Apparatus, process and pressure reactor for the treatment of solids with pressurized liquid gases

Apparatus for the treatment of solids comprising:

• at least two parallel arranged pressure reactors;
• control means for operating the pressure reactors in a time-staggered manner for the alternating taking in of a solid and a liquid gas, wherein each pressure reactor has inlet and outlet openings for the solid provided with shut-off elements and at least one inlet opening for the liquid gas, wherein a said pressure reactor comprises a compacting device to press together the solid including a piston that can be locked in a position of its maximum piston stroke;
• at least one expansion tank which is connected to the respective pressure reactors;
• and
• conveying means for feeding the solid as well as the liquid gas.

Process for the treatment of solids with pressurized liquid gas comprising the steps of;

• feeding the solid to be treated into a pressure reactor at atmospheric pressure;
• during a reaction phase feeding pressurized liquid gas to the pressure reactor;
• compacting the solid in the pressure reactor using a compacting piston that can be locked in a position of its maximum piston stroke to compress the solid;
• expanding the resultant liquid gas/solid mixture into an expansion tank;
• and
• operating at least two reactors in a time-staggered manner.

Process for the treatment of a solid comprising the steps:

• charging a pressure reactor with solid cellulose during a filling phase,
• subsequently compacting the solid cellulose in the pressure reactor,
• feeding liquid pressurized ammonia gas into the compacted solid in the pressure reactor to react with the solid cellulose, by which a liquid-solid mixture is produced;
• expanding the liquid/solid mixture into an expansion tank, wherein the steps are performed in several pressure reactors being operated simultaneously or staggered in several of the aforementioned steps.