ARTIFICIAL FIRELOG USING OIL AND/OR FAT-RETAINING MATERIALS

摘要

An artificial firelog according to the present invention may comprise as constituents a combustible cellulosic or fiber material, a non-absorbent com bustible oil- and/or fat- retaining material, and a combustible binder/fuel or wax in appropriate proportions. A combustible binding agent may be also b e added as an additional constituent material to allow a further reduction o f the combustible wax component. Certain naturally occurring agricultural by products and synthetic filter materials contain oils and/or fats that provi de increased BTU value beyond the cellulosic or mineral components of the ma terial. When these oil- and/or fat- retaining materials added to a blend of firelog material, the non-absorbent properties and additional BTU content of these alternative raw materials allow the amount of higher BTU wax material to be reduced without a dramatic reduction in fuel content in the finished mixture. The non-absorbent oil- and/or fat-retaining materials are significa ntly less expensive per mass than petroleum wax, and substituting these mate rials for more costly types of wax reduces cost without degrading the perfor mance of the final firelog product.