Process and device for continuous liquefaction of organic solids

A method for the continuous liquefying of organic solids, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing:
• (i) a fermenter having arranged therein:
• first and second inlets in a lower region of the fermenter for introducing into said lower region a flow of liquid and/or an organic solids biomass;
• first and second outlets in an upper region of the fermenter;
• sieves positioned in an upper region of the fermenter and configured for:
• (1) damming-up a biomass fluid, wherein said biomass in said fluid is an organic solids biomass subjected to enzymatic or microbial liquefying in the lower region;
• (2) separating a portion of the liquids and dissolved gases in said dammed-up fluid by directing the liquids and dissolved gases through said sieves into an upper sieved region, and discharging the sieved liquids and dissolved gases out through the first outlet;
• (3) directing the liquid-separated solid material retained in the dammed-up fluid by the sieves by flowing the liquid-separated solid material into said second outlet wherein the second outlet is a residue discharge outlet;
• (ii) said liquid, consisting essentially of water and enriched with fermentation residual substances;
• and
• (iii) said organic solids biomass;
• (b) introducing into the lower region of the fermenter the liquid and the organic solids biomass through said first and/or second inlets, and a microorganism or enzyme, thereby forming said biomass fluid;
• (c) incubating the biomass fluid for a residence time and under reaction conditions sufficient for microbially or enzymatically liquefying the organic solids biomass contained therein and at a biomass fluid through-flow rate through said fermenter sufficient for continuous liquefying of the organic solids biomass therein, thereby producing in the lower region of the fermenter a solid fermentation residue portion and a dissolved decomposition liquid and/or gas portion, the biomass fluid damming up against the sieves and said dissolved decomposition liquid and/or gas portion passing through said sieves into the upper sieved region;
• (d) collecting the solid fermentation residue portion in an upper region of the fermenter below a liquid surface level of the dammed-up fluid;
• (e) removing the collected solid fermentation residue portion from the fermenter through said residue discharge outlet, thereby separating the collected solid fermentation residues from the liquid portion of the incubated dammed-up fluid;
• and
• (f) discharging from the fermenter the sieved liquid and dissolved gas portion.