Abstract: A process for the production of acetylated wood elements, a cooling system and a wood acetylation plant are described. A process for the production of acetylated wood elements comprises acetylating wood elements and cooling the acetylated wood elements wherein the cooling comprises supplying liquid water to the acetylated wood elements to provide wetted wood elements and exposing the wetted wood elements to a gas flow.

Abstract: A process for the production of acetylated wood elements, a cooling system and a wood acetylation plant are described. A process for the production of acetylated wood elements comprises acetylating wood elements and cooling the acetylated wood elements wherein the cooling comprises supplying liquid water to the acetylated wood elements to provide wetted wood elements and exposing the wetted wood elements to a gas flow.

Abstract: A system for transferring solid particles from a first environment at a first gas pressure to a second environment at a second gas pressure. The system comprises a first rotary valve having an inlet which is in fluid communication with the first environment, a second rotary valve having an outlet which is in fluid communication with the second environment, and an intermediate housing bounding an intermediate channel, of which an inlet is fluidly connected to an outlet of the first rotary valve and of which an outlet is fluidly connected to an inlet of the second rotary valve. The intermediate channel is fluidly connected to a third environment maintained at a third gas pressure. The third gas pressure is higher than both the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure or lower than both the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for continuous acetylation of wood elements. The acetylation is conducted with an acetylation medium at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg in a substantially oxygen free environment. Alternatively, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of: (a) feeding wood elements in a substantially oxygen free environment to a continuous acetylation reactor, and (b) treating the wood elements with an acetylation medium in the continuous acetylation reactor under wood acetylation reaction conditions, at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg. The process according to the present invention allows to acetylate wood elements to a high acetyl content in a very efficient way, without compromising on the quality of the material. The acetylated wood elements can be used in the production of medium density fibreboards with superior qualities such as dimensional stability and durability.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for continuous acetylation of wood elements. The acetylation is conducted with an acetylation medium at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg in a substantially oxygen free environment. Alternatively, the method includes the steps of: (a) feeding wood elements in a substantially oxygen free environment to a continuous acetylation reactor, and (b) treating the wood elements with an acetylation medium in the continuous acetylation reactor under wood acetylation reaction conditions, at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg. The process can acetylate wood elements to a high acetyl content in an efficient way, without compromising on the quality of the material. The acetylated wood elements can be used in the production of medium density fibreboards with superior qualities such as dimensional stability and durability.

Abstract: A system for transferring solid particles from a first environment at a first gas pressure to a second environment at a second gas pressure. The system comprises a first rotary valve having an inlet which is in fluid communication with the first environment, a second rotary valve having an outlet which is in fluid communication with the second environment, and an intermediate housing bounding an intermediate channel, of which an inlet is fluidly connected to an outlet of the first rotary valve and of which an outlet is fluidly connected to an inlet of the second rotary valve. The intermediate channel is fluidly connected to a third environment maintained at a third gas pressure. The third gas pressure is higher than both the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure or lower than both the first gas pressure and the second gas pressure.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for continuous acetylation of wood elements. The acetylation is conducted with an acetylation medium at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg in a substantially oxygen free environment. Alternatively, the method includes the steps of: (a) feeding wood elements in a substantially oxygen free environment to a continuous acetylation reactor, and (b) treating the wood elements with an acetylation medium in the continuous acetylation reactor under wood acetylation reaction conditions, at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg. The process can acetylate wood elements to a high acetyl content in an efficient way, without compromising on the quality of the material. The acetylated wood elements can be used in the production of medium density fibreboards with superior qualities such as dimensional stability and durability.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves recirculating acetylation fluid recovered from wood acetylation to a unit for the production of acetic anhydride from acetic acid and ketene. The acetic anhydride product stream can, in turn, be directly used as a wood acetylation fluid.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for continuous acetylation of wood elements. The acetylation is conducted with an acetylation medium at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg in a substantially oxygen free environment. Alternatively, the method includes the steps of: (a) feeding wood elements in a substantially oxygen free environment to a continuous acetylation reactor, and (b) treating the wood elements with an acetylation medium in the continuous acetylation reactor under wood acetylation reaction conditions, at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg. The process can acetylate wood elements to a high acetyl content in an efficient way, without compromising on the quality of the material. The acetylated wood elements can be used in the production of medium density fibreboards with superior qualities such as dimensional stability and durability.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves directly using raw acetic anhydride as obtained in the production thereof from ketene, as a wood acetylation fluid.

Abstract: A system and process is provided for generating power from a syngas fermentation process. The process includes contacting hot syngas having a temperature above about 1400° F. with cooled syngas to produce a pre-cooled syngas having a temperature of 1400° F. or less at an inlet of a waste heat boiler. A waste heat boiler receives the pre-cooled syngas and is effective for producing waste heat boiler high pressure steam and a cooled syngas.

Abstract: A process for the production of acetylated wood elements, a cooling system and a wood acetylation plant are described. A process for the production of acetylated wood elements comprises acetylating wood elements and cooling the acetylated wood elements wherein the cooling comprises supplying liquid water to the acetylated wood elements to provide wetted wood elements and exposing the wetted wood elements to a gas flow.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves combining acetic acid obtained from distillation of acetylation fluid with a residual aqueous acetic acid stream as obtained from ketene production.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves recovering acetylation fluid from wood acetylation, and sending this to an acetic anhydride distillation unit belonging to the acetic anhydride production plant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for continuous acetylation of wood elements. The acetylation is conducted with an acetylation medium at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg in a substantially oxygen free environment. Alternatively, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of: (a) feeding wood elements in a substantially oxygen free environment to a continuous acetylation reactor, and (b) treating the wood elements with an acetylation medium in the continuous acetylation reactor under wood acetylation reaction conditions, at a pressure of at least 1.5 barg. The process according to the present invention allows to acetylate wood elements to a high acetyl content in a very efficient way, without compromising on the quality of the material. The acetylated wood elements can be used in the production of medium density fibreboards with superior qualities such as dimensional stability and durability.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves directly using raw acetic anhydride as obtained in the production thereof from ketene, as a wood acetylation fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves combining acetic acid obtained from distillation of acetylation fluid with a residual aqueous acetic acid stream as obtained from ketene production.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves recirculating acetylation fluid recovered from wood acetylation to a unit for the production of acetic anhydride from acetic acid and ketene. The acetic anhydride product stream can, in turn, be directly used as a wood acetylation fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed is the integration of the production of acetic anhydride from ketene, and the acetylation of wood using acetylation fluid comprising acetic acid and acetic anhydride. The invention involves recovering acetylation fluid from wood acetylation, and sending this to an acetic anhydride distillation unit belonging to the acetic anhydride production plant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol from biomass, and in particular to a process for the production of ethanol and butanol using two separate fermentation step subjecting the biomass feedstock to anaerobic fermentation at a pH below 6.0 and at a temperature in the range 20 to 700° C. and so as to convert the biomass to a product predominantly comprising acetic acid and butyric acid with at least a 2:1 ratio by weight of acetic acid to butyric acid, c) treating the product of stream of step (b) to separate a solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid by: (i) separating a solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid from any residual solids and (ii) separating bacteria and/or pasteurizing or sterilizing the solution from the first fermentation step, and d) in a second fermentation step fermenting the solution comprising the acetic acid and butyric acid from the step (c) to form ethanol and butanol.