Abstract: Preheated bulk material capable of coking is quenched by flowing the quenching liquid through the loose bulk material, whereby the bulk material is substantially closed off relative to the atmosphere. The liquid is applied to the top of the bulk material in a quenching chamber which is closed at its top by a sealed cover and which has an open grating for a horizontal bottom. The steam formed by the quenching liquid and, if formed, any excess quenching liquid are drawn off from the quenching chamber through the open grating. The total quantity of quenching liquid to be supplied as a function of time is controlled by a valve through a control signal depending on the chemical and physical properties constituting bulk material characteristics prior to the heating of the coal. The control signal also takes into account the type of the intended heat treatment in the form of quenching characteristics.

Abstract: Fuel briquettes are produced by hot pressing a mixture of a fine grained coal softening at the pressing temperature and a coal component which hardly or not at all softens at the pressing temperature. The starting materials are converted into a granular structure material by the use of pure oxygen or an oxygen/nitrogen mixture having an oxygen content above 21% by volume so that the resulting granular material has a bulk weight of between 0.3 t/m.sup.3 to 0.7 t/m.sup.3.