Abstract: During hydrothermal carbonization, biomass is converted to biocoal. The reaction yield depends on the reaction conditions, including duration of the carbonization reaction or time period within which the slurry composed of water and biomass remains in the reaction tank and is exposed to pressure and temperature. These conditions should be selected so that the greatest possible dry residue of carbonized material remains in the slurry. It has been shown that the dry residue amount changes during the carbonization reaction with a curve that is similar, to a great extent, to that of the slurry pH value. Because determining the dry residue is difficult during the ongoing reaction, but determining the pH value can be easy during the entire reaction period, the reaction is terminated at a maximum of the pH value corresponding to a maximum of the biocoal dry residue, to the greatest possible extent.

Abstract: During hydrothermal carbonization, the carbonization reaction takes place in a reaction tank, at high pressure and high temperature, and with steam feed. Because reactor charging takes place using a batch method, the biomass should be kept on hand in a pulper beforehand, and heated there. Slurry that leaves the reactor, in contrast, subsequently should be cooled in a buffer tank. For this purpose, cooling of the slurry and pre-heating of the biomass are linked. For this purpose, a heat exchanger in the pulper and a further heat exchanger in the buffer tank, which are connected to form a heat circuit, are supposed to be kept on hand. In this way, the slurry to be cooled can give off its heat to the biomass to be heated up, with the effect that significantly less energy leaves the system and has to be supplied to it again at a different location.

Abstract: During hydrothermal carbonization, the carbonization reaction takes place in a reaction tank, at high pressure and high temperature, and with steam feed. Because reactor charging takes place using a batch method, the biomass should be kept on hand in a pulper beforehand, and heated there. Slurry that leaves the reactor, in contrast, subsequently should be cooled in a buffer tank. For this purpose, cooling of the slurry and pre-heating of the biomass are linked. For this purpose, a heat exchanger in the pulper and a further heat exchanger in the buffer tank, which are connected to form a heat circuit, are supposed to be kept on hand. In this way, the slurry to be cooled can give off its heat to the biomass to be heated up, with the effect that significantly less energy leaves the system and has to be supplied to it again at a different location.

Abstract: During hydrothermal carbonization, biomass is converted to biocoal. The reaction yield depends on the reaction conditions, including duration of the carbonization reaction or time period within which the slurry composed of water and biomass remains in the reaction tank and is exposed to pressure and temperature. These conditions should be selected so that the greatest possible dry residue of carbonized material remains in the slurry. It has been shown that the dry residue amount changes during the carbonization reaction with a curve that is similar, to a great extent, to that of the slurry pH value. Because determining the dry residue is difficult during the ongoing reaction, but determining the pH value can be easy during the entire reaction period, the reaction is terminated at a maximum of the pH value corresponding to a maximum of the biocoal dry residue, to the greatest possible extent.