The invention to which this application relates is apparatus and a method for use in the preconditioning, processing of a material mixture and forming of end products from the processed material mixture which includes fibres such as cellulose fibres so as to allow the end products including the same to be formed in an efficient and controllable process.

Naturally-occurring cellulose-based material, such as wood, bamboo, grass, or reed, can be subjected to one or more chemical treatments to remove at least some lignin therefrom. The resulting partially-delignified material can be partially dried or fully dried and then rehydrated to yield a moldable cellulose-based material. The moldable material can be formed from a substantially flat planar configuration into a non-planar three-dimensional configuration. Once formed into a desired configuration, the moldable material can be fully dried to set its shape, thereby forming a rigid molded piece. In some embodiments, the molded piece can be used as a structural material, for example, to form a load-bearing structure or part of a composite load-bearing structure.

The present invention relates to a process for obtaining cellulose or a mixture containing at least cellulose and at least lignocellulose from at least one substrate that is at least to some extent amenable to fermentation comprising at least the steps of (1) to (3) and optionally (4), namely conversion of the substrate via addition of at least one inorganic base into an aqueous mixture with pH≥8.5 (step 1), ultrasound treatment of the aqueous mixture obtained after step (1) (step 2), separation of the aqueous mixture obtained after step (2) into a liquid aqueous phase and a disperse mixture containing, cellulose or a mixture containing at least cellulose and at least lignocellulose (step 3) and optionally purification of the disperse mixture obtained after step (3) containing cellulose or of the mixture containing at least cellulose and at least lignocellulose (step 4), where step (1) and step (2) of the process respectively are carried out at a temperature <100° C. and Where the ultrasound treatment in step (2) takes place in one or more treatment phases, where the duration of a treatment phase is in the range from 0.2 to 60 seconds and each treatment phase is carried out with a sonotrode frequency in the range from 14 to 22 kHz.

The present invention relates to a process for obtaining cellulose or a mixture containing at least cellulose and at least lignocellulose from at least one substrate that is at least to some extent amenable to fermentation comprising at least the steps of (1) to (3) and optionally (4), namely conversion of the substrate via addition of at least one inorganic base into an aqueous mixture with pH≥8.5 (step 1), ultrasound treatment of the aqueous mixture obtained after step (1) (step 2), separation of the aqueous mixture obtained after step (2) into a liquid aqueous phase and a disperse mixture containing, cellulose or a mixture containing at least cellulose and at least lignocellulose (step 3) and optionally purification of the disperse mixture obtained after step (3) containing cellulose or of the mixture containing at least cellulose and at least lignocellulose (step 4), where step (1) and step (2) of the process respectively are carried out at a temperature <100° C. and Where the ultrasound treatment in step (2) takes place in one or more treatment phases, where the duration of a treatment phase is in the range from 0.2 to 60 seconds and each treatment phase is carried out with a sonotrode frequency in the range from 14 to 22 kHz.

The present disclosure generally relates to a pretreatment arrangement (100) for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass comprising a reactor vessel (101) having an upstream inlet (102) for receiving biomass and a downstream outlet (103) for discharging biomass. The pretreatment arrangement (100) further comprises a gas valve (104) and gas flow control means (106).

The invention herein disclosed and claimed is a process for refining fiber from lignocellulosic biomass. The process provides refined fiber and agriculturally amenable co-products, with a virtually waste-free systems design.

The invention relates to a discharge screw arrangement (12) for discharging lignocellulosic material (7) from a lignocellulosic treatment reactor (1) and comprises a discharge screw (10), a feeder pipe (11) and a blow pipe (5), the discharge screw being accommodated in and rotatably arranged inside the feeder pipe and being configured to mechanically transport the lignocellulosic material in a longitudinal direction along a rotational axis of the discharge screw through the feeder pipe towards a downstream end (14) of the feeder pipe, which discharge screw arrangement is configured to allow steam to flow through the feeder pipe to help transporting the lignocellulosic material in the longitudinal direction along through the feeder pipe and out of the feeder pipe through an outlet nozzle (24) arranged in a side wall of the feeder pipe (11) at the downstream end of the feeder pipe and into the blow pipe, wherein the discharge screw arrangement further comprises a material spreader (20), which is rotatably arranged at the downstream end of the feeder pipe and is configured to transport the lignocellulosic material in a radial direction, perpendicular to a rotational axis of the material spreader, towards the outlet nozzle, which is arranged peripherally of the material spreader, and out of the feeder pipe through the outlet nozzle and into the blow pipe.

The invention relates to a method for treating biomass (2). In a step (S10), biomass (2) and an impregnation liquid are fed into a first reactor unit (10) such that the biomass (2) is impregnated with the impregnation liquid while the biomass (2) is transferred through the first reactor unit (10) by a conveyor means (11). In another step (S20), the impregnated biomass (2a) is transferred from the first reactor unit (10) to a separation unit (25), wherein at least a part of the impregnation liquid is separated from the impregnated biomass (2a) within the separation unit. In a step (S30), the separated impregnation liquid is discharged from the separation unit (25), such that a first part (26a) of the impregnation liquid is recirculated back to the first reactor unit (10). The invention further relates to a system for treating biomass (2).

The invention relates to a method for treating biomass (2). In a step (S10), biomass (2) and an impregnation liquid are fed into a first reactor unit (10) such that the biomass (2) is impregnated with the impregnation liquid while the biomass (2) is transferred through the first reactor unit (10) by a conveyor means (11). In another step (S20), the impregnated biomass (2a) is transferred from the first reactor unit (10) to a separation unit (25), wherein at least a part of the impregnation liquid is separated from the impregnated biomass (2a) within the separation unit. In a step (S30), the separated impregnation liquid is discharged from the separation unit (25), such that a first part (26a) of the impregnation liquid is recirculated back to the first reactor unit (10). The invention further relates to a system for treating biomass (2).

A pre-hydrolysis pressure vessel system includes; a material inlet for receiving biomass material to be treated in the pre-hydrolysis pressure vessel system and a material outlet for expelling treated biomass material out from the pre-hydrolysis pressure vessel system; a transport screw arrangement including a transport screw provided inside an enclosing housing of the transport screw arrangement, said transport screw being configured for transporting biomass material through the enclosing housing towards the material outlet of the pre-hydrolysis pressure vessel system. The enclosing housing includes a cleaning arrangement that includes: at least one elongated fluid channel positioned in connection with an inner wall of the enclosing housing and wherein said at least one elongated fluid channel comprises a number of fluid outlets, and at least one cleaning fluid inlet which is provided through the enclosing housing in fluid connection with the at least one fluid channel.