Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous method for the hydrothermal carbonization of renewable raw materials and organic residues, in which, in a first processing stage, a pressure increase essentially to the pressure level of the carbonization occurs, in the second processing stage, the carbonization, which is performed at a pressure of at least 5 bar and at most boiling temperature, the obtained carbonized product is at least partially settled as sediment, and the filling height of the water in the second processing stage is set by removing water, and the temperature of the sediment delivered from the second processing stage is reduced by the vaporization of water and it is supplied to the third processing stage, drying which is heated using steam, in which the drying is performed in steam atmosphere, and subsequently discharged from the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the treatment of process water which is obtained in a plant for the hydrothermal carbonization of renewable raw materials and organic residual materials by an evaporation of process water, a condensation of the washed process steam, and a biological treatment of the process steam condensate as partial quantity or possibly as total quantity of the amount of waste water discharged from an HTC plant.