Abstract
The invention relates to the use of microjet reactor for processing biomass. The cell lysis of flowable biomass is thereby carried out by means of multiple high-speed liquid jets which collide with one another, wherein the liquid jets contain the cells or consist wholly of the flowable cell mass, wherein intact or wholly or partially lysed biomass is added to at least one of the colliding high-speed liquid jets, and an extraction takes place simultaneously with the collision of the liquid jets or subsequently thereto. The lysis of the cells is initiated or facilitated by the forces that occur on acceleration, introduction of the acceleration, collision of the jets and mixing of the jet constituents.
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. Use of a microjet reactor for the cell lysis of flowable biomass (1), wherein the nozzle diameters of the microjet reactor are in the range 50 μm-2000 μm and the hydraulic nozzle primary pressures of the microjet reactor are in the range of 5-1000 bar, the jet is formed by two circular diaphragms or nozzles which are situated at opposite locations of a larger space, and the collision angle of the jets is 90° to 180°, wherein multiple liquid jets (4), to which biomass (1) has been added, collide at speeds between 31 m/s and 447 m/s, wherein intact or wholly or partially lysed biomass is added to at least one of the multiple colliding liquid jets (4), wherein at least one of the jets (4) is enriched wholly or partially with an extracting agent and an extraction takes place simultaneously with the collision of the liquid jets or subsequently thereto.
16. The use according to claim 15, wherein the nozzle diameters of the microjet reactor are in the range of 200 μm-1500 μm and the hydraulic nozzle primary pressures of the microjet reactor are in the range of 50-800 bar, and preferably of 100-350 bar, and the collision angle of the jets is 135° to 180° and particularly preferably 170° to 180°, wherein multiple liquid jets (4), to which biomass (1) has been added, collide at speeds between 100 m/s and 400 m/s and in particular between 140 m/s and 254 m/s.
17. The use according to claim 15, wherein the collision of the liquid jets takes place in a space which is filled with gas or is flowed through by gas.
18. The use according to claim 15, wherein the destruction of the cells is initiated or facilitated by the addition of auxiliary substances to flowable biomass (1), wherein the auxiliary substances are enzymes, salts, organic solvents, acids or lyes.
19. The use according to claim 15, wherein a gas or liquid gas (12) is introduced into at least one liquid jet (4) before the jet is formed.
20. The use according to claim 15, wherein at least one liquid jet (4) is brought to a temperature above the normal boiling point of the liquid before the jet is formed.
21. The use according to claim 15, wherein reactant necessary for further processing is a constituent of at least one of the liquid jets (4).
22. The use according to claim 21, wherein the reactant for esterification of lipid-bound or free fatty acids from a biomass (1) comprises a mixture of an acid and an alcohol.
23. The use according to claim 21, wherein the reactant for esterification of fatty acids from a biomass (1) comprises a mixture of an alcoholate and the corresponding alcohol.
24. The use according to claim 21, wherein the reactant for hydrolysis of lipid-bound or free fatty acids from a biomass (1) comprises a lye, preferably sodium hydroxide solution or potassium hydroxide solution or a mixture of sodium hydroxide solution and potassium hydroxide solution.
Description
[0044] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described in greater detail hereinbelow with reference to drawings.
[0045] In the drawings
[0046] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus according to the invention in cross section,
[0047] FIG. 2 shows a further form of the apparatus according to the invention in cross section,
[0048] FIG. 3 shows a further schematic representation of the apparatus according to the invention,
[0049] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic representation of the apparatus according to the invention,
[0050] FIG. 5 shows a further schematic representation of the apparatus according to the invention,
[0051] FIG. 6 shows a further schematic representation of the apparatus according to the invention,
[0052] FIG. 7 shows a further schematic representation of the apparatus according to the invention,
[0053] FIG. 8 shows a further schematic representation of the apparatus according to the invention.
