A method of treating lignin-based material is provided, comprising the steps of subjecting lignin separated from lingo-cellulosic raw material to hydrothermal carbonization process at an elevated temperature, where carbonized lignin having increased carbon content is obtained, and stabilizing the obtained carbonized lignin under inert atmosphere at a stabilization temperature higher than the temperature of the hydrothermal carbonization process.

Pelletized carbonized biomass-based fuel products, methods, and apparatuses are provided. Methods include applying a binder and a first amount of water to at least partially carbonized biomass, applying a second amount of water to the at least partially carbonized biomass, and pelletizing the at least partially carbonized biomass in an inert atmosphere. Apparatuses include a feeder of at least partially carbonized biomass, a binder source and a first water source configured to provide a binder and water to the at least partially carbonized biomass, a second water source downstream of the binder and first water sources, a pelletizer configured to receive and pelletize the at least partially carbonized biomass, and an inert gas source configured to provide inert gas to the pelletizer.

Coal is extracted with heated and pressurized water, and an extract is collected as microspheres without use of an organic solvent or a surfactant. By this, microspheres containing a hollow spherical particle are produced. Biomass is extracted with heated and pressurized water, and an extract is collected as microspheres without use of an organic solvent or a surfactant.

Hydrothermal conversion is performed on organic feedstocks that include solids, by forming a slurry of the feedstock in water and subjecting the slurry to hydrothermal conversion conditions. The hydrothermal conversion conditions may be sufficient to product a carbonized solid and/or liquefaction products. The size of solids (either or both of feedstock or carbonized solids produced in the process) is reduced by conducting a series of bubble-forming and bubble-collapsing cycles on the slurry.

The production carbonaceous feedstock material from waste containing carbon sources and the use thereof in gasification processes for hazardous emissions of greenhouse gases and sulphur are significantly minimized and enhanced reaction rates are described. A process for producing a carbonaceous feedstock material from waste containing carbon sources, including the steps consisting of: (i) introducing a source of biochar to a source of discard coal fines to form a bio-coal mixture; (ii) introducing a catalyst additive selected from the group consisting of a source of an alkali metal or a source of an alkaline earth metal to the bio-coal mixture; (iii) optionally, contacting the bio-coal mixture with a binder; and (iv) compacting the resulting mixture of step (ii) or (iii) to form one or more carbonaceous feedstock briquettes, the size of said briquettes having a dimension of at least 5 mm.

Within the scope of hydrothermal carbonization, biomass is converted to bio-coal and other products. Because biomass occurs at irregular intervals at different locations and also, in part, only individual method steps are required at different locations, however, an apparatus for treatment of biomass is integrated into a variable, mobile container, and mobile containers adapted to the individual steps of the method are provided, which can be transported in compact manner and can be adapted, in terms of size, in the setup situation. This arrangement allows effective equipping of the individual containers, which can be expanded into a setup situation on location.

The present invention relates to a bio-char producing system comprising: a preheating-warming tank for preheating a water-containing organic raw material including food waste; a carbonization reactor for carbonizing, by a hydrothermal carbonization method, the water-containing organic raw material heated at the preheating-warming tank; and an indirect heater provided inside and outside the carbonization reactor to indirectly heat the carbonization reactor through a heating pipe where a heated insulating oil flows inside.

A system and method for devolatilizing a carbonaceous feedstock are provided. The system includes a devolatilization reactor having a unit shell, at least one tube bundle, a pump, and a control valve. The unit shell is configured to allow a heating fluid to flow within. The at least one tube bundle is configured to allow the feedstock to flow within the tube bundle and further configured to be positioned at least partially within the unit shell. The tube bundle comprises at least one tube and at least one tube bend. The at least one tube bend is disposed external to the unit shell. The pump is configured to pump the feedstock into the at least one tube bundle. The control valve is configured to control the flow rate of feedstock into the at least one tube bundle.

A system for the production of carbonized biomass that includes an infeed for accepting biomass feed material and an associated twin screw extruder. A water heater is connected with respect to at least one inlet along a length of the twin screw extruder and a pressure sustaining valve is connected at an outlet of the twin screw extruder.

The invention provides a method for generating a solid wood-based material and a hemicellulose-derived material from a wood raw material, said method comprising; i) treating the wood raw material under aqueous conditions at elevated temperature and pressure whereby to generate a hemicellulose-containing fluid component and a solid component; ii) separating said fluid component from said solid component; iii) processing at least a part of said solid component into a solid wood-based material; and iv) processing said liquid component into a hemicellulose-derived material. The invention also provides for a wood-derived fuel with a low ash content.