As Binder-free compaction is an innovative cold agglomeration technique, it enables powdered materials to be transformed into a solid shape, known as a tablet. Thanks to this process, the tablet benefits from a strong mechanical resistance and without the use of any additives, contrary to alternative technology such as briquetting.
Current mechanical processing solutions for by-product recycling or usage of fines, besides having poor output performance, require the recycled fines to stay outside for long periods of time – otherwise known as “curing time”, usually several days – before being reinjected into the process. This open loop process, coupled with a high production volume, makes the whole process a logistical nightmare and economically unviable.
The characteristics of the tablets obtained using EUROTAB’s technology, either enable them to be reintroduced
directly into the process or to produce a valuable product. This could lead to the non-upgraded finely powdered byproducts and raw material fines being recycled or used almost at 100% in several industries. Eurotab’s technology relies on binder-free compaction, which consists of compressing a powder located within a die with two punches that fragment the powder particles to yield a cohesive compact called a tablet. Whereas this technology is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, for manufacturing consumer goods and metallic catalysts, its operating window has so far been limited. EUROTAB’s innovation lies in the combination of high pressure / high
load and high output.
EUROTAB has pushed its powder compaction technology beyond its original limits in the tableting of consumer
goods such as automatic dishwashing and detergent tablets, coffee and bouillon cubes), Through innovative
thinking and equipment design, they yield tableting of industrial minerals in applying high compaction pressures at
high speed. This approach has been successfully carried over on compaction of finely powdered raw materials, with
the design of prototype compaction equipment. This latter has been used to validate on the equipment some of the
technology choices as well as to confirm the technical viability of such a process.
EUROTAB’s binder-free compaction technology / equipment advantages versus current agglomeration solutions
Different technologies are already used today to compact industrial mineral fines or powdered by-products. Coal
briquettes or salt pellets are widely known.
EUROTAB’s tableting technology in the world of industrial minerals and ores means:
– Compacting of a wider range of materials than other technologies, the compression cycle can be adapted to
the characteristics of the powder
– Compacting without using a binder
– Compacting even very fine powders
– Production of products with a more uniform hardness, both within and between compacts, leading to
higher mechanical resistance and a more regular dissolution rate
– Increased weight regularity
EUROTAB’s technology can create added value in major markets
This technology is environmentally friendly (no waste) and processes a wide range of raw materials including very
fine powders that can:
– Improve performance of industrial applications of raw materials through improved thermal efficiency,
reduced reaction time, improved process reliability, lower raw material consumption, improved end
product quality
– Improve performance in applications through tailored and homogeneous characteristics such as shape, size,
porosity, mechanical resistance
– Improve performance in applications through sequential actions of ingredients obtained via multilayer
tablets or customized dissolution time
– Improve mass balance of quarries, mines,… through valuation of fines
– Improve handling: the compact format means optimum safety, logistics, dosing and storage
when compared to powders