[0054] A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The housing of the RUPEX apparatus 2 is thereby depicted, into which the flowable biomass 1 is injected under high pressure from two opposite sides and shaped by a nozzle 3 into jets 4 which collide in the middle chamber (6) of the RUPEX apparatus at the collision point 5. In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the middle chamber can be filled with gas or flowed through by gas, for example from the top, in order to discharge the substance stream at the bottom.
[0055] A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. The housing of the RUPEX apparatus 2 is thereby depicted, into which the flowable biomass 1 is injected under high pressure from two sides and shaped by two nozzles 3, the longitudinal axes of which are at an obtuse angle relative to one another, into jets 4 which collide in the middle chamber 6 of the RUPEX apparatus at an obtuse angle at the collision point 5. In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the middle chamber can be filled with gas or flowed through by gas, for example from the top, in order to discharge the substance stream at the bottom.
[0056] FIG. 3 shows a device-related implementation of the RUPEX apparatus, wherein the flowable biomass 1 is brought to high pressure by means of a pump 10 and injected by means of two nozzles 8 into a chamber 7 in which a collision of the two liquid jets is caused. A gas connection 14 provides for a flow of that gas through the chamber and discharges the collision product through the outlet 9.
[0057] A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. A gas or liquid gas 12 is thereby added via a valve 13 to the flowable biomass 1 which has been brought to high pressure by means of a pump 10. The biomass to which gas or liquid gas has been added is injected from two sides into a RUPEX chamber 7, in which a collision of the jets is caused. As it expands, the added gas produces a gas atmosphere in which this collision can take place. The gas discharges the collision product through the outlet 9.
[0058] A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. The flowable biomass 1 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 10 is heated by means of a heat exchanger or a heater 15 to a temperature above the normal pressure boiling point of the carrier liquid and injected from two sides into a RUPEX chamber 7 in which a collision of the jets is caused. The decompression of the liquid in the RUPEX chamber to a pressure below its vapour pressure causes at least partial evaporation of the carrier liquid and a discharge of product from the RUPEX chamber through the outlet 9.
[0059] A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6. The flowable biomass 11 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 10 is injected from one side into a RUPEX chamber 7. From the other side, an aqueous solution of an enzyme 17 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 16 is injected as lysis aid, and the two jets are made to collide in the RUPEX chamber 7. The collision product leaves the RUPEX chamber through the outlet 9.
[0060] A further embodiment of the invention is possible with the apparatus from FIG. 6. The flowable biomass 1 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 10 is thereby injected from one side into a RUPEX chamber 7. An extracting agent brought to high pressure by means of a pump 16 is injected from the other side, and the two jets are made to collide in the RUPEX chamber 7. The collision product leaves the RUPEX chamber through the outlet 9.
[0061] A further embodiment of the invention is shown by the apparatus in FIG. 7. The flowable biomass 1 is thereby brought to high pressure by means of a precompressed gas or liquid gas 12 and a control valve 19 and injected into the RUPEX chamber 7 from two sides and made to collide. The collision product leaves the RUPEX chamber through the outlet 9.
[0062] A further embodiment of the invention is shown by the apparatus in FIG. 8. The flowable biomass 1 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 10 is thereby injected into a RUPEX chamber 7 from one side. An extracting agent 17 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 16 is injected from the other side, and the two jets are made to collide in the RUPEX chamber 7. The collision product is then passed into an extraction chamber 21. The extracting agent containing extract leaves the extraction chamber through the outlet 22. An additional extracting agent or an extraction aid can be fed in via the optional inlet 23. The raffinate leaves the extraction chamber through the outlet 20.
[0063] A further embodiment of the invention is possible with the apparatus of FIG. 8. The flowable biomass 1 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 10 is thereby injected into a RUPEX chamber 7 from one side. A biomass 17 brought to high pressure by means of a pump 16 is injected from the other side, and the two jets are made to collide in the RUPEX chamber 7. The pump 10 and the pump 16 and also the biomass 1 and the biomass 17 can be identical. The collision product is then passed into an extraction chamber 21. An extracting agent is fed in via the inlet 23. The extracting agent containing extract leaves the extraction chamber via the outlet 22. The raffinate leaves the extraction chamber through the outlet 20.
