Abstract: Briquet designs that facilitate close packing and improve burn efficiency are provided herein. Such designs can include scaled down briquet size and close packing shapes, which can include pyramidal shaped portions, such as rectangular pyramids and tetrahedron shapes, as well as oblate spheroid and hexoid shapes, to facilitate closer random packing when the briquets are randomly arranged in a pile when poured from a bag. Some briquet shapes can further include special surface features, such as flattened or rounded portions or depressions, such as dimples, that reduce volume without increasing the bulk density in order to further improve burn performance and efficiency.

Abstract: Briquet designs that facilitate close packing and improve burn efficiency are provided herein. Such designs can include scaled down briquet size and close packing shapes, which can include pyramidal shaped portions, such as rectangular pyramids and tetrahedron shapes, as well as oblate spheroid and hexoid shapes, to facilitate closer random packing when the briquets are randomly arranged in a pile when poured from a bag. Some briquet shapes can further include special surface features, such as flattened or rounded portions or depressions, such as dimples, that reduce volume without increasing the bulk density in order to further improve burn performance and efficiency.

Abstract: Briquet designs that facilitate close packing and improve burn efficiency are provided herein. Such designs can include scaled down briquet size and close packing shapes, which can include pyramidal shaped portions, such as rectangular pyramids and tetrahedron shapes, as well as oblate spheroid and hexoid shapes, to facilitate closer random packing when the briquets are randomly arranged in a pile when poured from a bag. Some briquet shapes can further include special surface features, such as flattened or rounded portions or depressions, such as dimples, that reduce volume without increasing the bulk density in order to further improve burn performance and efficiency.

Abstract: Lightweight composite particles, primarily comprising various bentonite clays, but which may include other functional solid particles, are formed by introducing expanding gases or air into the particle forming process. The methods presented create the ability to reduce the bulk density of the composite particles while maintaining and in some cases even increasing the particle strength.

Abstract: Lightweight composite particles, primarily comprising various bentonite clays, but which may include other functional solid particles, are formed by introducing expanding gases or air into the particle forming process. The methods presented create the ability to reduce the bulk density of the composite particles while maintaining and in some cases even increasing the particle strength.

Abstract: Lightweight composite particles, primarily comprising various bentonite clays, but which may include other functional solid particles, are formed by introducing expanding gases or air into the particle forming process. The methods presented create the ability to reduce the bulk density of the composite particles while maintaining and in some cases even increasing the particle strength.

Abstract: Modified charcoal briquets having a pillow silhouette when viewed from at least one side and configured to have less volume than similar unmodified pillow shaped briquets having the same dimensions are described. A random packing density for the modified briquets is between about 0.70 times and 0.92 times a random packing density for the unmodified pillow shape briquets. The random packing density for the modified briquets is between about 35% and 46%.

Abstract: A generally pillow-shaped charcoal briquet having a convex upper surface and a convex lower surface, wherein at least one of these surfaces contain an enhanced surface feature comprising one or more grooves. When two or more grooves are located on one or both convex surfaces, the grooves are generally parallel to each other and to two opposing sides of the briquet, and generally perpendicular to two opposing sides of the briquet. The briquets have improved ignition characteristics and enhanced burn phase properties.