Method for conducting a hydrothermal carbonization reaction

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.

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