Solid Firelighters Feststoff-Feueranzünder Allume-Feux
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(19) TZZ Z_T (11) EP 2 760 979 B1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.: of the grant of the patent: C10L 5/36 (2006.01) C10L 7/02 (2006.01) 09.12.2015 Bulletin 2015/50 C10L 11/04 (2006.01) (21) Application number: 12773100.8 (86) International application number: PCT/GB2012/052362 (22) Date of filing: 25.09.2012 (87) International publication number: WO 2013/045904 (04.04.2013 Gazette 2013/14) (54) SOLID FIRELIGHTERS FESTSTOFF-FEUERANZÜNDER ALLUME-FEUX (84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventor: BARFORD, Rick AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB Leatherhead GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO Surrey KT22 6SD (GB) PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR (74) Representative: Swan, Elizabeth Mary (30) Priority: 29.09.2011 GB 201116762 Withers & Rogers LLP 4 More London Riverside (43) Date of publication of application: London SE1 2AU (GB) 06.08.2014 Bulletin 2014/32 (56) References cited: (73) Proprietor: Standards Brands (UK) Limited WO-A2-2008/056153 US-A- 3 801 292 Cleeve Road US-A- 4 083 697 US-A- 4 293 313 Leatherhead Surrey KT22 7SD (GB) Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). EP 2 760 979 B1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 2 760 979 B1 2 Description ensure full ignition of the primary fuel can take place. [0007] By way of background, it is well known by those Field of the Invention skilled in the art that UF-based kerosene firelighters can- not be easily reformulated by simply reducing the hydro- [0001] This invention relates to solid firelighters often 5 carbon content, without the resulting increase in propor- generically known as "white firelighters" of the type which tion of the other components, namely water and urea, may be used to initiate combustion of the primary fuel in significantly reducing the ability of the firelighter initially barbecues [BBQs] or domestic wood or coal fires. Fire- to ignite or to sustain a burn of sufficient length of time lighters can be used irrespective of whether the primary to ensure primary fuel ignition. Urea in particular is an fuel is in the form of charcoal (lump wood or briquettes), 10 ignition-impairing material due to its nitrogen content and natural wood as used in outdoor wood fires or coal as is used extensively in formulating fire-retardant products. used in domestic indoor fires. Water is obviously also ignition-impairing. [0008] WO2008/056153 describes the inclusion in a Background to the Invention firelighter of comminuted lignite, optionally together with 15 peat. This can be used as a partial substitute for liquid [0002] So called ’white’ firelighters are well known, hydrocarbon in white firelighters. However, it has been having been available for decades, and are supplied in found that lignite particles tend to cause de-stabilisation the form of a scored ’board’ or as individual pre-formed of the liquid emulsion, in quantities of just 2 to 4% by units. Such firelighters comprise a solidified emulsion weight of the firelighter. If lignite is granulated it can be consisting of a closed cell matrix of a polymerised urea- 20 tolerated in slightly higher quantities, but still causes formaldehyde [UF] resin containing a combustible mate- destabilisation when added in amounts of more than rial. The combustible material is generally a liquid hydro- around 10%. In addition, since lignite is carbon-based, carbon or similar, at levels of approximately 80% by substituting kerosene with lignite does not actually re- weight of the total firelighter. The UF resin matrix is duce the carbon-footprint of the firelighter. formed in-situ through acid catalysis to promote polym- 25 [0009] WO2008/056153 also describes the use of inert erization of an aqueous urea-formaldehyde resin around ’fillers’ such as silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide in the hydrocarbon liquid and thus form the ’solid’ firelighter. minor amounts, preferably below 5% by weight of the [0003] In use, the firelighters are applied either below total firelighter. It is generally understood that amounts or dispersed among the primary fuel, for example pieces of inert filler above around 5% by weight compromise the of BBQ or domestic fireplace fuel. Once lit by the simple 30 emulsion stability and interfere with resin polymerization. application of a lighted match or similar flame, the fire- This occurs because the simple substitution of hydrocar- lighters burn with a hot flame and, importantly, burn for bon with combustible or non-combustible solid powdered sufficient time to ensure the complete and full ignition of fillers generally causes de-stabilisation of the hydrocar- the primary fuel. bon/aqueous UF resin liquid emulsion. The emulsion [0004] For many years the formulations for these urea 35 separates into its two constituent phases and/or the filler formaldehyde resin-based firelighters have been based reacts with the UF resin in such a way as to prevent sub- on the use of readily burnable hydrocarbons such as, for sequentpolymerisation, thus preventing the mixfrom set- example, kerosenes, iso-paraffins, n-paraffins and diesel ting into a solid form. at levels of approximately 80% by weight of the total fire- [0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide lighter. This allows for the formation of a stable oil-in- 40 a firelighter having a reduced concentration of expensive, water emulsion so that the subsequent acid-catalysed highly refined hydrocarbon, below the traditional 80% by polymerisation of the resin occurs in a controlled manner weight of the firelighter, that maintains acceptable per- without splitting, separation, inversion or other de-stabi- formance, particularly burn time. lisation of the emulsion. [0005] However, there is now an ever-increasing pres- 45 Summary of the Invention sure on industry to identify ways of providing a reduction in use of highly refined hydrocarbon-based fuels, so de- [0011] According to a first aspect, the present invention creasing the level of hydrocarbon from the approximately provides a firelighter comprising a solidified emulsion of 80% by weight of the firelighter that is currently used a liquid hydrocarbon encapsulated in polymerised aque- would be highly desirable. This is due to the reducing 50 ous resin, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon is present in availability of highly refined hydrocarbons such as kero- an amount of 30 to 75% by weight of the firelighter, and sene, with consequent continual rise in costs and also, wherein the firelighter also contains starch. importantly, to the desire to find a more environmentally- [0012] According to a second aspect, the present in- responsible approach. vention provides a method of making a firelighter accord- [0006] It has long been an aim of the researchers in 55 ing to the first aspect of the invention, the method com- this field to reduce the hydrocarbon content of a firelighter prising the steps of: forming an emulsion of a liquid hy- without reducing the performance. In particular, it is im- drocarbon in an aqueous resin, wherein the emulsion portant not to reduce the firelighter burn time, so as to additionally comprises starch; and polymerising the 2 3 EP 2 760 979 B1 4 aqueous resin so that it encapsulates the liquid hydro- bon footprint of the firelighter, and allows a non-renew- carbonin asolidified emulsion toform afirelighter, where- able product to be replaced with a renewable product, in the firelighter comprises 30 to 75% by weight liquid which is highly desirable. hydrocarbon. [0017] It has been found that firelighters according to [0013] According to a third aspect, the present inven- 5 the invention are safe to use and, when ignited, burn tion provides use of a firelighter according to the first as- steadily without flaring, sudden deflagration, spitting, pect of the invention, to initiate combustion of the primary dripping or explosion. fuel in a barbecue, domestic wood fire or domestic coal [0018] In firelighters according to the present inven- fire. tion, the concentration of hydrocarbon is preferably from [0014] Surprisingly it has been found that part of the 10 40 to 65% by weight of the firelighter. Starch is preferably liquid hydrocarbon content of a traditional firelighter can added in an amount of 1% or more by weight of the fire- be replaced with starch, without incurring the expected lighter, preferably in an amount of 5% or more by weight reduction in performance. When starch is included in the of the firelighter. Surprising, the concentration of the firelighter, the level of hydrocarbon can be reduced to starchcan be upto 50%by weight ofthe firelighterwithout between 30 and 75%, which is well below the level tra- 15 causing destabilisation of the emulsion, and is preferably ditionallyused. In particular, the burn time ofthe firelighter 10 to 40% by weight, more preferably 15 to 30% by remains very good, which is important to ignite the pri- weight. The concentration of the aqueous resin is from mary fuel, the amount of heat transferred to the primary 10 to 30% by weight, preferably 12 to 25% by weight of fuel is surprisingly high, and the firelighter ignites easily. the firelighter. Without wishing to be bound to theory, this is thought to 20 be due to the fact that during combustion the starch not Detailed Description of the Invention only contributes energy though burning and so compen- sates to a large degree for the lower liquid hydrocarbon [0019] Starch is a polysaccharide comprising glucose content, but that the mode of burning of starch itself monomers joined in α 1,4 linkages.