The present invention relates to improving the results of anaerobic digestion of organic waste especially animal manure such as chicken manure by removing the grit in the waste by digesting the waste in a slurry at a temperature of about 50 C. or more for a period of time sufficient for the grit to settle out of the slurry.

Reactors, systems and processes for the production of biomass by culturing microorganisms in aqueous liquid culture medium circulating inner loop reactor which utilize nonvertical pressure reduction zones are described. Recovery and processing of the culture microorganisms to obtain products, such as proteins or hydrocarbons is described.

Improved methods for anaerobic digestion of organic matter to produce biogas. Among the improvements given are including ferric iron in a hydrolysis reactor to increase the rate and efficiency of anaerobic hydrolysis to provide substrates for methanogenesis. A solids separation step is added after hydrolysis and before methanogenesis to improve the efficiency of the methanogenesis step. Other improvements involve using separate tanks for the hydrolysis and methanogenesis stages and using two (or more) methanogenesis tanks in sequence, and switching the order of the two (or more) methanogenesis tanks periodically.

A method of producing a saccharified solution, in which saccharified slurry is obtained by hydrothermally treating cellulosic biomass slurry in a supercritical state or a subcritical state by a continuous reactor. The method reduces the risk of a pressure reducing valve becoming clogged when the high-temperature and high-pressure slurry is flash-evaporated after being hydrothermally treated. Also provides an apparatus for producing a saccharified solution and a continuous reactor. At the time of hydrothermally treating the cellulosic biomass slurry by the continuous reactor continuously, the slurry is intensely stirred in a front part of the continuous reactor, and stirred in a rear part of the continuous reactor by a stirring device with low propelling force, such that the plug flow in the axial direction is kept while the slurry is being uniformly mixed with respect to the cross section perpendicular to the mixing axis.

The invention is directed to a method of producing a biomass-derived product, comprising filtering through at least one paddle screen a high solids liquefaction slurry that comprises starch and fiber, thereby separating the starch into a starch rich stream and the fiber into a fiber rich stream; and fermenting the starch rich stream to produce a biomass-derived product.

A process and system provides for atraumatic preparation of morselized Tissue Particles (TP)s, such as Full Thickness Skin Graft Particles (FTSGPs), cartilage particles and other organ tissue particles, in a liquid medium. The resultant tissue product may be a suspension of Tissue Particles in an aqueous solution and containing highly viable cells and may be rapidly prepared at bedside or in the operating room and conveniently delivered to a patient through a syringe or similar applicator. The morselized Tissues Particles may be used for surgical applications including wound healing, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedic cartilage repairs.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for an enzymatic hydrolysis in which plant based raw material is hydrolysed by means of enzymes. The plant based raw material (1) is fed to the first enzymatic hydrolysis stage (2), the plant based raw material (1) is hydrolysed in at least two enzymatic hydrolysis stages (2,4), a liquid fraction (5a,5b) comprising carbohydrates is separated from a solid fraction (6a,6b) in a solid-liquid separation stage (7a,7b) after each enzymatic hydrolysis stage (2,4), and the solid fraction (6a) is supplied to the next enzymatic hydrolysis stage (4) in which the solid fraction is treated, and the solid fraction (6b) is recovered after the last solid-liquid separation stage (7b). Further, the invention relates to the liquid fraction and the solid fraction and their use.

A hydrolyzer outfeed system includes a hydrolyzer having a hydrolyzer outlet, an intermediate pressure chamber having a pressure chamber inlet and a pressure chamber outlet, and an expansion chamber. A pressure chamber inlet valve selectively communicates the hydrolyzer outlet with the pressure chamber inlet, the inlet valve having an inlet valve cross-sectional area in a fully open position. A pressure chamber outlet valve selectively communicates the pressure chamber outlet with the expansion chamber. The pressure chamber outlet valve has an outlet valve cross-sectional area in a fully open position. The outlet valve cross-sectional area is smaller than the inlet valve cross-sectional area.

A process and system provides for atraumatic preparation of morselized Tissue Particles (TP)s, such as Full Thickness Skin Graft Particles (FTSGPs), cartilage particles and other organ tissue particles, in a liquid medium. The resultant tissue product may be a suspension of Tissue Particles in an aqueous solution and containing highly viable cells and may be rapidly prepared at bedside or in the operating room and conveniently delivered to a patient through a syringe or similar applicator. The morselized Tissues Particles may be used for surgical applications including wound healing, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedic cartilage repairs.

Reactors, systems and processes for the production of biomass by culturing microorganisms in aqueous liquid culture medium circulating inner loop reactor which utilize nonvertical pressure reduction zones are described. Recovery and processing of the culture microorganisms to obtain products, such as proteins or hydrocarbons is described.