Abstract: A process for treating a solid cellulosic biomass material for reduction of the content of unwanted inorganic components prior to using the material in the production of a biofuel and/or biochemical, comprising: providing a solid cellulosic biomass material; washing the solid cellulosic biomass material with a stream of water or in a water bath, wherein the water has a temperature in the range from 120° C. to equal to or less than 150° C. at a pressure high enough to maintain water in the liquid phase, to provide washed cellulosic biomass material comprising significantly reduced levels of unwanted inorganic components when compared to the levels in the starting biomass material.

Abstract: A process for converting a biomass material comprising a) pyrolyzing a biomass material to produce a biomass-derived pyrolysis product; b) mixing at least part of the biomass-derived pyrolysis product and a petroleum-derived hydrocarbon composition, which petroleum derived hydrocarbon composition has a C7-asphaltenes content of equal to or more than 0.2 wt %, based on the total weight of the petroleum-derived hydrocarbon composition, to produce a hydrocarbon-containing mixture; c) dewatering the hydrocarbon-containing mixture to produce a dewatered hydrocarbon-containing mixture; d) contacting the dewatered hydrocarbon-containing mixture with hydrogen in one or more ebullating bed reactors comprising a catalyst at a temperature in the range from 350 to 500° C. to produce a reaction product.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing furfural from solid biomass by gaseous acid catalysed hydrolysis and dehydration in the presence of superheated steam and one or more acid catalysts. The solid biomass is heated to a temperature which is sufficiently high to ensure that the superheated steam and the acid catalyst or catalysts to be used remain in gaseous form during the reaction. The heated solid biomass is contacted with a gaseous stream containing superheated steam and one or more acid catalysts to produce a furfural-containing gaseous stream containing superheated steam, one or more acid catalysts and furfural. The furfural-containing gaseous stream is recirculated to bring it into further contact with the heated solid biomass to enrich the concentration of furfural.

Abstract: Integrated separation and preparation process comprising a gas separation process wherein a first component is separated from a mixture of components by diffusion of the first component through a porous partition into a stream of sweeping component; and a preparation process wherein the sweeping component is used as feed. Separation unit and device for use in such a process and industrial set-up for use in such a process.