At the end of every sorting line there remains a fraction nobody buys as material: mixed plastic offcuts, contaminated paper, textiles, composites. It cannot be recycled, but it burns well. An RDF briquette machine turns exactly this fraction from a landfill cost into fuel you sell.
RDF stands for refuse derived fuel. The briquettes have a high calorific value, burn efficiently and with lower emissions than raw waste, and cement plants and power stations use them as a coal substitute. See the full range of waste sorting equipment and where each machine sits in the flow.
Key Advantages of an RDF Briquette Machine
• It turns a cost into revenue, the combustible fraction is otherwise a landfill cost, and once briquetted it becomes a product cement plants buy as a coal substitute.
• Three operations in one machine, shredding, drying and pressing are integrated, so you do not need three separate installations to reach the finished product.
• High density, cheap transport, the briquettes have high density, so the transport cost per unit of energy delivered drops significantly against loose waste.
• Drying raises the calorific value, the drying system removes moisture, which directly raises the energy value and the combustion efficiency of the product.
• Uniform specification, the briquettes have consistent dimensions, so they are easy to transport, store and dose in the customer's installation.
• Lower emissions, burning a dry, homogeneous fuel of controlled composition produces fewer pollutants than burning raw waste.
Technical Specifications, RDF Briquette Machine
| Subsystem | Function |
|---|---|
| Feeding system | Conveyor and feeder, uniform feed to the plant |
| Shredding device | Preliminary shredding, to reduce volume |
| Drying system | Removes moisture, raises combustion efficiency |
| Compression device | The core component, high-pressure compaction |
| Discharge system | Conveys the finished briquettes to storage |
| Feedstock | The combustible fraction from municipal and industrial waste |
| Final product | High-density briquettes with uniform specification |
| Required pre-treatment | Metal and inert material separation |
Capacity and installed power are set from the throughput of the combustible fraction your line produces and from the moisture of the material, which determines the sizing of the drying system.
Applications for Alternative Fuel
• Cement plants, the most important buyer, using RDF as a partial coal substitute in clinker kilns.
• Waste-to-energy plants, burning the briquettes to generate electricity, at better efficiency than raw waste.
• Industrial boilers, auxiliary fuel for processes that need constant heat.
• Resource recovery centres, centralised treatment of municipal and industrial waste, producing a sellable fuel.
• Sorting plants, recovering the light fraction from air separation instead of landfilling it.
How It Works
The process has five stages, integrated into the same installation. First, the feeding system, made up of a conveyor and a feeder, introduces the material uniformly. Uniformity matters a great deal here: an uneven feed produces briquettes of variable density. The second stage is preliminary shredding, which reduces piece size and volume, preparing the material for compaction. The third stage, drying, is the one that raises product value the most: moisture in waste consumes energy during combustion instead of producing it, so removing it raises the briquette's calorific value. The fourth stage is pressing, the machine's core component, where the pre-treated material is compacted under high pressure into a dense block. Density is what makes the briquettes transportable and easy to dose. The fifth stage is discharge, which conveys the finished briquettes to the storage area or straight into the transport vehicle. One essential point before all of this: the material must have passed through metal separation and inert removal, otherwise the fuel quality will not meet buyers' requirements.
Selection Guide
Capacity is chosen from the throughput of the combustible fraction your line actually produces, not from the total plant throughput. The combustible fraction is usually a share of the flow, and oversizing the briquetting stage means a machine that stands idle. The second parameter, the easiest to underestimate, is feedstock moisture. Very wet waste needs a much larger drying system that is more expensive to run, and that cost has to be built into the calculation from the start. The third aspect is the buyer's requirement: cement plants have strict specifications on calorific value, moisture, chlorine and metal content. It is worth discussing with the buyer before sizing the installation, so the product meets the spec first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials go into RDF briquettes?
The combustible fraction left after sorting: mixed plastic that cannot be recycled, contaminated paper and cardboard, textiles, composites, treated wood. Metals, glass and inert material are excluded and must be separated beforehand, because they spoil both the fuel quality and the machine.
Who buys the briquettes?
Cement plants first of all, which substitute part of their coal with RDF in clinker kilns. Then waste-to-energy plants and industrial boiler operators. Every buyer has their own specifications on calorific value, moisture and chlorine content, so it is worth discussing before sizing the installation.
How important is the drying system?
Very. Water in the waste consumes energy during combustion instead of producing it, so moisture directly reduces the calorific value and the commercial value of the briquette. On the other hand, drying consumes energy, so the system has to be sized exactly to your material's moisture, neither larger nor smaller.
What pre-treatment does the material need?
Separation of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and removal of inert material, that is glass, stone, ceramics. Metals do not burn and can damage the compression device, while inerts reduce calorific value and increase ash. That is why briquetting is the last stage of the line, after all the separations.
Is the equipment supplied new?
Yes. We supply new units only, made to order for your application, with complete technical documentation.
What maintenance does it need?
Inspecting the dies and the pressing elements, which are the most heavily loaded parts and do wear, cleaning the drying system, checking the feed metering and inspecting the hydraulic or mechanical compaction system. Feed uniformity directly affects die service life.
Why URSTAG?
URSTAG is a premium brand of recycling equipment, with over 15 years of experience. You don't just get a machine, you get a solution engineered by specialists, built from top-tier components and backed by a team that supports you from design through commissioning.
• European engineering, every machine and every complete line is designed by our engineering teams in Europe, with a focus on reliability, safety and energy efficiency.
• Premium components, we build on motors and automation from industry leaders: Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, WEG, SEW-Eurodrive, NORD Drivesystems and Bonfiglioli.
• Over 15 years of experience, we know how materials and machines behave in real-world operation, and we configure each solution for your flow and volume.
• New equipment, configured for you, we supply new units, made to order for your application, with complete technical documentation.
• Delivery, installation and training included, we handle transport, commissioning and operator training, with support throughout the equipment's life.
As a premium brand, URSTAG relies on European engineering, top-tier components and experience. You choose a partner that supports your production long term, with equipment built to run reliably in demanding industrial environments.
