System including a combined tangential shear homogenizing and flashing apparatus having single or dual effluent outlet(s) and method for flash treating biomass utilizing the same

A system for destructuring pretreated biomass comprising:

• a pretreating device for producing a pressurized mass of material having a predetermined elevated temperature;
• one or two process utilities disposed downstream of the pretreating device;
• and
• a combined tangential shear homogenizing and flashing apparatus connected intermediate the pretreating device and the one or two process utilities, the apparatus itself comprising:
• a housing having an inlet and at least a first outlet, the housing having an axis extending therethrough, the inlet being connectable to the pretreating device;
• and
• a stator and a rotor mounted within the housing, the stator and rotor being confrontationally disposed and spaced apart thereby to define a mixing zone communicating with the inlet and the outlet;
• the rotor being connectable to a motor operative to rotate the rotor with respect to the stator, such that, in use, with a predetermined pressure difference within the mixing zone, rotational movement of the rotor with respect to the stator imparts a tangential shear to a predetermined volume of pretreated biomass introduced into the mixing zone at a predetermined pressure and temperature,
• the tangential shear being able to homogenize the biomass and the pressure difference being able to cause a partial phase separation of the homogenized biomass into vapor and liquid phases;
• and
• one or two conduits for providing uninterrupted fluid communication between one or two outlets of the housing and the one or two process utilities for conducting the vapor and liquid phases directly into the one or two process utilities.

A method for destructuring pretreated biomass comprising the steps of:

• heating and pressurizing a mass of material to a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature;
• introducing the heated, pressurized mass of material into a mixing zone defined between a stator and a rotor rotatably mounted for rotation about an axis with respect to the stator;
• exposing the material in the mixing zone to a pressure difference directed radially from the axis while simultaneously rotating the rotor with respect to the stator to impart a shear force directed tangentially to the pressure gradient,
• the tangential shear being able to homogenize the biomass and the pressure difference being able to cause a partial phase separation of the homogenized biomass into vapor and liquid phases.

A combined tangential shear homogenizing and flashing apparatus for destructuring pretreated biomass comprising:

• a housing having an axis extending therethrough, the housing having an inlet connectable to a source of pretreated biomass;
• and
• a stator and a rotor mounted within the housing, the stator and rotor being confrontationally disposed and spaced apart thereby to define a mixing zone communicating with the inlet;
• and
• the rotor being connectable to a motor operative to rotate the rotor with respect to the stator, such that, in use, with a predetermined pressure difference within the mixing zone, rotational movement of the rotor with respect to the stator imparts a tangential shear to a predetermined volume of pretreated biomass introduced into the mixing zone at a predetermined pressure and temperature,
• the tangential shear being able to homogenize the biomass and the pressure difference being able to cause a partial phase separation of the homogenized biomass into vapor and liquid phases within the mixing zone;
• the housing having one or two effluent outlets through which the vapor and liquid phases are able to pass to one or two downstream utilities.