer. 
     
     
         6 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid (i) is selected from the group consisting of:
 a homopolymer of acrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt;   a homopolymer of methacrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt;   a copolymer of acrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt, and at least one nonionic monomer; and   a copolymer of methacrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt, and at least one nonionic monomer.   
     
     
         7 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid (i) is selected from the group consisting of:
 a homopolymer of acrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salts, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt;   a homopolymer of methacrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt;   a copolymer of acrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt, and at least one nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, N-tert-butyl acrylamide, N-methylolacrylamide, methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate and butyl acrylate; and   a copolymer of methacrylic acid, optionally in a form of an alkali metal salt, an alkaline metal salt, or an ammonium salt, and at least one nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, N-tert-butyl acrylamide, N-methylolacrylamide, methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate and butyl acrylate.   
     
     
         8 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid (i) has a weight average molecular weight of ≥1 000 to ≤5 000 000 g/mol determined according to g gel permeation chromatography measurement. 
     
     
         9 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer (ii) is derived from a mixture comprising:
 at least one monomer A selected from the group consisting of an ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, sec-butanol, tert-butanol, pentanol, hexanol, 2-ethylhexanol, octanol, decanol, dodecanol and stearyl alcohol and   at least one monomer B selected from the group consisting of styrene and-alpha-methyl-styrene.   
     
     
         10 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer (ii) has a weight average molecular weight of ≥1 000 to ≤2 000 000 g/mol determined according to a gel permeation chromatography measurement. 
     
     
         11 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid (i) is present in an amount of ≥0.05 to ≤1.0 wt.-% based on the total weight of the briquette. 
     
     
         12 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer (ii) is present in an amount of ≥0.05 to ≤1.0 wt.-% based on the total weight of the briquette. 
     
     
         13 : The briquette according to  claim 1 , wherein coal fines are present in an amount of ≥99.0 to ≤99.9 wt.-%, the at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid (i) is present in an amount of ≥0.05 to ≤1.0 wt.-% and the at least one alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer (ii) is present in an amount of ≥0.05 to ≤1.0 wt.-%, each based on the total weight of the briquette. 
     
     
         14 : A process for manufacturing the briquette of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a) mixing coal fines and a binder composition comprising (i) at least one homo- or copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and (ii) at least one alkyl(meth)acrylate-styrene-copolymer to obtain a mixture;   b) forming the mixture obtained according to step a) into a block; and   c) drying the block obtained according to step b) to obtain a briquette.   
     
     
         15 : The process according to  claim 14 , wherein the coal fines in step a) have a water content in the range of ≥5 wt.-% to ≤20 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the coal fines, determined according to a gravimetric method. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled)